Aim of the Project - Overview

The aim of the Action is to defragment ongoing research in theoretical modelling and experimental characterisation of nanostructures in advanced solar cell architectures. This is achieved by coordinating exchanges across disciplines in the field of photovoltaics resulting in a consolidated multiscale modelling solution validated at all scales by experiment.

COST is the longest-running European framework supporting trans-national cooperation among researchers, engineers and scholars across Europe.

It is a unique means for them to jointly develop their own ideas and new initiatives across all fields in science and technology, including social sciences and humanities, through pan-European networking of nationally funded research activities. Based on a European intergovernmental framework for cooperation in science and technology, COST has been contributing - since its creation in 1971 - to closing the gap between science, policy makers and society throughout Europe and beyond. As a precursor of advanced multidisciplinary research, COST plays a very important role in building a European Research Area (ERA).

It anticipates and complements the activities of the EU Framework Programmes, constituting a “bridge” towards the scientific communities of COST Inclusiveness Target Countries. It also increases the mobility of researchers across Europe and fosters the establishment of scientific excellence.

The former science organisation which was structured into nine science and technology domains has been replaced by a new organisation aiming at guaranteeing a fully open and bottom-up approach through the establishment of a single Scientific Committee. This also includes a renewed evaluation and selection procedure aiming at identifying breakthrough ideas and favouring interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary projects.

Materials, Physical and Nanosciences COST Action MPNS COST Action Multiscale in modelling and validation for solar photovoltaics (MultiscaleSolar) Descriptions are provided by the Actions directly via e-COST.

Nanostructures show unique tunable material properties with major and proven potential for state-of-the-art optoelectronics. Exploiting them for the challenging implementation of next generation solar cell architectures requires novel multiscale modelling and characterization approaches which capture both the peculiar features at nanoscale and their impact on the optoelectronic performance at device levels.

To foster progress towards such approaches, MULTISCALESOLAR creates a new network of experts defragmenting knowledge by combining existing research activities to address key issues in in next generation photovoltaics raised by academic and industrial end users. It provides quantum mechanical descriptions of electronic, optical and vibrational properties in order to parametrize mesoscopic models for the dynamics of charge carriers, photons and phonons in nanostructures. This yields effective material parameters for use in macroscopic device level models validated at each step by experiment.

This Action combines theoretical and experimental expertise in industry and academia benefitting the European Research Area. The Action actively addresses gender issues, and favours early stage researchers, developing their scientific and management skills. The Action yields, for the first time, validated multiscale understanding of nanostructure properties for optoelectronic applications, with a focus on third generation photovoltaics.