Organization of matter across length scales from well-defined building blocks is a mandatory step in the development of new materials for data storage devices. In this context, the present project aims at elaborating new multifunctional materials made from the combination of polyoxometalate clusters (POMs) – discrete nanoscaled molecular oxides of the early transition metals, and magnetic nanocrystals (MNCs), and studying their magnetic and transport properties in the form of substrate-supported 2D assemblies.
The post-doc researcher will develop the project through a narrow collaboration between the IPCM (Institut Parisien de Chimie Moléculaire, e-POM group), specialized in the POMs synthesis, and the MONARIS laboratory (de la Molécule aux Nano-objets: Réactivités, Interactions et Spectroscopies) expert in the synthesis of metallic and metal-oxide nanocrystals. The work will be divided in several steps: (i) elaboration of controlled 2D assemblies of POMs and MNCs (binary superlattices and alternated layers of POMs and MNC) on various substrates (ii) characterization of the structure of the assemblies by electronic microscopies (TEM, HR-TEM, HR-SEM and associated EDX and electron diffraction) and near field microscopies (STM, AFM) (iii) study of the magnetic and transport properties of the assemblies using a PPMS system of Quantum Design equipped with a Magnetic Force Microscopy accessory (iv) synthesis of various POMs and modification of the POMs/MNCs interactions (weak interactions, covalent bonds…) to tune the collective physical properties. The candidate must possess strong background in materials chemistry as well as in electronic and near field microscopies (imaging, electronic spectroscopies, electron diffraction and image treatment). Extra skills in magnetism and transport measurements would be greatly appreciated.

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