Postdoc “NanoXUV” – Nonlinear metaphotonics for UV semiconductor metrology

Work Activities
In the “NanoXUV” research program the Resonant Nanophotonics team at AMOLF (lead: Femius Koenderink) and the High-Harmonic Generation and EUV Science team at ARCNL (lead: Peter Kraus) develop nanophotonic structures that convert infrared wavelengths to light of very short wavelength, in the UV and even extreme ultraviolet. The need for such a technology comes from the the extreme miniaturisation of micro-electronics, which places extreme demands not just on nanofabrication, but also on inspection methods that visualize the manufactured devices. While optical inspection methods have the advantage of being fast and non-destructive, they typically face the challenge that features that are to be resolved are much smaller than the diffraction limit associated with the usual visible or infrared wavelengths. In this program we envision optical metasurfaces pumped by femtosecond infrared pulses that emit XUV light for metrology.
How do you design optical metasurfaces that efficiently radiate UV light by nonlinear frequency conversion through 3rd, 5th and high-harmonic generation? How do the geometry of meta-atoms and their arrangement in the metasurface translate into bright sources, and how do you generate that emit beams that are structured in amplitude, phase and polarization for super-resolution metrology? We offer a 2-year postdoctoral fellowship to tackling these questions, working in both groups and with PhD students engaged in metasurfaces, metrology, and solid-state HHG. The research targets both academic and applied breakthroughs, for which we will frequently interact with industry partners at ASML. Our team has everything required for this project available in house, including electromagnetic design and theory, the cleanroom nanofabrication facilities to realize optical metasurfaces, and ultrafast laser setups for THG and HHG generation and microscopy.
Qualifications
Mandatory:
You have (or will receive in the near future) a PhD degree in nanophotonics and /or ultrafast light-matter interaction. You enjoy performing experiments and analysis to stepwise build a deeper understanding of complex physical mechanisms. For this position, we are particularly looking for a candidate who is eager to span disciplines, combining state-of-the-art ultrafast laser optics with design, fabrication, and spectroscopy of metasurfaces. A solid background in both optics/optics engineering and condensed matter physics would be ideal.
Experience in one or more of the following topics is expected

• Nanophotonics of e.g. metasurfaces, photonic crystals, or plasmonic structures
• Ultrafast lasers and optics and /or advanced microscopy of nanophotonic systems
• Condensed matter physics & fundamental optical processes in solids

Additionally proficiency with data analysis (Python, MATLAB), an interest in electromagnetic simulation and nanofabrication, as well as very good verbal and written communication skills in English are expected.
Work environment
About the institutes:
AMOLF is a national research institute and is part of NWO-I. Its mission is to initiate and perform leading fundamental research on the physics of complex forms of matter, and to create new functional materials, in partnership with academia and industry. The institute is located at Amsterdam Science Park and currently employs about 150 researchers and 80 support employees. www.amolf.nl.
ARCNL performs fundamental research, focusing on the physics and chemistry involved in current and future key technologies in nanolithography, primarily for the semiconductor industry. While the academic setting and research style are geared towards establishing scientific excellence, the topics in ARCNL’s research program are intimately connected with the interests of the industrial partner ASML. The institute is located right next to AMOLF and currently employs about 65 researchers and 35 support employees. www.arcnl.nl
About the groups:
Resonant Nanophotonics at AMOLF The research activities in the Resonant Nanophotonics group at AMOLF aim at developing nanoscale photonic structures, such as plasmonic and dielectric metasurfaces, to control scattering, emission, amplification and detection of light. The group spans the entire research cycle from developing advanced nanophotonics concepts using state of the art theory and numerical design, to nanofabrication of designed structures in the Amsterdam NanoLab cleanroom at AMOLF and the development of state of the art optical scatterometry and microscopy methods.
High Harmonic Generation and EUV Science at ARCNL The HHG & EUV Science Group investigates the high-harmonic generation (HHG) phenomenon in various media, including gases, solids such as semiconductors, and strongly correlated materials, as well as nanostructures like metasurfaces. Our objective is to understand and enhance the efficiency of the HHG process to broaden its potential applications. This involves developing new experimental configurations and novel sources in the XUV/soft-X-ray domain. Moreover, we are exploring the possible applications of XUV radiation in imaging and metrology with a nanometer resolution, specifically in holography and scatterometry. We also utilize high-harmonics in ultrafast transient XUV spectroscopy to probe the dynamics of electronic and atomic systems with femtosecond time resolution. Our recent HHG experiments conducted on solids showcase the potential for manipulating optical emission (deactivation) solely through light, which can have practical applications in high-resolution imaging and super-resolution microscopy at the nanoscale.
Working conditions

• The working atmosphere at the institute is largely determined by young, enthusiastic, mostly foreign employees. Communication is informal and runs through short lines of communication.
• The position is intended as full-time (40 hours / week, 12 months / year) appointment in the service of the Netherlands Foundation of Scientific Research Institutes (NWO-I) for the duration of 2 years
• Salary is in scale 10 (CAO-OI) which starts at 4.552 Euro’s gross per month, and a range of employment benefits.
• AMOLF assists any new foreign Postdoc with housing and visa applications and compensates their transport costs and furnishing expenses.

More information?
For further information about the position, please contact Femius Koenderink: [email protected]
Application
You can respond to this vacancy online via the button below.
Online screening may be part of the selection.
Diversity code
AMOLF and ARCNL are highly committed to an inclusive and diverse work environment: we want to develop talent and creativity by bringing together people from different backgrounds and cultures. We recruit and select on the basis of competencies and talents. We strongly encourage anyone with the right qualifications to apply for the vacancy, regardless of age, gender, origin, sexual orientation or physical ability.
Commercial activities in response to this ad are not appreciated.