Description du sujet de thèse

The thesis will mainly involve material synthesis (2/3) and physicochemical studies of aligned/doped thin films (1/3) (see details in the description below):
In synthesis, the candidate will be responsible for the design and synthesis of new semiconducting polymers, including the appropriate functional groups to covalently link dopants to side chains, as well as the design and synthesis of functionalized dopants.
She/he will also be responsible for the alignment of thin films of the synthesized polymers by high-temperature brushing (HTR) and their subsequent doping.

Contexte de travail

Organic electronics offers advantages such as flexibility, lightweight nature, cost-effectiveness, and energy efficiency compared to traditional inorganic electronics. Organic Field Effect Transistors (OFETs) are key building block in the design of electronic circuits. An ideal OFET has a constant mobility, negligible Ohmic contact resistance at source and drain (S&D), a threshold voltage close to zero, must be stable in time and eco-friendly in terms of processing. However, OFETs often suffer from high contact resistances at the metal/polymer semiconductor (PSC) interfaces and from limited mobilities.

In this context, the recruited PhD will be in charge of 1) the design and synthesis of new PSCs, including the appropriate functional groups to covalently bond the dopants to the polymer; 2) the design and synthesis of functionalized dopants ; 3) the alignment of PSC thin films by high temperature rubbing (HTR) and their subsequent doping. Accordingly, the work will consist mostly in material synthesis (2/3) and physico-chemical investigations of the aligned/doped thin films (1/3). Locally, the candidate will work in two research institutes (ICPEES and ICS) belonging to the STELORG consortium on organic electronics in Strasbourg (https://stelorg.unistra.fr). She/he will be part of a highly dynamic environment with access to top-level characterization methods for in-depth optoelectronic, structural and electronic properties of the new designed materials. The project will be carried out within the ANR project (SMOOTH) with French collaborators, specialists in microelectronics (OFET characterization, Ink-jet printing process...).

The candidate will work at the Institut de Chimie et Procédés pour l'Energie, l'Environnement et la Santé (ICPEES) and the Institut Charles Sadron (ICS), two research institutes belonging to the STELORG consortium on organic electronics in Strasbourg (https://stelorg.unistra.fr).

The PhD student will be part of a highly dynamic environment with access to high-level characterization methods for in-depth optoelectronic, structural and electronic properties of the newly designed materials.

The project will be carried out within the framework of the ANR project (SMOOTH) with French collaborators, specialists in microelectronics (characterization of OFETs, inkjet printing processes....).

Benefits of the position:
- Easy access to the Cronenbourg campus / public transport (BUS line G)/ private parking on campus/ bicycle garage
- Possibility of catering (CROUS) on the Cronenbourg campus
- Possibility of partial reimbursement of transport passes

Le poste se situe dans un secteur relevant de la protection du potentiel scientifique et technique (PPST), et nécessite donc, conformément à la réglementation, que votre arrivée soit autorisée par l'autorité compétente du MESR.

Contraintes et risques

no specific constraints and risks