As part of a new EPSRC- funded grant "Self-assembled molecular monolayers with ultra-low thermal conductance for energy harvesting (QSAMs)", a 30-month postdoctoral Research Associate position is available for an experimentalist. The work will be supervised by Professor Chris Ford in the Semiconductor Physics group at the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge (www.sp.phy.cam.ac.uk/directory/cjbf). This is a highly interdisciplinary project involving close collaboration with the theory group of Professor Colin Lambert at Lancaster University, the chemistry group of Professor Martin R. Bryce at Durham University and the scanning probe microscopy group of Dr Ben Robinson, also at Lancaster University.
The researcher should have, or expect to gain soon, a PhD in physics or a related discipline. You will design and fabricate state-of-the-art samples made up of a sandwich of metal and graphene layers around a self-assembled monolayer of functional molecules. The molecules will be designed in Lancaster to have exceptional thermoelectric properties, and synthesised in Durham. You will need to model, design and fabricate the devices, measure their electrical and thermal properties, and analyse the results in collaboration with the theorists. While the devices will be designed to work at room temperature, cryogenic measurements down to 77K or 4K will be needed. Experience in one or more of the following would be an advantage: semiconductor processing, electrical measurements, and molecular self-assembly.
The Semiconductor Physics Group has extensive cleanrooms for semiconductor device fabrication and a wide range of measurement cryostats. It also has an ultra-high-resolution electron-beam lithography system which provides services for both internal and external customers. Also, the Cambridge Graphene Centre has a new state-of-the-art cleanroom for graphene deposition.
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 30 months in the first instance, from 1st August 2017.