(Contract
No. HPMD-CT-2000-00050)
Two Marie-Curie Development Host fellows are sought as part of the European Union (EU) programme “Improving Human Research Potential”. The anticipated duration of the fellowships are two years each and are immediately available at the Materials Science Group of the Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL) at the Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), Greece. IESL is one of the seven institutes of the challenging work environment of FORTH, with its research activities centred around five areas: lasers and applications, materials, microelectronics, environment and theoretical - computational physics and chemistry. Particular emphasis is placed on high quality basic research and involvement in leading-edge technology areas benefit from various collaborative programs with high-level international research centres and industrial partners.
Project Title:
Aim and motivation:
Organic-inorganic hybrid materials are an important area of current research. Intercalation compounds offer extreme potential in this field. They can be formed from solids of low-dimensionality with great promise for novel technological applications such as catalytic materials, electrodes in high energy density batteries, low-dimensional conductors, magnets, materials of extraordinary mechanical strength, etc. More specifically a number of intercalation reactions will be investigated with the following main objectives:
(1) to understand the structure and dynamics of the intercalation process itself.
(2) to perform detailed electrical and magnetic measurements to investigate the low dimensional conduction process and the interaction between host and guest.
Job description:
The successful candidates will be involved in the synthesis of various inorganic host solids. These will be explored for promising magnetic and conducting properties by employing the mild synthetic routes of intercalation chemistry. The characterisation will unravel the structure-physical property correlations. For the purposes of this research a combination of selected experimental methods currently available at FORTH-IESL will be employed: XRD, AC/DC magnetometry, thermal analysis and transport methods. Part of the work will involve visits to "facility" laboratories and use of neutron diffraction installations, such as that located at NCSR "Demokritos" (GR) or muon-spin rotation methods available at the Paul Scherrer Institute (Switzerland).
Profile:
Young researchers wishing to apply should have a Ph.D. in materials science, chemistry or related field and should be committed and energetic researchers with good experience in solid state characterisation. Applicants should arrange for two letters of recommendation to be sent. Applications should include: CV with a description of research interests, publication list, current preprints and e-mail addresses. Fellows should be less than 35 years old and must be nationals of a Member or Associated EU State. FORTH is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.
Project advisers:
The successful candidates will work under the guidance of the following IESL staff personnel: Dr. A. Lappas (Solid State Chemistry Lab.), Dr. J. Giapintzakis (Superconducting & Magnetic Materials Lab.), Dr. M. Velegrakis (Molecular Dynamics Lab.), Dr. A. Andriotis (Theory: Tight-Binding Molecular Dynamics of Complex Solids). The fellows will have the benefit of the support of five graduate students, a mechanical and electronics workshops.
Please send applications to project coordinator:
Dr. Alexandros Lappas Tel: +30 81 391300
Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (FO.R.T.H) Fax: +30 81 391305
Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (I.E.S.L.) lappas@iesl.forth.gr
P.O. Box 1527, Vassilika Vouton http://www.iesl.forth.gr
711 10 Heraklion, Crete, GREECE