FZU – Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences is a leading public research institution located in Prague, Czech Republic. FZU is the largest institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences with more than 1100 employees. FZU pursues high-quality, innovative, and ground-breaking fundamental and applied research. Our researchers try to understand and explain the basic phenomena and processes of this world and respond to the current scientific and technical challenges of society.
We are currently looking for a PhD student to join our research team - Gas Sensors and Functional Nanomaterials led by Irina Kühne established to develop and characterize new functional materials and explore their gas sensing properties.
PhD position in Synthesis and characterization of new metal complexes towards gas sensing applications
What you will do:
This fully funded PhD position involves the synthesis of new coordination complexes based on transition metals and lanthanides with vacant sites in their ligand sphere. The complexes will be fully characterized, including their magnetic properties. Thin films of the synthesized complexes will be prepared on different substrates by various wet and vacuum techniques and the spectroscopic and electrical properties of theses thin films will be characterized and tested as chemiresistive gas sensor materials. The sensing abilities of these active layers will be investigated towards hazardous gases such as NOx, O3, NH3, CO2 and VOCs, to gain information about their sensitivity, selectivity, sensor stability, response and recovery time and detection limit.
This project combines research from the fields of coordination chemistry and chemiresistive sensing, to develop novel materials and significantly improving sensing properties towards hazardous gases, which play a major role in climate change.
At the end of the project, the candidate will have gained valuable experience in synthesis and material characterization of coordination complexes, as well as various deposition techiques to prepare thin films and the measurement and analysis of gas sensing properties.
You will gain training in:
- the synthesis of coordination complexes using transition metals and lanthanides.
- the preparation of thin films using the synthesized metal complexes on different substrates using wet and vacuum techniques.
- characterization of the chemical and electrical properties of thin films.
- the analysis of the thin film analytes for their gas sensing properties.
- writing and publishing of scientific articles.
Workplace and equipment:
You will work at FZU (Na Slovance site) where our laboratory is prepared to perform wet chemistry, as well as thin films by wet and vacuum methods. Our laboratory is equipped with a magnetron sputtering system (IonTech) and a hybrid PVD/CVD device, together with a low temperature evaporation source to provide conditions for high vacuum evaporation of molecular complexes (OME system).
In addition, FZU is a well-equipped research centre, with the majority of characterization methods offered as collaborative service techniques within the department, including: AFM, SEM, EPR and powder X-ray analysis. Other spectroscopic methods, such as Raman, IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy can be accessed within the institute.
The sensor characterization will be performed using our current measuring system consisting of an in-house developed sensor measurement chamber and measurement system of high precision multimeters and precision 10 fA source-meters.
Required qualifications:
- MSc in chemistry, physics or material sciences or a related field (must have)
- Advanced English (written and spoken)
- Capacity for analytical thinking, ability to collaborate, as well as creativity, initiative, and independence.
Nice to have, but not required:
- Experience with synthesis of coordination complexes
- Experience in material/thin film characterization
- Experience in thin film preparation
- Experience in electro-transport measurements/chemiresistive sensors
- Advanced Czech (written and spoken)
If you think you will fit our team, but you don't fulfil completely above requirements, don't hesitate to contact us and let us know why you would like to join our team and how you would fit in our team.
We offer
- Fully funded PhD position (40 hours/week)
- Collaborations on experiments with European research institutes
- Support of your work-life balance
- Multisport card, meal allowance, 25 days of vacation + 6 days of personal leave/year and other benefits
- Training and development opportunities (soft skills, language courses)
- Plenty of opportunities for cultural and other activities in the Prague region
More information is available at: Why FZU? | FZU
How to apply
Please send your CV and motivation letter with the position title, to kariera [at] fzu [dot] cz by September 30.
If you would like to know more about ongoing research projects, please contact directly Irina Kühne: kuhne [at] fzu [dot] cz
Starting date negotiable, but preferably February 2024.
Information regarding personal data processing and access to personal data at the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences:
https://www.fzu.cz/en/about-fzu/official-noticeboard/processing-of-personal-data