Throughout my career, I have worked with successfully designing and developing complex experiments for in situ structural studies in the fields of polymer solar cells and functional organic materials, catalysis and hydrogen storage using synchro-tron radiation, in fact since the beginning of my PhD studies. From 2001-2010 my focus was mainly on synchrotron radia-tion scattering techniques and their use for in situ experiments and for determining structure-property relations in functional thin films. My competences in this field, in combination with the experimental resources at DTU Energy is continuously driving existing and new international collaborations, with researchers contacting me with ideas for structural studies where they need my contributions.
In 2011, I took the decision to shift focus towards synchrotron-based 3D imaging of energy materials, particularly the very demanding case of polymer solar cells, where the low-contrast soft matter constitute a specific challenge. Through a dedicated effort of proposals for beam time I moved through experiments with 3D ptychographic imaging of roll to roll coated polymer solar cell active layers to 3D imaging of a complete polymer tandem solar cell. The scope of applications is broadening, and my group is now developing new tools for 3D imaging and organizing training and teaching in these.
In the same period, I have developed a new setup for fast mapping of nano-structure, crystallinity and texture in R2R coated thin-films, which I am still improving and extending. Most recently I have demonstrated its use as a micro roll-coater allowing in situ studies of structure formation during coating, which is a capability that is currently unique in the world. I have most recently taken up research in ultrafast X-ray scattering and spectroscopy applied to solar energy materials, using X-ray free electron lasers.
