PhD Position in Ultra-High-Resolution Nanoscale Spectroscopy of Semiconductors (M/F)

Job Description

Thesis Subject

Nano-optics investigates light–matter interactions at length scales far below the diffraction limit. Among the approaches developed to probe these phenomena, the use of fast electrons has emerged as a particularly powerful technique owing to its nanometer, and even atomic, spatial resolution.

Our group is a pioneer in the development of advanced electron spectroscopies, including electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), cathodoluminescence (CL), and, more recently, electron energy-gain spectroscopy (EEGS). The latter combines the unrivaled spatial resolution of electron microscopy with the sub-µeV spectral resolution provided by a laser, opening the way to the investigation of photonic and quantum systems with unprecedented precision.

While EEGS is now well established for the study of photonic cavities and plasmonic systems, its application to semiconductor materials remains largely unexplored. The objective of this PhD project is to develop this emerging technique to probe the optical excitations of semiconductor nanostructures with ultra-high spectral resolution.

The successful candidate will work on a unique experimental platform combining a state-of-the-art monochromated transmission electron microscope, a laser excitation system, and nanofabricated samples specifically designed to enhance electron–photon interactions. Conducted within the framework of the ERC Advanced Grant **FreeQCC**, this project lies at the crossroads of nano-optics, quantum physics, materials science, and advanced instrumentation.

Your Work Environment

The Laboratoire de Physique des Solides (LPS, UMR 8502) is a joint research unit of Université Paris-Saclay and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). It is affiliated with the CNRS Institute of Physics and is a member of the Friedel–Jacquinot Federation, which coordinates physics research on the Moulon campus in Orsay, near Paris.
LPS brings together around one hundred researchers and faculty members, both experimentalists and theorists, supported by approximately sixty engineers, technicians, and administrative staff. Each year, the laboratory hosts numerous undergraduate and graduate students, including many PhD candidates, as well as postdoctoral researchers and visiting scientists.
Despite its name, the laboratory covers a broad spectrum of condensed matter physics. Its research is organized around three main themes:
• Novel electronic states of matter;
• Physical phenomena at reduced dimensions;
• Soft matter and physics–biology interfaces.
The first theme encompasses both experimental and theoretical studies of systems with strong electronic correlations, giving rise to remarkable phenomena such as superconductivity, magnetism, and metal–insulator transitions. The second focuses on nanoscience, investigating the fundamental properties of materials and devices when their dimensions become comparable to characteristic physical length scales, such as the coherence length or the mean free path. The third extends the concept of soft matter to biological systems, covering topics ranging from polymers, liquid crystals, foams, and granular materials to living tissues, at the interface between physics, chemistry, and biology.
The successful candidate will join the STEM group at the Laboratoire de Physique des Solides (CNRS–UMR 8502). This research project is funded by the FreeQCC project.

Constraints and risks

N/A

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

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.

CNRS

The research professions