The Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) is the largest research centre for natural and engineering sciences within Switzerland. We perform cutting-edge research in the fields of matter and materials, energy and environment and human health. Altogether PSI employs 2000 people. For the Spectroscopy of Novel Materials Group, working at the Swiss Light Source (SLS) synchrotron radiation facility of PSI, we are looking for a

Postdoctoral Fellow on heterostructure materials for quantum computing

Your tasks
Beyond today's semiconductor technology, novel heterostructures such as superconductors or magnets interfaced with strong spin-orbit coupling semiconductors can exhibit novel quantum phenomena. For example, Majorana fermions bearing strong potential for applications as qubits. The central aim of the project is to explore the fundamental physics of such heterostructures with advanced synchrotron radiation based techniques as the fundamental basis for their potential applications in quantum computing. The spectroscopic backbone of the project will be soft X-Ray spin- and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES), which is a novel experimental technique delivering the most detailed information about electronic structure of buried interfaces resolved in electron spin and momentum. You will conduct these experiments at the Advanced Resonant Spectroscopies (ADRESS) beamline (www.psi.ch/sls/adress) of the Swiss Light Source, which is presently the world's most brilliant soft X-Ray source. Furthermore, you will be involved in research on quantum heterostructures using a variety of other methods such as grazing-incidence X-Ray diffraction, magnetic reflectometry, time-resolved X-Ray spectroscopy at the PSI free electron laser SwissFEL etc. You will collaborate with leading groups in Copenhagen, Delft, Seattle and Santa Barbara as well as in-house and external theoreticians.

Your profile
You have completed a PhD in solid state physics or materials science. You have a good background in fundamental solid state physics. Experience in photoelectron or related spectroscopic techniques as well as in physics of thin films will be an advantage. You are interested in the operation and development of advanced synchrotron and free electron laser instrumentation and enjoy working within a motivated scientific team as well as with external users. Excellent skills of communication in English are essential in the international environment of SLS. Your employment contract is limited to two years.

Full information about the position and online application form can be found at https://www.psi.ch/pa/job-opportunities/1538. We encourage applications from theoreticians who want to switch to experimental physics. Your online application for the Postdoctoral Fellow position (index no. 6312-01) should include list of publications and addresses of three referees. For further information please contact Dr. Vladimir Strocov, phone +41 56 310 53 11, email [email protected].