One PhD position (4 years) in theoretical solid state physics funded by the H2020
FET-Open Research and Innovation action via the project Opto Silicon 
"Towards optical communication on silicon chips" is open in the group 
of Prof. Silvana Botti at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany.

The EU FET-Open Project Opto Silicon

The exciting project Opto Silicon follows the footsteps of its successful 
predecessor, the FET-Open Project SiLAS, whose results have been awarded the 
Breakthrough of the year of Physics World 2020.

Opto Silicon brings together partners from the Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland.

The vision of Opto Silicon is to integrate light-emitting devices,
based on hexagonal silicon-germanium (Hex-SiGe), with existing Si
electronics and passive Si- photonics circuitry. This establishes a
silicon-compatible technology platform, with full opto-electronic
functionality. Silicon dominates the electronics industry for more
than half a century. However, silicon, germanium and SiGe-alloys are
all indirect band gap semiconductors. Their inability to efficiently
emit light has adversely shaped the semiconductor industry we know
today. Accordingly, achieving efficient light emission from SiGe has
been a holy grail in silicon technology for decades. Hexagonal crystal
phase SiGe recently emerged as a new direct bandgap semiconductor with
excellent light emission capabilities [Nature 580, 205–209(2020)]
Hex-SiGe will provide additional functionality like light generation 
(light emitting diode, laser), light amplification (semiconductor optical 
amplifier) and efficient light detection to silicon technology.

PhD profile

We look for an excellent PhD student who will work on first-principles
calculations of electronic and optical properties of Hex-SiGe
heterostuctures to support and guide the experimental effort of the
other partners.

The person to hire should have a strong background in physics and/or
material science. A sound knowledge of many-body quantum mechanics and
a basic understanding of density functional theory and/or Green's
function methods is also requested. We will favor candidates with
programming capabilities.

The University of Jena

The successful applicant will become part of the research group of
Prof. Silvana Botti at the Institute of Condensed Matter Theory and
Solid State Optics (IFTO) of the almost 500 year-old
Friedrich Schiller University of Jena.  IFTO is known as a center for
the development of theoretical and numerical methods and their
application in condensed matter/materials science, linear and
nonlinear optics and plasmonics. The research activities comprise
novel effects in traditional and new materials, including nano- and
metamaterials.  Most research activities are devoted to the
comprehensive understanding of light-matter interactions on both
microscopic and macroscopic levels. There is a long-standing
experience in the inclusion of many-body effects, nanostructuring, and
functionalization of surfaces and interfaces and in nonlinear and
nano-optics.

Jena, city of light

With about 1,000 researchers in the fields of optics and photonics as
well as more than 9,000 employees in the high-tech industries Jena is
an European centre in the field of light-based technologies. There are
more than 100 companies in Jena that belong to the optoelectronic
industry and precision engineering. Among them well established
companies of Carl Zeiss AG, JENOPTIK AG and SCHOTT AG.

How to apply

The position is for 4 years and must start on May 1, 2021. Please consider
that we expect that the PhD student can travel to Jena before the starting date.
Applications should include (we will not consider incomplete applications): 
(1) Curriculum Vitae, (2) Transcript including a list of courses 
attended during bachelor and master studies and grades, 
(3) One or more reference letters, and are to be 
sent by email to [email protected].

For further information please contact Prof. Silvana Botti.