PhD position in van der Waals metasurfaces

The research group Functional Nanophotonics (Dr. Andreas Tittl) in the Faculty of Physics at LMU Munich designs and experimentally realizes complex nanophotonic systems for applications in strong light-matter coupling, molecular spectroscopy, and 2D materials research. A special focus of the group are metadevices based around the emerging concept of photonic bound states in the continuum (BICs), which can provide precisely tailored resonant systems with unprecedented nanophotonic performance. Located within the Nanoinstitute Munich at LMU, we leverage state-of-the-art experimental infrastructure and a broad network of collaborators to implement exciting new functionalities for nanophotonics. 
To strengthen our team, we are looking for a PhD student in van der Waals metasurfaces. The successful candidate will work within the EU-funded ERC Starting Grant project METANEXT (Atomically layered materials for next-generation metasurfaces) to implement metasurfaces composed of van der Waals materials for quantum light generation applications.

Duties and responsibilities

• Optimization of optical metasurfaces for enhanced light-matter coupling using analytical insights and numerical simulations.
• Nanofabrication and structural characterization (AFM, SEM) of the devices. 
• Data processing, analysis, and modeling.
• Preparation of project results for publication and dissemination at conferences.

Your profile 

• A Masters degree in physics or a closely related field. 
• Experience in optics and nanophotonics, possibly including (1) nanophotonic theory / numerical modeling, (2) nanofabrication of metasurfaces, (3) optical spectroscopy. 
• Prior experience with van der Waals materials is a plus. 
• Programming skills in Python are a plus. 

What we offer 

• A dynamic and motivated team working on cutting-edge projects in nanophotonics.
• State-of-the-art experimental equipment in the Nanoinstitute Munich, ranging from high-resolution nanofabrication to ultrafast optical spectroscopy. 
• A multidisciplinary collaborative network with researchers from leading national and international groups.
• Fixed term employment in salary bracket TV-L E 13 (75%, starting date as soon as possible).

Applications should include a motivation letter, CV, list of publications, and contact information of 2 references. Please send all documents in a single PDF file) to andreas.tittl@lmu.de. We are actively committed to building a diverse team, and women are particularly encouraged to apply.