PhD student position in Computational Materials Physics

Stimulated by major needs and challenges in science and society, the ambition of the department of Applied Physics is to foster a creative environment for academic research, teaching and outreach. We provide a competitive advantage by linking top-level international and interdisciplinary academic performance in the areas of material science, nanotechnology and energy research with world-leading industrial R&D&I projects.

We address a wide array of experimental, computational, methodological and theoretical challenges, from fundamental physics research, through the development of new materials to direct industrial projects generating new inventions. We have a strong learning commitment on all levels from undergraduate to PhD studies where physics meet engineering.

We are situated in a stimulating and creative environment with 200 physics teachers and researchers, 120 PhD students and 550 undergraduate students.

Information about the research/the project/the division
The Materials and Surface Theory group at the Department of Applied Physics currently has an opening for a PhD student position. The research in the division focuses on the application of electronic structure and atomic scale simulation methods to address current problems in materials science.

The present PhD project is focused on the subject of nanoparticle growth. Noble metal nanostructures are of widespread interest due to their intriguing optical and physical properties. Gold and Silver nanorods for example have been employed in a broad range of applications including plasmonic sensors and advanced therapeutics. Such structures are commonly synthesized using the seed mediated growth from solution, which depending on the experimental conditions allows one to obtain a host of different shapes and sizes. Yet in spite of its widespread application and considerable experimental interest a detailed understanding of the underlying physics remains elusive.

Major responsibilities
The objective of this PhD project is to develop a detailed understanding of the growth of anisotropic nanostructures using a combination of electronic structure calculations and atomistic simulations. The eventual goal is to design surfactants as well as counterions that provide optimal control over crystal shape, anisotropy, and size. This involves a bottom-up investigation of the intricate interplay between chemical parameters (e.g., surfactant, counterions, growth agents) and thermodynamic conditions (e.g., temperature, concentrations) focusing on gold nanoparticles. The project will focus on modeling the growth processes using both quantum mechanical calculations and atomistic simulations. Eventually the results of the simulations will applied in the synthesis of surfactant and counterion molecules as well as their subsequent deployment in the growth of gold nanostructures.

Your major responsibilities as PhD student is to pursue your own doctoral studies. You are expected to develop your own scientific concepts and communicate the results of your research verbally and in writing, both in Swedish and in English. The position generally also includes teaching on Chalmers' undergraduate level or performing other duties corresponding to 20 per cent of working hours.

Position summary
The position will be placed at the Department of Physics in the division of Materials and Surface Theory under the supervision of Assistant Professor Paul Erhart with joint supervision of the experimental component by Assistant Professor Kasper Moth-Poulsen at the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.

Full-time temporary employment. The position is limited to a maximum of five years.

Qualifications
You should hold a Master degree or equivalent in physics or chemistry and have a strong interest in computational modeling and electronic structure calculations. The project is interdisciplinary and combines theory, modeling and experiment.

To qualify as a PhD student, you must have a master's level degree corresponding to at least 240 higher education credits in a relevant field.

The position requires sound verbal and written communication skills in Swedish and English. If Swedish is not your naive language, you are encouraged to learn it during your employment as a PhD student. Chalmers offers Swedish courses.

Application deadline: 2014-05-31

For questions, please contact:
Assistant Professor Paul Erhart
Materials and Surface Theory
E-mail: erhart@chalmers.se
Phone: +46 31 772 3669

Assistant Professor Kasper Moth-Poulsen
Polymer Technology (Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering)
E-mail: kasper.moth-poulsen@chalmers.se
Phone: +46 31 772 3403

  


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