Job Offers
Arndtsen Lab:
Design of a Palladium Catalyzed Multicomponent Polymerization Approach to Low Band Gap Conjugated Polymers.
This project will explore the use of palladium catalysts to mediate the controlled assembly of simple monomers into new classes of conjugated polymers. To do so, we will examine the design of active new catalysts for this reaction, as well as the incorporation of monomers that are easily accessible (e.g. imines, acid chlorides and alkenes).
Busse Lab:
Electronic structure of strongly doped graphene
Using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/STS), the electronic structure of strongly doped epitaxial graphene will be explored using direct measurement of the local density of states as well as scattering patterns of electrons.
Adsorption of conjugated molecules on ultrathin semiconductors
Using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS), the binding of pi-conjugated molecules to ultrathin semiconductors (MoS2, WS2, and alloys thereof) will be investigated.
Cicoiras Lab:
Carbon nanotubes and graphene electrodes for organic thin film transistors
A possible solution to overcome injection barriers in OTFTs is to replace the metallic electrodes used so far with carbon-based electrodes, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) or graphene. While CNTs exploit their one-dimensional form factor to favor charge carrier tunneling across charge injection barriers, graphene takes advantage of its monolayer thickness to form a very smooth interface with organic semiconductors, which is expected to facilitate charge injection.
Grüneis Lab:
We have positions for students interested in learning the ARPES technique and getting ultra-high-vacuum experience. In addition we are finalizing the constructions for a unique ultra-high-vacuum Raman spectrometer.
Grütter Lab:
1. Development of opto-mechanical sensor for improved atomic force microscopy deflection sensors
Depositing TiOx coatings of suitable thickness on the end of cleaved fibers can decrease the shot noise of interferometers used in AFM. Suitable heat treatments need to be developed – annealing is known to make these films electrically conductive. This will allow the mechanical fine positioning of the AFM cantilever with respect to the fiber interferometer by capacitive forces.
2. Assembling DNA origami constructs for the controlled positioning of Au nanoclusters.
We have developed DNA origami suitable for positioning Au nanoparticles at well defined positions with the aim of controlling the electrostatic coupling between these nanoparticles. This will allow the control of single electrons. These origami need to be deposited on a flat surface. We need to compare the designed position with the measurements using high resolution AFM techniques.
Hanan Lab
Position in the Hanan group: “Synthesis of new super donor ligands and their effect on excited state lifetimes of Ru(II) complexes.” This project will involve the synthesis of ligands and their transition metal complexes. Characterization will be by nmr, UV-vis and emission spectroscopies.
Position in the Hanan group: “Cryospray mass spectrometry for the characterization of supramolecular assemblies.” This project will make use of unique infrastructure in the PI’s laboratory, an inert atmosphere cryospray ionization mass spectrometer, to characterize assemblies that are too sensitive to characterize by normal ESI-MS.
Höger Labs
Synthesis and recGPC separation of conjugated oligomers and polymers and determination of overestimation factors for the quantitative molecular weight determination.
Izquierdo Labs
Fabrication and characterization of hybrid solar cells with an active layer containing a mixture of polymers and graphene or carbon nanotubes attached to semiconductor quantum dots.
Jester Labs
Scanning tunneling microscopy studies on supramolecular nanopatterns of molecular polygons at the solid/liquid interface
Shape-persistent arylene-alkynylene molecules with n sides that are connected by n corners can be viewed as equilateral molecular polygons. Archimedean tiling patterns of these molecules on graphite are studied by scanning tunneling microscopy with submolecular resolution. The results give insight into the driving force of the pattern formation, aiming at complex patterns with unit cells of several ten nanometers.
Kena-Cohen Labs
Doping of hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites for optoelectronic applications
Lindfors Labs
Metamaterials on active substrates: The goal is to develop a method that allows fabricating metamaterials on substrates that can be controlled by external signals. These can be for example light, temperature, and static electric and magnetic fields.
Nano-LED: The goal of the project is to realize electrically driven light sources coupled to single plasmonic nanoantennas. During the internship the task is to deposit the active organic light-emitter in the hot spot of an optical antenna and to study the optical properties of the hybrid nanostructure.
van Loosdrecht Labs
Using ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy to elucidate the nature of fundamental excitations in organic matter
Lützen Labs
Exercises in metallosupramolecular chemistry – synthesis and self-assembly of oligotopic ligands into oligonuclear metal complexes furnished with p-conjugated building blocks
Perepichka Labs
2-3 summer/visiting students positions are available each year, to work on synthesis of novel p-conjugated organic molecules. The perspective candidates are expected to apply for external funding (such as CSACS summer scholarship or DAAD)
Rosei Labs
Model-system studies of the 1-D on-surface Ullmann reaction.
The Ullmann reaction is one of the most frequently used methods for producing surface-confined polymers. However, accommodation of the reaction byproducts on the surface may influence the overall morphology and structure of the resultant polymers. The effect is present in both 1D and 2D, but 1D studies are often simpler to analyze and lead to concepts that may be easily extended to the 2D case. Prof. Rosei’s group offers motivated students the an opportunity to use ultrahigh-vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy to examine the interplay between different substrates and simple building blocks, in order to approach a generalized theory of the effect of byproducts in on-surface Ullmann coupling.
Ruschewitz Labs:
MOFs as hosts for photochromic guests
After learning the general principles of MOF synthesis different photochromic guests will be embedded in the MOF matrix. Photophysical and structural properties of these guest@MOF systems will be investigated by different techniques (e.g. XRPD, DTA/TGA, UV/vis spectroscopy).
Santato Labs:
Redox behaviour of thin films of eumelanin and eumelanin oligomers
Very little is known about the redox properties of eumelanin itself, chiefly due to its heterogeneous molecular structure. However, indole derivatives are well-known electroactive compounds that are readily oxidized at carbon-based electrodes. Eumelanin being composed of indole quinone building blocks is therefore expected to be redox active. This project therefore aims to investigate the electrochemistry of thin films of eumelanin and eumelanin oligomers deposited on activated carbon or glass carbon electrodes.
Observing phenomena at the eumelanin thin film-metal electrode interface by Nano IR
Eumelanin thin films deposited on pre-patterned metal electrode substrates will be investigated by using a nanoscale IR microscope that allows integrated topographic, thermal analysis, and spectroscopic measurements with lateral resolutions ranging from nm (topographic) to ca. 100 nm (IR spectroscopy). We will possibly observe phenomena occurring at the interface after an electrical bias is applied between the metal electrodes.
Metal chelation properties of model eumelanin monomers and oligomers
The binding site for eumelanin chelation depends on the type of metal ion, its concentration, and the pH. Metal ions can bind to more than one site of eumelanin at the same time and combinations of up to five ligands have been suggested. We will examine the interaction of eumelanin monomers and oligomers by spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques considering the same metal ions (Au(I)/(III), Pt(II), Pd(II), Cu(II), Fe(II)/(III), Al(III)) used as the electrode materials in thecharge carrier transport experiments
Siaj Labs:
h-BN films preparation as interfaces in organic electronic devices. Organic field effect transistors (OFETs) based hBN and graphene. Organic light emitting devices (OLEDs), and organic solar cells (OSCells).
Silva Labs:
Two-dimensional coherent spectroscopy of organic semiconductor materials. In this project, the intern will participate in the acquisition of 2D photoluminescence-detected spectra on organic semiconductor materials. The objective will be to examine the nature of intermolecular excitonic coupling in this class of materials, focusing on energy transport dynamics.
Skene Labs:
Optimization of automatic deposition methods
Conventional deposition of thin films is typically done by spin coating. This method wastes both solvent and materials that are often challenging to prepare. The project is the investigation of film quality and roughness by using automatic spray deposition. The usefulness of this method for producing quality films of thin thickness on both small and large scale will be evaluated.
Elastomeric electroactive coatings
Elastomers are ideal supports for flexible devices, owing to their flexibility and stretchability. The project will investigate blending of electroactive materials into elastomers vs. their covalent attachment into the elastomer. The impact of the mechanical sheer, stress, and bending of electroactive materials will be evaluated.
Dynamic-Reversible polymers
Polymers that can be reversibly formed are of interest as they are self-healing. The project will evaluate conjugated small molecules and their capacity to be polymerized and hydrolyzed for their self-healing properties. The change in optical and electrical properties of the reversible polymers will be evaluated.
Sleiman Labs:
Gold nanoparticles assemblies for DNA detection
This project involves the use of DNA to create 2D- and 3D- assemblies of gold nanoparticles, and the study of their properties as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy substrates (SERS). These substrates will be developed as in-vitro sensors to detect particular DNA sequences with high signal amplification.
Sequence-controlled polymers
This project involves the use of automated solid-phase synthesis to create conjugated polymers whose sequences are user-defined. This can be accomplished by synthesizing short conjugated molecules and incorporating them in a defined order through a high yield coupling reaction recently developed in our lab. This will be followed by studying how their self-assembly and electronic properties depends on the sequence and nature of conjugated monomers involved.
Sokolowski Labs:
STM investigations on hBN films grown on Cu substrates
Wuest Labs:
Design and synthesis of new molecular compounds for use in thin-film optoelectronic devices