Missions

The postdoctoral researcher will be responsible for the design and fabrication of advanced two-dimensional (2D) heterostructures composed of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), and potentially hybrid structures integrating chiral molecules or perovskites. He or she will optimize van der Waals stacking techniques to produce high-quality samples, then conduct a wide range of optical and spin-optoelectronic characterizations. This includes low-temperature micro-photoluminescence measurements, time-resolved photoluminescence, as well as tip-enhanced photoluminescence (TEPL), with spatial, energy, polarization, and temporal resolution. Particular attention will be given to studying light-matter interactions, interlayer coupling, and collective photophysical behaviors in dense networks of optical emitters. The researcher will notably explore the emergence of collective quantum effects such as superfluorescence in organized networks of optical defects. He or she will also participate in the development and optimization of experimental setups, especially in multidimensional spectroscopy, and contribute to the analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of results through scientific publications. Finally, active involvement is expected in mentoring junior researchers (master's and PhD students), collaborating with project partners, and presenting work at national and international conferences.

Activities

Main Activities:
- Design and fabrication of advanced 2D heterostructures.
- Optical and spintronic characterization of 2D materials.
- Study of collective effects and light-matter interactions.
- Processing, analysis, and interpretation of experimental data.
- Scientific dissemination.

Secondary Activities:
- Supervision and scientific support of PhD students or interns.

Skills

- Solid understanding of the physics of 2D materials (TMDCs, hBN, van der Waals heterostructures, etc.).
- In-depth knowledge of light-matter interactions.
- Mastering the concepts related to photoluminescence (PL), particularly in low-dimensional systems.
- Good understanding of advanced optical spectroscopy, including tip-enhanced photoluminescence (TE-PL).
- Knowledge of collective phenomena such as superfluorescence, optical coherence, and collective excited states is a plus.
- Experience in fabrication and handling of 2D heterostructures, especially using exfoliation and transfer techniques under a microscope.
- Ability to operate spectroscopy equipment (lasers, cryostats, spectrometers, etc.) and adapt experimental setups.
- Scientific writing (articles, reports) and presentation of results in academic contexts.
- Scientific rigor, autonomy, and critical thinking.
- Ability to work effectively in a team.

Work Context

Studying the exciting properties of nano-objects is a thriving research field at the crossroads of solid-state physics, chemistry and material science. This research has greatly evolved during the past decades for two main reasons. First, a large variety of growth techniques allow precise control of the physical properties (such as material, size and shape) and therefore the future applications of the nano-objects. Second, advances in nano-electronics and microscopy allow addressing and controlling the properties of individual nano-objects.

The goal of this ultimate miniaturization of solid-state devices is to create objects with new properties that cannot be achieved in their macroscopic counterparts. These nano-devices find application in many branches of industry such as telecommunication and information processing, transport, safety, health and environment. They also open up exciting avenues for fundamental research based on controlling individual quantum states optically or electrically.

Our research aims to study individual, self-assembled nano-objects with optimized structural quality. The systems studied include semiconductor quantum dots, magnetic nano-particles, nano-tubes, biomolecules and DNA strands. The samples are grown at the LPCNO and by our numerous national and international collaborators.

The expertise of the LPCNO covers: :
- Optical spectroscopy and semiconductor spin physics
- Nanostructuring
- Nanomagnetism
- Transport measurements
- Synthesis of nanoparticles
- Molecular modeling

More than 90 persons (researchers, lecturers, technical staff, students, post-docs) work at the LPCNO, organized in 5 research groups :

- “Nanomagnetism”
- “Quantum Optoelectronics” group
- “Nanostructures and Organometallic Chemistry” group
- “Nanotech” group
- “Physical and chemical modeling”