Metamaterials based on self-assembly of chemically and geometrically anisotropic nanoparticles (Freiburg)

The FRIAS School of Soft Matter Research and the group of Nanotechnology at the Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), Freiburg University, Germany is offering an immediate opening for a PhD position (E13/2)The aim of the PhD project is to understand and master the process of self-assembly of chemically and geometrically anisotropic nanoparticles in water to obtain three dimensional structures to develop a new type of materials (supermaterials). The nanoparticles may be rods, platelets, pyramids, tetrahedrons, octahedrons having facets that are chemically distinct and will exhibit anisotropic hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions. 2 and 3 dimensional crystals with the nanoparticles as units will be fabricated. The project also involves research on the fabrication of the nanoparticles using silicon micro- and nanomachining, chemical functionalization of the surfaces and experimental studies of self-assembly process. The project is in close collaboration with the MESA+ Institute of the University of Twente in The Netherlands. The biggest part of the project will be carried out at IMTEC, and part will be done at MESA+. Formally the promotion will be at the University of Twente.! Prof. Dr. Margit Zacharias (IMTEC) and Prof. Dr. Miko Elwenspoek (FRIAS; MESA+) will supervise the project.Interested candidates should submit a CV, a publication list and the names of 2 referees to Prof. M. Zacharias (tel. 0761 203 7421, Zacharias@imtek.de)