Applications are invited for two PhD positions (one experimental, one computational) in Applied Physics within the Advanced Materials Group (AMG) at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague. As a team member of one of our prestigious EU projects, the candidates are expected to undertake leading research focused on the design and application of 2D layered materials based on transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). Key areas of research include TMD sliding contact properties, nanotribological behaviour, and their suitability for application in photovoltaics. Candidates have some freedom in adjusting the PhD program to suit their expertise.

Description of the group: 
The AMG, lead by Prof. Tomas Polcar, is a well-established group that pioneers solid lubrication, particularly the structural design of self-adaptive coatings. Both the experimental and computational subgroups continue to grow, consisting of young and motivated researchers working on various interconnected topics. The experimental cohort covers topics including physical and chemical deposition methods, surface characterization, and high temperature tribology, whilst the computational approaches range from ab initio electronic structure calculations to massive classical molecular dynamics simulations. Ultimately, this research leads to the development of coatings with unique optical, mechanical or tribological properties suitable for use in industry.

Objectives: The experimental PhD will involve the preparation of TMDs by CVD method and the investigation of their nanoscale frictional properties by AFM. 2D layers (single or multilayer) deposited on atomically flat substrates and AFM tips will allow for the complex mapping of frictional properties of TMDs, thus providing experimental guidelines for the optimization of TMD design in order to achieve minimal friction. For the computational PhD, density functional calculations will be used to determine the electro-structural features that govern energy transfer across materials and the response to external stimuli. Contiguous calculations will explore the control of heat diffusion, energy dissipation and layer exfoliation of self-lubricant TMDs, ultimately leading to the design of new tribological TMD-based materials.

Job requirements: Successful candidates must have an MSc in Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science or a closely related discipline. We are seeking highly motivated individuals with a solid background in physical chemistry/physics. Good knowledge of English, both written and oral, is compulsory.

Contract details: The standard period for a PhD course is 3 years. The salary will be very competitive (about 2,300 – 2,700 EUR gross/month). Associated PhD fees and family allowances will be covered only for EU citizens. Fellows will also benefit from wide-ranging training programs (e.g. scientific methods, transferrable skills, scientific communication, intellectual property rights etc) and the opportunity to travel to other European partners involved in our ongoing projects.

How to apply: The call is open until Tuesday 31^st October 2017 and the positions will be filled as soon as the proper candidates are found. The latest starting date for a PhD is beginning of February 2018. Applications should consist of a brief description of research interests and relevant experience (e.g. the transcript of studies, thesis), a CV and, optionally, letters of recommendation from academic referees. Applications should be sent to: [email protected]