PhD and Postdoc positions – Nanophotonics and quantum physics with electrons and light

Prof. Albert Polman (NWO-Institute AMOLF, Amsterdam, the Netherlands)

Did you know high-energy electrons can serve as efficient sources of optical excitation of matter? Our group has developed cathodoluminescence microscopy, in which we use 1-30 keV electrons in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to excite nanomaterials. The oscillating electric field carried by the electron serves as a broadband (0-30 eV) excitation source with 5 nm spatial and 5 fs temporal resolution. This enables us to study excitations and localized modes of plasmons, 2D semiconductors and a wide range of optical metamaterials. We study excitation dynamics through time-resolved spectroscopy, correlative measurements, holography and perform 3D tomography of complex geometries.

In a parallel project, we use high-power laser pulses to induce very strong optical near fields that change the energy spectrum of the electrons in the SEM. This interaction dresses the electrons into a quantum superposition state which creates a way to tailor the spatial and temporal distribution of electron wavepackets at will. The CL microscope is then operated as a quantum instrument with well-prepared initial electron states that can be entangled with materials excitations. This enables studies of optical excitations at attosecond time resolution. The new technique (called PINEM) opens up an entirely new world of electron microscopy applications in integrated optics, nanophotonics, and opto-electronics and will provide detailed insights into fundamental electron-light-matter interactions that have been inaccessible thus far.

We have vacancies for PhD students and postdoc in all of these topics.

The Photonic Materials group (www.erbium.nl), led by Prof. Albert Polman, studies light-matter interactions at the nanoscale. The group is composed of an international team of 8-10 PhD students, postdocs and masters students that work in a collaborative atmosphere with many social group activities. Every week we hold group meeting, CL team meeting, and departmental colloquium and poster sessions, in addition to regular journal clubs. We also regularly organize an international group labtour. See here for details on our CL program.

Our group is part of AMOLFs Nanophotonics and Light Management in new Photovoltaic Materials research centers that are composed of 8 research groups (50 PhD students and postdocs) that share a state-of-the-art cleanroom for nanofabrication and characterization and many other facilities.

You have a degree in physics or related field, and have strong social, organizational and communication skills. For further details about these positions, contact Albert Polman: polman@amolf.nl. Selection of candidates will continue till the positions are filled.

To apply for these positions, visit: www.amolf.nl/work-at