Description du sujet de thèse

The candidate will use the thin film combinatorial approach combined with machine-learning to guide the development of thermomagnetic materials, within the framework of an EU-Horizon Europe international project aimed at the development of high energy efficiency thermomagnetic devices.
Activities:
1) Preparation of thin film libraries of compositionally graded thermomagnetic materials
2) Study of the impact of composition and preparation conditions on structural and magnetic properties of these materials using high throughput scanning characterization techniques supported by machine learning, together with detailed analysis of select samples
3) Micro-patterned thick films (1-50 μm) of optimised thermomagnetic materials and hard magnetic materials for testing in micro-scaled thermomagnetic generators
Three secondments are integral part of the project:
1) UWK (Austria), 1 month, AI-assisted data analysis
2) Memetis GmbH (Germany) 2 months, development and testing of micro-scaled thermomagnetic generators
3) CNR (Italy), 2 months, detailed characterisation of optimized materials
Expected skills:
- MSc degree in experimental physics or materials science
- solid basis in magnetism, with an emphasis on functional magnetic materials
- experience in characterization of structural and magnetic properties
- experience with coding (python) for data analysis
- good spoken and written English
- good communication skills, ability to write reports/articles
- team work

Contexte de travail

HEAT4ENERGY is a 4-years EU-Horizon Europe Marie Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral Network project. The main goal of HEAT4ENERGY is to train a new generation of enablers for the European Energy Transition with the skills needed to assess the potential of new energy technologies. They will acquire these in practice by addressing the challenge of making the first realistic and energy efficient thermomagnetic energy converters for low grade waste heat (less than 100°C) to electricity and they will learn how to upscale these and bring them to a viable market level. The project offers training for science and technology for energy transition and climate action, as well as transferable and complementary skills and Open Science related training. Through secondments the HEAT4ENERGY PhD students will engage in all fields of materials development for energy, ranging from physics to industrial praxis.
The Institut NEEL, UPR 2940 CNRS, is one of the largest French national research institutes for fundamental research in condensed matter physics enriched by interdisciplinary activities at the interfaces with chemistry, engineering and biology. It is located in the heart of a unique scientific, industrial and cultural environment. It is part of one of Europe's biggest high-tech environment in micro- and nanoelectronics, right next to the French Alpes.
The job is linked to the MNM team which works on magnetic systems at micro and nano scales: from basic research to applications in spintronics, energy and life sciences.
The Institut NEEL is a CNRS laboratory. CNRS is a public, scientific and technological organisation.
The core mandate is to identify, carry out ou have carried out, either alone or with partners, all research that advances science or contributes to the country's economic, social, and cultural progress. Internationally recognised for the excellence of its scientific research, the CNRS is a reference in the world of research and development, as well as for the general public.

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.