Description of the thesis topic

The thesis work is part of a study of different strategies for manufacturing chiral metal nanoclusters of different sizes, metal compositions and degrees of chirality (intrinsic and induced). The main objective of the work is to adjust the chiral properties in order to create different chiral nanomaterials that will be studied by optical spectroscopy (circular dichroism, photoluminescence, circularly polarised nonlinear optics).
The PhD student will acquire expertise in the field of water-soluble chiral nanoclusters, from individual nanoclusters to supramolecular nanoclusters, focusing on their photophysical properties and the concept of chirality. Specialised skills will include the synthesis and characterisation of chiral nano-objects (from individual nanoclusters to supramolecular nanoclusters) using chiroptical spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. In addition, innovative approaches using metal ion aggregation and intrinsically supramolecular chiral architectures will be explored.

Work Context

Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) doctoral networks are joint research and training projects funded by the European Union. Funding is awarded to doctoral students from Europe and elsewhere to carry out individual project work in a European country other than their own. The CHIRALNANOMAT MSCA doctoral network is composed of 7 beneficiaries and 9 associated partners, all coordinated by POLITECHNIKA WROCLAWSKA, WROCLAW, Poland. The CHIRALNANOMAT network will address this need by training 13 talented doctoral students to develop chiral metal nanoclusters, understand their chirality at the atomic level through a combination of advanced spectroscopic techniques and theoretical simulations, and apply them to relevant processes in biomedicine and catalysis. Thanks to the synergy between disciplines as diverse as synthesis, spectroscopy and theory, the PhD students will be able to develop an understanding of chirality at the atomic level, enabling them to maximise its potential in catalysis and biomedicine in order to address major societal challenges and future prospects for chiral nanomaterials.

The Lumière Matière Institute (iLM) is a CNRS-University of Lyon 1 research unit located on the Lyon Tech La Doua campus. With around 300 staff, including around 100 doctoral and post-doctoral students and 150 interns per year, the iLM is a major player in physics and chemistry research in the Auvergne Rhône Alpes region and is internationally recognised for the excellence of its research. The host team is the iLM's spectrobio team, which has around 20 members (including a dozen doctoral students and fixed-term contract researchers) conducting research in the fields of mass spectrometry and optical spectroscopy.

Constraints and risks

Class IV lasers
Handling of nanoparticles