AMOLF - Mimir

Internship: Nanopatterning of molecules for bio- and photovoltaic applications

Work Activities
The goal of this project is to develop a nanocontact printing technique to create nanopatterned films of organic molecules for biotech and photovoltaic applications. Nanopatterning of organic molecules has topography great potential for enhancing the power conversion efficiency of metal halide perovskite-based solar cells. Conventional patterning techniques, such as UV or e-beam lithography, often use chemicals or processes that lead to degradation of the perovskite layer. Consequently, the development of a non- invasive, soft-nanopatterning methodology is highly beneficial for the advancement of perovskite based solar cells.

Qualifications
You are currently enrolled in a Master’s program in physics, chemistry, materials science, or a related field. You have a nationality of an EU-member state and/or you are a student at a university in the Netherlands. The internship has to be a mandatory part of your curriculum. We expect you to be available for at least 5 months, although longer is preferable.

Work environment
AMOLF is a part of NWO-I and initiate and performs 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 140 researchers and 80 support employees. www.amolf.nl

The 3D Photovoltaics Group focuses on the investigation of nanoscale phenomena at (electrified) solid-liquid interfaces and the development of new materials and energy conversion principles for sustainable energy generation.

Current photovoltaic technologies require the use of highly pure materials, where the purification process is very energy intensive. In the group, we investigate how the same conversion efficiency can be obtained with lower quality material by introducing nanophotonic concepts and rational light management strategies. We develop new fabrication pathways for photovoltaic absorber and contact layers within the framework of circular chemistry, that minimize raw material usage and less energy-intensive systems. In parallel, we are interested in the (in)direct storage of solar energy. In particular, we focus on underpinning the key physico-chemical properties of solid-liquid interfaces that rule charge transfer and conversion from electrical to chemical energy. For this, we develop in-situ characterisation techniques with which electrochemical, optical and surface properties of materials can be determined with nanoscale resolution.

Working conditions
At the start of the traineeship your trainee plan will be set out, in consultation with your AMOLF supervisor.

AMOLF Energy Research Academy: AMOLF offers a special program for research internships in sustainable energy science. It is composed of a research project in one of AMOLF’s research groups, combined with a series of dedicated tutorials on fundamental aspects of the science behind sustainability technology. Admission to this Academy is only possible in combination with a research internship project at AMOLF.

More information?
For further information about the position, please contact prof. dr. Esther Alarcón Lladó or dr. Tom Veeken .

Application
You can respond to this vacancy online via the button below. Please annex your:

Motivation letter;
Resume;
List of followed courses plus grades.

Online screening may be part of the selection.

Diversity code
AMOLF is 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.

AMOLF has won the NNV Diversity Award 2022, which is awarded every two years by the Netherlands Physical Society for demonstrating the most successful implementation of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

Commercial activities in response to this ad are not appreciated.

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Internship: Stabilizing Gold Nanoparticles with Core-Shell Architectures

Work Activities
Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) exhibit plasmonic properties that enable strong light-matter interactions, making them promising candidates for photothermal catalysis. However, their optical response is highly sensitive to particle shape and therein lies a key stability challenge: GNPs begin to reshape at temperatures around 200 °C, which progressively alters their plasmonic characteristics and degrades their performance over time. In this project, you will investigate how coating GNPs with a protective shell (e.g. titania, TiO2) can improve their thermal stability. These core-shell nanoparticles will be studied using single-particle spectroscopy: because nanoparticle shape governs the plasmon resonance, spectral shifts measured before and after laser heating directly reveal morphological changes. Photothermal heating is achieved using a wavelength-tunable picosecond laser that excites each particle at its plasmon resonance. Depending on your interests, the project may also include nanoparticle synthesis, electron microscopy correlation, or optical and thermal simulations.

Qualifications
You are currently enrolled in a Master’s program in physics, chemistry, materials science, or a related field. You have a nationality of an EU-member state and/or you are a student at a university in the Netherlands. The internship has to be a mandatory part of your curriculum. We expect you to be available for at least 5 months, although longer is preferable.

Work environment
AMOLF is a part of NWO-I and initiate and performs 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 140 researchers and 80 support employees. www.amolf.nl

In the Hybrid Nanosystems group, we investigate the interaction between different components in complex hybrid nanostructures and develop new architectures for such systems.

A powerful way of designing novel materials lies in combining unique properties of separate components in a hybrid system. Nanomaterials are especially interesting for this approach as they display unique properties compared to their bulk counterparts. An intelligent combination of several material classes in one nanostructure offers a promising approach towards improving existing properties and compensating for disadvantages of the separate components, as well as augmenting the system with novel functionalities.

Working conditions
At the start of the traineeship your trainee plan will be set out, in consultation with your AMOLF supervisor.

AMOLF Energy Research Academy: AMOLF offers a special program for research internships in sustainable energy science. It is composed of a research project in one of AMOLF’s research groups, combined with a series of dedicated tutorials on fundamental aspects of the science behind sustainability technology. Admission to this Academy is only possible in combination with a research internship project at AMOLF.

More information?
For further information about the position, please contact dr. Wiebke Albrecht or dr. Tom Veeken.

Application
You can respond to this vacancy online via the button below. Please annex your:

Motivation letter;
Resume;
List of followed courses plus grades.

Online screening may be part of the selection.

Diversity code
AMOLF is 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.

AMOLF has won the NNV Diversity Award 2022, which is awarded every two years by the Netherlands Physical Society for demonstrating the most successful implementation of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

Commercial activities in response to this ad are not appreciated.

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Internship: Probing Interfaces in Plasmonic Gold-Titania Nanorods

Work Activities
Hybrid plasmonic-semiconductor nanoparticles combine strong light absorption in metals with longer- lived charge carriers in semiconductors, making efficient hot-electron injection across the metal- semiconductor interface key for applications such as photocatalysis. In this project, you will study and engineer the interface between gold nanorods and a TiO₂ shell. Crystalline TiO₂ improves charge- transfer efficiency, but the crystallization process can alter the gold core's shape and hence its optical response. Therefore, different crystallization pathways will be explored to improve the interface while preserving plasmonic properties. The charge transfer efficiency will be measured using single-particle dark-field scattering and (time-resolved) photoluminescence. These measurements will be correlated with structural data from electron microscopy and tomography to reveal how interface structure and morphology govern charge transfer.