About the project
The transition towards a Green and Secure EU society requires the development of electronic devices more dense, fast and functioning at lower power than the actual semiconductor based technologies. These prerequisites can be fulfilled in the next years by combining materials in low dimensional multi layered structures that allow manipulating the magnetic interactions at play in the systems by acting with electric fields, enabling the realization of unconventional computational schemes.
The SpinOrbitronics Team at IMDEA Nanoscience lead by Prof. Perna, specializes in the nanofabrication of hybrid spintronics systems and their surface/interface and magneto-transport properties. The group searches novel systems and architectures in which the magnetic interactions can be manipulated by acting with electric fields, enabling the realization of fast and low consumptive programmable devices.
Such architectures require materials with suitable spin transport channels and topologically stable spin textures that can act as fast information carriers.
The proposed PhD research will exploit the relativisticspin orbit interaction in hybrid systems composed by ferromagnetic, heavy metal, ferroelectric and 2D materials as graphene to build voltage- controlled resistive and magnetic switching devices and explore the realization of artificial neural networks.
The position is open to candidates with a background in Physics or Materials Science. Open minded applicants, with a passion for condensed matter physics and physical phenomena at the nanoscale, and a curiosity for advanced instrumentation are highly welcome.
The PhD thesis work will cover all the aspects of the investigation, from the preparation of the epitaxial multilayers in controlled UHV conditions to their in-situ surface characterizations, from the nanopatterning in on-purpose designed device geometries to the charge- and spin-transport experiments and micromagnetic simulations.
The candidate will work in a highly interdisciplinary environment provided by IMDEA Nanociencia – Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence – and will have the opportunity to work in strong synergy with several national and EU collaborators of the Spinorbitronics hosting group. Short or mid-term secondments at the EU partner’s institutions will be also set as function of the research/training needs.
More information on the topic is available here.
How to apply
Interested applicants should send their CV, a motivation letter, and three references to
Dr. Paolo Perna: paolo.perna@imdea.org
Deadline: February 2023
About IMDEA Nanociencia
IMDEA Nanociencia is a non-profit interdisciplinary research institute created in 2006 by the Community of Madrid to shorten the distance between research and society and provide new capacity for research, technological development and innovation in the field of Nanoscience, Nanotechnology and Molecular Design.
IMDEA Nanociencia became a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence in 2017, the highest national recognition of research excellence, for its high quality and competitive strategic research programmes in the frontiers of knowledge and attractive work environments. The institute has a high scientific output (>2,200 indexed publications) and counts with state-of-the-art facilities in 50 operative laboratories, hosting over 200 scientists in an international and inclusive environment. We value and are fully committed to equality and diversity in the workplace, through the implementation of our Gender Plan and Human Resources Strategy (recognised by the European Commission with the ‘HR Excellence in Research’ seal).