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Who we are
We are a young and dynamic research group based in Bern, Switzerland, and led by Prof. Natalie Banerji. In our group, chemists as well as physicists and material scientists work side by side to understand and optimize electronic devices based on organic electronic materials. In addition, we combine the best of two worlds by welcoming researchers from all over the world and by teaching local students from Bern.
This combination of different backgrounds and experiences forms a powerful symbiosis that enables us to understand the underlying principles of charge transport in the materials we study.
Our research interests
Our objective is to understand fundamental material properties (e.g., light–matter interactions, electron transfer processes, charge transport, molecular recognition) of organic and hybrid semiconductors, with applications in new generation solar cells, organic transistors, and organic bioelectronics. The current gap between missing fundamental understanding and the blind development of applications needs to be filled in order to achieve intelligent design of high-performance devices.
Our research revolves around the central question of what happens on the ultrashort time scale and ultrasmall length scale in organic solids to induce macroscopic function in devices, and how this can be optimized. Experimentally, we use a complementary palette of techniques combining (time-resolved) spectroscopy, pulsed photocurrent methods, terahertz experiments, Stark-effect spectroscopy, and device testing.
News
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Group Excursion to Lavaux
We had a beautiful excursion to Lavaux! Nothing inspires science like fresh air, lake swimming, and a walk in the vineyards!
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Gonzague Successfully defended his thesis!
Introducing Dr. Gonzague Rebetez! What an excellent thesis, defense, and contribution to the field of bioelectronics from Gonzague!
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Priscila, Isabelle, and Cedric contributed to the SCS Photochemistry Conference
Priscila had an oral contribution focused on her work on spectroelectrochemistry of P3HT; Isabelle won the best poster prize for her results of a spectroelectrochemical investigation of IDTBT; and Cedric presented a poster of his electromodulated differential absorption experiments on OPV blends at this year’s Swiss Chemical Society Photochemistry Conference
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Natalie, Kaila, Gareth, and Eva present at MRS Hawaii
Natalie had an invited talk and chaired a session of the MRS Spring 2022 meeting in Hawaii, while Kaila had an oral contribution, Gareth won one of the poster prizes for the Organic Photovoltaics session, and Eva was nominated for the best poster award for her poster session.
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New Research Published!!
Gareth’s most recent paper demonstrates the potential of machine learning as it applies to materials science and the prediction of material properties. Interested? Click here!
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Introducing Dr. Gareth J. Moore!
Congratulations to Dr. Gareth J. Moore as he successfully obtained his PhD! Special thanks to his committee and external expert, Koen Vandewal.
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Natalie presented at nanoGe!
Natalie was excited to virtually share her work as part of the nanoGe meeting this spring in the symposium for Charge Dynamics of State-of-the-art Organic Solar Cells.
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Prof. Dr. Paulo Miranda visited FemtoMat
Prof. Dr. Paulo Miranda visited the FemtoMat group to work with us on sum frequency generation spectroscopy and explore the Swiss Alps!
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New Work Published on Bipolarons in P3HT!
Click here to read Demetra, Priscila, and Gonzague’s work on the role of bipolarons in the short-range conductivity of P3HT!
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Visit and Talk from Loren Kaake
FemtoMat hosted Prof. Dr. Loren Kaake last week for a talk at the Departement für Chemie, Biochemie, und Pharmazie!