In the summer of 2022 our Physics BSc student Adam Kinsella undertook a research project funded by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Scheme (UROS) here at the University of Lincoln. Their project focused on the substitution of Fe in the semiconductor CuAlS2. Using density functional theory (DFT) they investigated the role of Fe content on the electronic structure of the material. This research is a step towards understanding this complicated material, and its potential for application in photovoltaics, photothermal energy conversion, or spintronics.
Below is an excerpt from Adam’s blog post about their project.
Over the course of the project, I’ve definitely learned a lot, and I was surprised by how many different areas I ended up learning about – I’ve gained knowledge in computing/programming, in DFT simulation, in the physical concepts behind semiconductors and in collaborative research. I’ve enjoyed the process of working alongside my supervisors and being directly involved in the decisions made on this project and believe my experience will aide me in a wide variety of areas in the future.
Adam Kinsella – third year Physics BSc
This week, a research article based on Adam’s project has been published in the journal ‘Crystals’. This is a fantastic achievement for not only Adam, but also for our PhD student Chris Dickens, who co-supervised the UROS project and is the first author on the article. Congratulations!
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