PhD (M/F) Synthetic antiferroelectrics
New
- FTC PhD student / Offer for thesis
- 36 month
- Doctorate
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
Centre de Nanosciences et de Nanotechnologies
Contract Type
FTC PhD student / Offer for thesis
Working hHours
Full Time
Workplace
91120 PALAISEAU
Contract Duration
36 month
Date of Hire
01/10/2026
Remuneration
2300 € gross monthly
Apply Application Deadline : 24 July 2026 23:59
Job Description
Thesis Subject
Ferroelectric materials exhibit an electric polarization (P) that can be modified under the influence of an external electric field (E). Antiferroelectric materials, on the other hand, have an antipolar dipolar structure corresponding to a net polarization of zero and undergo a volatile phase transition—induced by an electric field—into a ferroelectric phase. The resulting double P-E hysteresis loop has sparked significant interest in antiferroelectrics for applications such as energy storage, all-solid-state refrigeration, and thermal switches.
Ferroelectric tunnel junctions, where ferroelectrics are only a few atomic layers thick, can be used as analog memristors, mimicking synaptic behavior for neuromorphic computing. Artificial neurons can also be constructed using antiferroelectric tunnel junctions. However, antiferroelectrics like PbZrO3 are complex materials that transition to a ferroelectric-like state when their thickness is reduced to just a few nanometers. While epitaxy can help stabilize the antiferroelectric state, this approach has so far been limited to films of about 10 nm in thickness, too thick for electronic tunneling effects.
This PhD project aims to explore other ferroelectric-based devices that exhibit this type of double polarization hysteresis as a function of the electric field, with the goal of using them as resistive tunneling devices and potentially as artificial neurons. The idea is to achieve an initial state with zero net polarization that reversibly transitions to a state with non-zero polarization under an applied electric field.
Your Work Environment
The project will be carried out in collaboration between the C2N and the Albert Fert Laboratory, two labs located on the Paris-Saclay campus, just a few minutes walk from each other.
Constraints and risks
Some of the experimental work will be conducted in the cleanrooms of the C2N and the Albert Fert Laboratory.
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 | UMR9001-THOMAR-009 |
|---|---|
| CN Section(s) / Research Area | Micro and nanotechnologies, micro and nanosystems, photonics, electronics, electromagnetism, electrical energy |
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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