Doctoral Thesis offer

PhD Position – Electrochemistry/Materials Science -Starting Date: September-October 2017
Electrochemical Silicon Nanoprocessing for the Fabrication of Functional Surfaces
Silicon micro- and nanostructuration is of crucial importance for microelectronics, solar cells and for
promising emerging technologies in nanoelectronics, biosensing devices and water-splitting cells.
These applications make the fabrication of Si nanostructured arrays a very hot topic that has attracted
tremendous attention. In this context, templated electrochemistry, which can be operated in ambient
conditions, enables the simultaneous fabrication of individual nanostructures at designated spots on a
large area is very attractive for manufacturing such arrays.
We are looking for a highly-motivated PhD candidate to work on a 3-year project at the ISCR (Institut
des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes), located at the University of Rennes in France. The research
project is focused on the development of silicon structuration processes for the fabrication of
functional surfaces. More specifically, the candidate will use electrochemical techniques such as
templated photoelectrochemical etching and nano-electrodeposition in order to fabricate well-defined
arrays of i) silicon nanowires and ii) silicon nanoporous microcells. He will then functionalize these
surfaces with redox active molecules and study their electrical and photoelectrochemical properties.
The final goal is to use these functional surfaces for biodetection and microelectronic devices.
The project duration is 3 years and the founding is provided by the ANR (Agence Nationale de la
Recherche). The salary is ∼1400 € per month. The successful candidate will have an access to the
equipment present at the ISCR (scanning probe microscopy, electron microscopy, potentiostats,
ellipsometer, FTIR, XRD…) and to the clean room facilities located at the IETR (Institut
d’Electronique et de Télécommunication de Rennes), that is located very close to the ISCR.
The candidate must have a strong background in physical chemistry and/or materials science and an
interest for electrochemistry. A strong motivation for research and good communication skills are
required (fluent English or French speaking is mandatory).

References:

L. Santinacci, M. Diouf, M. Barr, B. Fabre, L. Joanny, F. Gouttefangeas, G. Loget ACS Appl. Mater.
Interfaces 2016, 8, 24810-24818
K. Cho, G. Loget, R. M. Corn. J. Phys. Chem. C 2014, 118, 28993-29000
G. Loget, R. M. Corn, Chem. Eur. J., 2014, 20, 10802-10810

Contacts:
Please send your records (CV + letters of recommendation) to:

Gabriel Loget: [email protected]

Bruno Fabre: [email protected]