Postdoctoral Research Associate - Large Scale Synthesis and Transfer of 2D Materials

Requisition Id 14738 

­­Overview:  

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate who will focus on developing uniform, reproducible, and controlled large-scale synthesis and transfer of 2D materials, primarily transition metal dichalcogenides and various forms of boron nitrides. Our team uses bottom-up synthesis techniques, including CVD, MOCVD, and PECVD, coupled with multiple characterization techniques to control the growth environment and material consistency across the wafer targeting applications in microelectronics and quantum information science.

 

This position resides in the Functional Hybrid Nanomaterials (FHN) Group in the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS), Physical Sciences Directorate, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

 

As a postdoc, you will work with a research team at the CNMS primarily focused on wafer scale synthesis and transfer, emphasizing reproducible and uniform growth of 2D materials, managing 2D interface structure and contamination, and developing desired property engineering on a large scale. Growth methods include traditional approaches such as CVD, PECVD, and MOCVD. Developing novel roll-to-roll (R2R) 2D synthesis methods, including innovative precursor and energy delivery systems relying on novel precursor chemistries, growth regimes that yield uniform and consistent growth, and allowing reliable material doping schemes will be stressed. The envisioned development of novel transfer approaches includes investigating new 2D material handling techniques and employing innovative support matrices and processes that yield clean 2D interfaces and controls wrinkle formation. You will also work with the project team to set up and automate CVD systems and transfer stations with real-time adaptive control. The novel materials synthesized in this project will be collaboratively shared with various scientists and engineers, including electron microscopists, ultrafast spectroscopists, device fabrication experts, and quantum information scientists, to explore their functionalities across a broad spectrum of capabilities developed by ORNL.

 

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Lead new large-scale 2D material synthesis techniques stressing the development of novel R2R approaches and precursor chemistries.
• Advance synthesis workflows and recipes for growth methods available within the CNMS, such as CVD, MOCVD, PECVD, and PLD.
• Develop 2D materials transfer methods emphasizing novel 2D materials supporting matrices and techniques yielding clean and controlled 2D interface on a wafer scale.
• Work with various materials characterization groups and device fabrication staff at CNMS, assessing synthesized and transferred material uniformity across the wafer-scale samples.
• Write and publish high-impact journal papers, and present results at technical conferences, for sponsors, and other audiences.
• Interact and collaborate across ORNL, with researchers from universities, DOE national laboratories, user research centers and private industry.

• Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote equal opportunity by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

 

Basic Qualifications:

• A Ph.D. in chemistry, materials science, physics, engineering, or a related discipline completed within the last five years.
• Experience in developing unique experimental setups stressing 2D materials growth, their transfer, and characterization.
• Experience in experimental data acquisition and processing for materials’ assessment.

 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in 2D materials synthesis, characterization, and transfer techniques focused on large-scale systems and processes.
• Record of publications/patents relevant to the position.