PhD position

We offer a three-years-long PhD scholarship, delivered directly by Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH (www.fz-juelich.de/pgi/pgi-6/EN), an important German research center that owns the NanoESCA microscope at Elettra.  The PhD work is under supervision of Prof. Claus M. Schneider.


The chemical and physical properties of nanostructured materials can be studied by photoemission spectroscopy, by measuring the electrons emitted under electromagnetic radiation. Using a PEEM (Photo-Emission Electron Microscope), it is possible to add to this technique the spatial resolution that allows, for example, the mapping of the surface spatial distribution of a given chemical element or of its chemical/magnetic states.

Thanks to PEEM microscope it is possible to obtain surface images having chemical/magnetic contrast and to measure the band structure of the crystal under examination using the momentum resolved PEEM (k-PEEM) technique.  This technique can be applied to 2D molecular systems grown on metal substrates, allowing the reconstruction of the charge distribution of specific molecular orbitals.¹ Thanks to this innovative approach it is possible to study the processes that occur at the metalorganic interface.² The recent upgrade of the microscope also makes it possible to measure the spin of photo-emitted electrons. NanoESCA is a instrument unique of its kind, as it is the only PEEM with spin resolution installed in a synchrotron.

The doctoral project will focus on the study of the magnetic properties of organic molecular arrays deposited on ferromagnetic substrates. At a later stage, the control of these properties will be achieved through the functionalization of organic compounds with small gaseous molecules.3  We will apply a multitechnique approch to monitor the changes of the electronic and magnetic properties of a molecule upon interaction with the metallic electrode.  The geometry of anchored molecules will be studied by means of NEXAFS and STM (under collaboration projects). k-PEEM and XPS will be used to monitor the electronic structure of the self-assebled molecular arrays, while XMCD and spin resolved k-PEEM will give us access to the spin state of magnetically coupled molecules at the molecular/ferromagnetic interface.   We offer excellent working conditions. The gross starting salary is 75% of the E13 class, level 1 (for more information see TVöD), increasing after the first year. We also guarantee the possibility of participating in international conferences and summer schools. The doctoral scholarship can start when a  suitable candidate has been found.

  
We are looking for a motivated student who has (or is about to obtain) a degree in physics, chemistry or material sciences. The doctoral student, in addition to his own research project, will be involved in other collaborations of the beamline. A good knowledge of solid state physics is required. Furthermore, familiarity with ultra-high vacuum equipment (UHV), skills in the use of data analysis software and knowledge of microscopy/spectroscopy will represent an added value.
 
If you are interested in more information, please contact (Dr. Vitaliy Feyer). 

References:
1. Puschnig, P. et al, Science 326, 702 (2009).
2. Zamborlini G. et al., Nature Communications, 8, 335 (2017).
3. Zamborlini G. et al. Chem. Commun., 54, 13423 (2018).