Postdoctoral fellowship

A novel technique for the manufacture of nanoparticle films for application in SERS and catalysis.

Applications are invited from suitable candidates with a PhD in Physics, or Material Science, for a 1 year postdoctoral fellowship in School of Physics and CRANN at Trinity College Dublin.

Previous experience in pulsed laser deposition and nanoscience would be a significant advantage.

Project

Nanoparticle (NP) films have many unique optical, magnetic, chemical and biological properties which have motivated intense research towards technological applications. In this project we will develop a new technique for the manufacture of NP films using pulsed laser deposition at atmospheric pressure. This proposed method has considerable advantages over existing methods in that it is highly material and energy efficient, easier to scale up, and can be applied to solutions that do not work under vacuum. The method will be specifically used for application in to manufacture of: (i) noble metal NP coated substrates for SERS, and (ii) metal NP films for catalysis.

The project is funded by Science Foundation Ireland and Enterprise Ireland under the SFI / EI Technology Innovation Development Award (TIDA) Feasibility Study 2012.

Informal enquiries may be addressed to Prof. James Lunney.

(jlunney@tcd.ie, +353 1 8961259)

Applications, with a detailed CV and names and addresses of two referees, should be sent to by December 31 2012 to Prof James Lunney, Laser and Plasma Applications, Photonics Group, School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to interview and the successful candidate will be expected to start work in January 2013.