My research is focussed towards understanding the charge and exciton dynamics of organic solar cells (OSCs) using time resolved optical spectroscopic tools. The goal is to obtain a detailed understanding of exciton dissociation, charger transfer and free charge generation steps in OSCs. I am also interested in exploring charge transfer at organic/inorganic hybrid interfaces through ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS). I obtained my PhD at the University of Queensland for investigation on exitonic losses in organic lasers.

Despite the exceptional progress of perovskite solar cells, the mechanism governing interfacial recombination is still in debate. A better and more fundamental approach is required to understand the states and pathways the recombination proceeds. To do that I am employed in the SURPRISE project which is about Understanding and suppressing Interfacial charge recombination for high-performance Perovskite Solar cells. My research aims to understand the role of interfacial energy alignment between the perovskite and transport layers and the physical nature of C60-induced interfacial traps. For this, I will use a range of complementary measurement techniques for example transient and steady-state photoluminescence as well as electro-optical transient measurement.

Since the dawn of non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs), there holds much promise for higher efficiency organic solar cells (OSCs). However, the excitonic nature of organic semiconductors means that OSCs still endure innate energy and photovoltage losses, since free charge carriers are formed and recombine via excitons at donor:acceptor interfaces. My research and interest lie in the intersection of these subjects. By using various transient and steady-state optoelectronic techniques, I aim to understand how the energetics and dynamics of the NFA singlet & interfacial excitons relate to the open-circuit voltage, and how they affect fundamental processes like the generation or recombination of free charge carriers in NFA-based OSCs.

I am originally from Ethiopia and completed my Bachelor and Master degrees at Adama Science and Technology University (ASTU) in Materials Science and Engineering.

Currently, Metal-halide perovskites are rapidly emerging as the next-generation space photovoltaic (PV) technology with radiation tolerance significantly higher than the Si and III-V technologies and powering space solar panels. However, Space environment poses a very different set of extremes such as radiation, ultraviolet photons, extreme temperatures and temperature cycles and atomic oxygen causing performance degradation of the solar cell devices in space. To solve these problems, my research focuses on the development and optimization of halide Perovskite based single and multijunction-photovoltaics which is followed by advanced characterization of their stability and degradation in extreme conditions.

I am a Ph.D. student in the (Radiation-) Tolerant Electronics with Soft Semiconductors (ROSI) Group within the Soft Matter Physics Group at the University of Potsdam.  I earned both my bachelor's and master’s degrees in Chemistry at İzmir Institute of Technology. My research was focused on the design, synthesis, and characterization of colloidal carbon quantum dots and their applications during my master’s study. In addition, my research activities involved the synthesis and characterization of different shapes of colloidal plexcitonic nanocrystals with tunable optical properties in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum by using metal nanocrystals and different exciton sources. Currently, I am working on the Perovskite Single Crystal (PSC) based Radiation Detectors.

I am always fascinated by the light-matter interaction and physical phenomena behind it. I have studied on understanding and tune the structural, electronic, and optical properties of perovskites using both experimental methods and ab-initio simulations. Also, I studied graphene-based flexible photodetectors. Now, as a Ph.D. student, I am excited to move one step further and work on perovskite solar cells on ROSI Group and contribute to the development of renewable energy.