Long- and short- range structure in aqueous ionic solutions
A PhD student position is available at the Laboratory for fundamental BioPhotonics (LBP) at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland.
Ionic solutions in water are an essential ingredient of many diverse aspects of life and relevant technology: the bodily fluids (blood and cellular fluid are prime examples), but so also are the key contents of batteries. Ionic solutions are commonly described as homogeneous mixtures in which ions are statistically distributed. However, it is well known for about a century that this simple description is incomplete for the relevant concentration range and that the structure of electrolyte solutions is far more complex. Disentangling the structural complexity of water, ions and macromolecules and their respective short- and long-range interactions requires structural information on multiple length scales, from the single water molecule to the nano- and microscale.
The Project at EPFL
We plan for a small team consisting of a Post-Doc and several PhD students to use and develop various novel experimental nonlinear optical scattering and imaging methods to achieve this. These methods will be applied to (1) simple 3D electrolyte in water solutions, (2) 2D electrolyte in water solutions and (3) water-ion-macromolecule systems. Linking all datasets will allow us to map both short – and long-range interactions and collective effects pertaining to all molecular actors. This allows to solve the puzzle surrounding concentrated electrolyte solutions and how they interact with macromolecules. These findings will shed new light on a variety of biological and technological processes.
The EPFL Candidate(s)
This research has many interdisciplinary aspects that demand a highly motivated candidate with strong analytical and experimental abilities that is able to think out of the box. The diverse aspects of the project allow a wide range of backgrounds that includes photonics, physics, physical chemistry/material science, or electrical engineering. Experience in ultrafast / nonlinear optics / microscopy is a bonus. We offer excellent working conditions and a state-of-the-art infrastructure in a highly dynamic and international environment at the forefront of research.
The Application Procedure
Applications should include a motivation letter, detailed CV, transcripts of diplomas as well as three letters of reference. In conjunction to the application the candidate should apply to one of the doctoral schools, of which photonics is the most appropriate https://www.epfl.ch/education/phd/
More Information
http://phd.epfl.ch/prospective
Feel free to contact us in case of further questions.