Defect engineering in self-organised multi-component thin films

The production of thin film materials for optoelectronics, organic photovoltaics and flexible polymer-based transparent electrodes relies on the fast removal of solvent in complex molecular mixtures, either by forced evaporation by slot-die casting or spin coating. The functionality of the materials crucially depends on how the various components structure the final product in defectseparated domains. Optimal functionality requires control of domain size and defect structure in the final solid product. Our aim is to elucidate the far out-of-equilibrium self-organisation of complex mixtures by applying multi-order-parameter phase-field-type theories for a rational engineering of defects in quasi two dimensional materials.