One of the biggest challenges in the development of nanomaterials for real applications in fields such as solid state lighting and energy production is to enhance their interaction with optical fields. The small dimensions of nanostructures, compared to the wavelength of light, give rise to a weak optical absorption that demands large amounts of material. The absorption of nanomaterials can be enhanced by means of resonant structures, but these structures also introduce unwanted absorption. This project will investigate phase sensitive schemas to control and increase the optical absorption in resonant nanomaterials, such as arrays of metallic nanoparticles and semiconductor nanowires. The aim is to fully optimize the absorption for energy conversion by controlling and localizing this absorption in the relevant regions.
This project belongs to an Industrial Partnership Programme between Philips Research and FOM. Therefore, there will be regular meetings with partners at Philips.
Job description
- Design with numerical simulations metallic and dielectric resonant structures that can locally enhance the optical absorption.
- Fabricate these structures using nanofabrication techniques such as electron beam lithography or nanoimprint lithography.
- Experimentally investigate the optical absorption of the samples by varying the illumination conditions and specially by controlling the phase of the incident light fields.
- Define samples and conditions that enable the use of nanostructures for enhancing light absorption in materials that are interesting for light conversion in LEDs and for energy conversion (photovoltaics and solar fuels).
Location
DIFFER (Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research) is one of the NWO Institutes and focuses on a multidisciplinary approach of the energy research combining physics, chemistry and materials engineering. The institute is an important part of the energy research strategy of NWO and FOM. The DIFFER mission is to carry out leading fundamental research in the field of fusion-energy and solar fuels, in close collaboration with academic institutions, research institutes and industry.
Requirements
We are looking for a qualified and motivated candidate that meets the following requirements:
- A Master degree (or an equivalent diploma giving access to doctoral studies) in Physics.
- General knowledge of optics and photonics.
- If possible knowledge of spectroscopic methods.
- Good programming skills (e.g. Matlab, Python).
- Good communication skills in English (both written and spoken).
Conditions of employment
When fulfilling a PhD position at the FOM Foundation, you will get the status of junior scientist.
You will have an employee status and can participate in all the employee benefits FOM offers. You will get a contract for four years. Your salary will be up to a maximum of 2,718 euro gross per month. The salary is supplemented with a holiday allowance of 8percent and an end-of-year bonus of 8.33 percent.
You are supposed to have a thesis finished at the end of your four year term with FOM.
A training programme is part of the agreement. You and your supervisor will make up a plan for the additional education and supervising that you specifically need. This plan also defines which teaching activities you will be responsible (up to a maximum of 10 percent of your time). The conditions of employment of the FOM Foundation are laid down in the Collective Labour Agreement for Research Centres (Cao-Onderzoekinstellingen), more exclusive information is available at this website under Personeelsinformatie (in Dutch) or under Personnel (in English).
General information about working at FOM can be found in the English part of this website under Personnel. The ‘FOM job interview code’ applies to this position.
Contact
Employment conditions are laid down in the ‘Cao-onderzoekinstellingen’ and can be consulted at the FOM website (www.fom.nl under ‘Personnel’ or ‘Personeelsinfo’). General information on working at FOM can also be found at the FOM website.
For further information please contact Jaime Gómez Rivas , 31 40 274 23 49.
Applications
You can respond to this vacancy online via the button below.
Please quote ‘Vac. No. 15-007′ in your application letter.
Please use the online form for applications.
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