PhD position: Polaronic dynamics of photo-electrocatalysts under chemical and photonic excitation probed by spectroscopies at different timescales (M/F)
New
- FTC PhD student / Offer for thesis
- 36 months
- BAC+5
This offer is available in English version
This offer is open to people with a document recognizing their status as a disabled worker.
Offer at a glance
The Unit
Institut de Recherches sur la Catalyse et l'Environnement de Lyon
Contract Type
FTC PhD student / Offer for thesis
Working hHours
Full Time
Workplace
69626 VILLEURBANNE
Contract Duration
36 months
Date of Hire
02/11/2026
Remuneration
2300 € gross monthly
Apply Application Deadline : 20 August 2026 23:59
Job Description
Thesis Subject
Funded by the Mission for Transversal and Interdisciplinary Initiatives (MITI) of the CNRS, this PhD project aims to quantitatively characterize photo-excited carriers in TiO₂ and SrTiO₃ photo-electrocatalysts, by determining their polaronic mobility, their degree of localization, and the lifetime of intra-gap Ti³⁺ states. In these oxides, charges trap or recombine before reaching the reactive sites, directly limiting photocatalytic efficiency. The challenge is to distinguish, via the Ti³⁺ signature, a mobile polaron from trapped states constituting irreversible loss channels, and to identify the operando conditions that sufficiently preserve this mobility to enable efficient surface photochemistry. The comparative study TiO₂ (rutile/anatase) vs SrTiO₃ ultimately allows the conclusions to be generalized beyond a single material.
Your Work Environment
The project is based on coordinated campaigns combining synthesis and multi-scale spectroscopy. The materials, synthesized at IRCELYON with independent control of phase, doping, and defects, will be characterized there by XPS/UPS in static mode and under photonic excitation in order to establish the reference electronic state of the surfaces and to monitor its evolution. THz spectroscopy will then provide access to the conductivity and mobility of photo-induced polarons. These results will serve as a reference for the large-scale facility campaigns: tr-PES at the European XFEL (solid-liquid interface) and operando RIXS at the Ti K-edge at the synchrotron. The photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical performances measured on the same series of materials will directly anchor the spectroscopic observables to the catalytic results, leading to a unified methodology that transforms the Ti³⁺ signal from a qualitative fingerprint into a quantitative indicator of carrier mobility and lifetime, applicable under vacuum, under operando conditions, and at the solid-liquid interface.
Constraints and risks
International experiment campaigns: The candidate must be fully available to carry out various missions at large-scale facilities. The project involves research stays at the European XFEL in Hamburg (Germany) to perform advanced spectroscopy measurements. Travel within France: Your day-to-day work will be based at IRCELYON in Villeurbanne (Lyon), but occasional travel is expected for experiments at the SOLEIL synchrotron (Paris region).
Compensation and benefits
Compensation
2300 € gross monthly
Annual leave and RTT
44 jours
Remote Working practice and compensation
Pratique et indemnisation du TT
Transport
Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€
About the offer
| Offer reference | UMR5256-LUICAR-004 |
|---|---|
| CN Section(s) / Research Area | Physical chemistry, theoretical and analytic |
About the CNRS
The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.
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