PhD position: Nanoengineering refractory compositionally complex alloys for extreme conditions (M/F)

Job Description

Thesis Subject

This fully funded 3-year PhD will be carried out at the Laboratoire des Sciences des Procédés et des Matériaux (LSPM/CNRS, France), in collaboration with the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Arizona (U of A), within the framework of a CNRS–U of A doctoral program supported by the International Research Center (IRC) for Global Grand Challenges.

This PhD aims to develop and investigate refractory compositionally complex alloys (RCCAs) in the form of thin films, targeting their application in extreme environments such as those encountered in nuclear fusion reactors. The approach relies on the synthesis of thin films by physical vapor deposition (PVD)—including magnetron sputtering and pulsed laser deposition—at LSPM, enabling precise control of chemical composition and microstructure (grain size, phases, interfaces).

A multi-scale characterization approach (from the nanometer to the micrometer scale) will be employed. At LSPM, advanced micromechanical testing and in situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM) experiments will be used to identify deformation mechanisms and establish structure–property relationships. At the University of Arizona (U of A), state-of-the-art nanoscale characterization will be performed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), providing access to atomic-scale structural and chemical information.

Ion irradiation experiments will be conducted at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to simulate ion-induced damage in fusion-relevant environments and to assess the radiation tolerance of the materials. Complementary structural and micromechanical characterizations will be carried out after irradiation to analyze the evolution of microstructure and properties.

The objective is to establish fundamental correlations between composition, microstructure, and irradiation-induced behavior, in order to guide the design of high-performance RCCA materials. The results will provide design strategies for innovative bulk materials adapted to the extreme conditions of future energy systems.

Your Work Environment

The doctoral candidate will join an internationally leading research environment at the interface between the Laboratoire des Sciences des Procédés et des Matériaux (LSPM-CNRS), under the supervision of Dr Matteo Ghidelli, and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Arizona, under the supervision of Prof. Horst Hahn. The project is part of a joint CNRS–University of Arizona doctoral program, supported by the French-Arizona Institute for Global Grand Challenges, at the forefront of international scientific initiatives.

The candidate will benefit from privileged access to state-of-the-art experimental platforms at both national and international levels, as well as from scientific supervision within two institutions globally recognized for their major contributions to materials science. He/she will join a top-tier network of academic and institutional collaborations across Europe and the United States.

Finally, this PhD offers an outstanding research training experience, highly interdisciplinary in nature, at the interface between materials science, physics, and mechanics, and represents a rare opportunity for international mobility between two world-leading scientific hubs.

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

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