The position will be available as of January 2015

The Electron Microscopy Center at Empa, Dübendorf, and the Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry at ETHZ (D-MATL) offer a joint SNSF-financed PhD project on

Structure analysis of synthetic two-dimensional polymers (2DP) and related covalent monolayer sheets by electron microscopy-based techniques.

Project outline

Two-dimensional polymers (2DP) are a rapidly developing new materials class with an extremely attractive application potential ranging from sensing and non-linear optics to surface coating and nanofiltration. Momentarily synthesis of these structurally new polymers is ahead of atomic scale analysis. This regards particularly those cases where 2DPs are created at the air/water interface. Because of contrast and thermal sensitivity issues combined with the sheets responsive, elastic nature, single layered 2DPs are notoriously complicated candidates for structure analysis. The project aims at doing a major step ahead in terms of single sheet structure analytics by concentrating on a few highly relevant techniques (TEM, STEM and HIM (He ion microscopy)) and aiming at learning how to properly apply them to selected kinds of sheets for which substantial experience has already been accumulated. Further, valence electron energy-loss spectroscopy (VEELS) in STEM/TEM will also be applied to get access to the sheets dielectric function with high lateral resolution and to be able to compare them with other thin and bulk matter in terms of confinement of plasmonic modes, band gap shifts and shifts of interband transitions.

We are looking for highly motivated candidates with a strong background in the natural sciences and molecular structure analysis (preferably EM), able to work in a multidisciplinary field and capable of performing in competitive teams. The candidate needs to be proficient in spoken and written English and have a Master’s degree.

The work will be carried out at Empa Dübendorf and at the Department of Materials, ETHZ, jointly supervised by Dr. Rolf Erni and Prof. A. Dieter Schlüter. The position will be available as of January 2015. The planned project duration is three years.

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