PhD on Design and Nanoscopy of Metasurfaces for Fluorescence Enhancement

Eindhoven University of Technology is an internationally top-ranking university in the Netherlands that combines scientific curiosity with a hands-on attitude. Our spirit of collaboration translates into an open culture and a top-five position in collaborating with advanced industries. Fundamental knowledge enables us to design solutions for the highly complex problems of today and tomorrow.

The Department of Applied Physics and Science Education is a research-driven department housing high-quality educational programs, all featuring strong connections between research and education. Our research is clustered in three focal areas: Fluids, Bio and Soft Matter (FBSM); Plasmas and Beams (PB); and Nano, Quantum and Photonics (NQP). Our shared ambition is to equip the next generation of ‘engineers of the future’ with the knowledge and the skills they will need to impact science, innovation, and society, from regional to global scales.

Introduction

The Surface Photonics group together with the Molecular Plasmonics group at the Eindhoven University of Technology have two PhD positions in the field of metasurfaces for single-molecule biosensing. This collaborative project aims to develop a new generation of single-molecule sensors that exploit collective and localized resonances in metasurfaces to boost the temporal resolution of single-molecule fluorescence sensors.

Job Description

Current workhorse techniques to detect and study single biomolecules rely on fluorescence microscopy. Due to the limited brightness of fluorescent dyes, these platforms only give access to biomolecular processes (e.g. interaction kinetics) on long timescales, from milliseconds to minutes. Recent advances in Zijlstra’s group used metallic nanoparticles to enhance the fluorescence intensity. This approach has given access for the first time into previously inaccessible microsecond dynamics (link). However, real applications are still far away because the associated heating of the laser-excited nanoparticles affects the biomolecule and its dynamics.

About the project

In this position, you will design, fabricate, and characterize your fluorescence-enhancing metasurfaces based on arrays of dielectric or semiconductor nanoparticles with negligible light-induced heating. You will leverage very recent advances in metasurfaces supporting low-loss optical modes, such as surface lattice resonances and bound states in the continuum. The design of these modes and their application toward single-molecule biosensing is exciting yet entirely unexplored. You will combine numerical simulations, nanofabrication, and super-resolution optical microscopy to achieve the project goals.

The project will be supervised by Prof. Gomez Rivas (Surface Photonics group) and co-supervised by Prof. P. Zijlstra (Molecular Plasmonics group) at TU/e. You will closely collaborate with the other PhD student employed on the project, who will work on the application toward single-molecule protein sensing.

About the groups

Both groups are part of the department of Applied Physics and Science Education. The surface photonics group investigates light-matter interaction in a broad range of frequencies, from the visible to the THz. This interaction is enhanced by resonant structures, such as metallic or dielectric nanoparticles and metasurfaces. The group is part of the research cluster "Photonics and Semiconductor Nanophysics".

The molecular plasmonics group develops plasmonic and nanophotonic biosensors with single-molecule sensitivity. The nanoscale field confinement in resonant (e.g. plasmonic) nanoparticles is exploited to detect and study single molecules in real-time. The team is multidisciplinary and hosts physicists, chemists, and biomedical engineers who collaborate in a close-knit team. The lab hosts a range of state-of-the-art single-molecule microscopes in optical laboratories, as well as wet-chemical labs for sample preparation. The group is part of a bigger research cluster focusing on optical sensing.

Job Requirements

• A master’s degree (or an equivalent university degree) in physics or a related field. Experience in nanophotonics and/or plasmonics is an advantage.
• A research-oriented attitude.
• Ability to work in an interdisciplinary team and interested in collaborating with industrial partners.
• Motivated to develop your teaching skills and coach students.
• Fluent in spoken and written English (C1 level).

Conditions of Employment

• A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you: 
• Full-time employment for four years, with an intermediate assessment after nine months. You will spend a minimum of 10% of your four-year employment on teaching tasks, with a maximum of 15% per year of your employment. 
• Salary and benefits (such as a pension scheme, paid pregnancy and maternity leave, partially paid parental leave) in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale P (min. € 2,901 max. € 3,707).  
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%. 
• High-quality training programs and other support to grow into a self-aware, autonomous scientific researcher. At TU/e we challenge you to take charge of your own learning process. 
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.  
• An allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs. 
• A Staff Immigration Team and a tax compensation scheme (the 30% facility) for international candidates. 

Information

Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more? Please contact the hiring manager Prof.dr. Jaime Gómez Rivas  ([email protected]) or Prof. Peter Zijstra ([email protected])

Visit our website for more information about the application process or the conditions of employment.

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Application

We invite you to submit a complete application by using the apply button. The application should include a:

• Cover letter in which you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position.
• Curriculum vitae, including a list of your publications and the contact information of three references.

We look forward to receiving your application and will screen it as soon as possible. The vacancy will remain open until the position is filled.