World-Leading Scholarship in Physics and Chemistry

Project

Optoelectronics is the field that combines optics and electronics to develop devices capable of detecting, generating, and controlling light. Metal halide perovskites have been rapidly developed in recent years for a variety of optoelectronic devices including solar cells, photodetectors, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and lasers.^1-4 In particular, advancements in material engineering and device architectures have driven exciting progress in perovskite lasers.⁵ However, the high toxicity and instabilities of lead-containing perovskites remain the major obstacles to develop their future commercial applications.⁶ In this project, we will develop and explore novel lead-free light-emitting perovskite materials aiming at transforming the field with the realization of the first room temperature low threshold lead-free continuous-wave (CW) perovskite lasers.

The objective of this PhD project is to bring together a unique combination of world-leading expertise in physics and chemistry to demonstrate a next generation of lead-free light-emitting perovskite materials that can show low-threshold lasing and operate in the CW lasing regime. Under the supervision of Dr Payne,^7,8 the student will synthesise and characterise novel lead-free light-emitting perovskite materials. The student will then carry out a systematic photophysical study with Prof Samuel^9-11 to improve the structural properties of the films and maximize the photoluminescence efficiency of the new perovskites in thin films. The materials with the highest photoluminescence efficiency will be selected and then tested in perovskite semiconductor lasers under the supervision of Dr Ribierre.^12-14 The new lasing materials will be benchmarked with state-of-the-art lead-containing perovskite devices to demonstrate their potential for tunable low-threshold lasing under pulsed excitation in the visible spectral range and to achieve CW lasing. To demonstrate the potential of this research for future commercial applications, the student will fabricate at the end of the project a prototype integrating blue, green and red CW lead-free perovskite lasers on a same substrate, which is not possible with current inorganic and organic laser technologies.

Overall, the development of these new lead-free perovskite light-emitting materials and the demonstration of a new sustainable and eco-friendly CW laser technology should have a disruptive impact on the perovskite optoelectronic and photonic research. The proposed research work, which has never been implemented before, covers a topic of national importance and is closely aligned with the University’s strategy to develop world-leading research on “Energy and Sustainability”.

[1] Y. Fu et al., “Metal halide perovskite nanostructures for optoelectronic applications and the study of physical properties”, Nature Rev. Mater. 4, 169 (2019).

[2] A. Fakharuddin et al., “Perovskite light-emitting diodes”, Nature Electronics 5, 203 (2022).

[3] J.Y. Kim et al., “High-efficiency perovskite solar cells”, Chem. Rev. 120, 7876 (2020).

[4] H. Wang et al., “A review of perovskite-based photodetectors and their applications”, Nanomaterials, 12, 4390 (2022).

[5] Y. Shi et al., “Ten years of perovskite lasers”, Adv. Mater. 37, 2413559 (2025).

[6] S. Ahmed et al., “Recent trends and challenges in lead-free perovskite solar cells: a critical review”, ACS Appl. Energy Mater. 7, 1382 (2024).

[7] L. J. Yang, J. L. Payne et al., “Advancing intercalation strategies in layered hybrid perovskites by bringing together synthesis and simulations”, Nature Comm. 16, 5549 (2025).

[8] P. S. Klee, J. L. Payne et al., “Synthesis, Structure, and Tunability of Zero-Dimensional Organic–Inorganic Metal Halides Utilizing the m-Xylylenediammonium Cation: MXD₂PbI₆, MXDBiI₅, and MXD₃Bi₂Br1₂·2H₂O”, Cryst. Growth Des. 22, 3815 (2022).

[9] K. Yoshida, I. D. W. Samuel et al., “Electrically driven organic laser using integrated OLED pumping”, Nature 621, 746 (2023).

[10] S. Diesing, I. D. W. Samuel et al., “A figure of merit for efficiency roll-off in TADF-based organic LEDs.” Nature 621, 746 (2024).

[11] I. D. W. Samuel, G. A. Turnbull, “Organic semiconductor lasers”, Chem. Rev. 107, 1272 (2007).

[12] D. H. Kim, J. C. Ribierre et al., “High-efficiency electroluminescence and amplified spontaneous emission from a thermally activated delayed fluorescent near-infrared emitter”. Nature Photon. 12, 98 (2018).

[13] A. S. D. Sandanayaka, J. C. Ribierre, et al., “Toward continuous-wave operation of organic semiconductor lasers”, Science Adv. 3, e1602570 (2017).

[14] A. S. D. Sandanayaka, J. C. Ribierre, et al., “Indication of current-injection lasing from an organic semiconductor”, Appl. Phys. Expr. 12, 061010 (2019).

Value of award (per year)

The scholarship will comprise a full tuition fee award and an annual stipend paid at a rate set by the University of St Andrews. For 2025-2026, the stipend is £19,775 p.a., with an annual uplift published by the University each academic year.

The stipend will be paid pro-rata to part-time students.

The scholarships do not cover any continuation, extension, or resubmission period/fees, Visa fees, Immigration Health Surcharge, IELTS fees, costs for travel to and from the UK or research training grant or another equivalent award for research expenses.

Duration of award

Up to 3.5 years (full-time) or 7.0 years (part-time). Scholarship holders will be expected to have submitted their thesis for examination by the end of that period. The award term excludes the continuation period and any extension periods.

At what stage of my course application can I apply for this scholarship?

Please apply for the scholarship after you have submitted your application for a place at St Andrews.  You do not need to wait until you have received an offer of a place before applying for the scholarship.

Additional criteria

You must have applied for a PhD programme at St Andrews.

You must not already (i) hold a doctoral degree; or (ii) be matriculated for a doctoral degree at the University of St Andrews or another institution.

As part of the scholarship application you will be required to upload a personal statement. This should serve as a cover letter for the research project application as a whole, and should include:

• An outline of your suitability for the project (project criteria can be found in the "Eligibility" and "Project Description" sections above).
• Why the project interests you.
• What you would bring to the project in terms of previous skills and expertise.
• Any ideas that you may have for the realisation of the project.

How to apply

1. Apply for your chosen course at the University St Andrews: Postgraduate research. Select Physics and Astronomy as the academic school. After submitting your course application, you must allow up to three working days to receive login details for the My Application portal.
2. When you have received your login details, apply for the scholarship:
   • Log into My Application and follow the links to Scholarships and Funding
   • Select 2026/7 as the Academic Year and click Refresh list.
   • Find the specific World-Leading St Andrews Doctoral Scholarship that you wish to apply for in the list of scholarships (using the filter box if necessary), click Apply and complete the application form.

You can also use the catalogue to search and apply for other scholarships for which you are eligible. 

Scholarship application form guidance

If you are a current student at St Andrews, you can access Scholarships and Funding through MySaint. However, you should wait until after you have applied for your intended postgraduate programme before doing so, to ensure that the scholarship application is linked to that course.

Terms and conditions

Please read the University of St Andrews scholarships terms and conditions (opens in new tab) 

If you apply to this scholarship, details from your course application may be passed to the selection panel solely for the purpose of merit-based assessment. 

When will I know the outcome?

The outcome of your scholarship application will be available on View or continue my funding applications in the Scholarships and Funding section of My Application within two months of the application deadline.