PhD: Study of van der Waals-based Josephson junctions (M/F)

CNRS; France; On-site; EUR 21,000 - 23,000; Full time

Job summary

Institut NÉEL, a CNRS unit in Grenoble, invites applications for a 36-month PhD project within the QuNES team of the QUEST department. The work focuses on fabricating and studying superconductor/insulator/superconductor heterostructures with ultra-clean interfaces.

The project aims to realize Josephson coupling in ultra-thin insulators and to explore novel devices based on layered materials at millikelvin temperatures, combining advanced microfabrication and microwave measurements.

Qualifications

• Experience in experimental work and cleanroom fabrication.
• Expertise in microwave electronics.
• Solid background in condensed matter quantum physics.

Skills

Experimental work

Cleanroom fabrication

Low-temperature measurements

Tools

Microwave electronics

Job description

Organisation/Company CNRS Department Institut NEEL Research Field Physics Physics Solid state physics Physics Surface physics Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Application Deadline 16 Nov 2026 - 23:59 (UTC) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 1 Dec 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - ERC Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Institut NÉEL is a CNRS unit (UPR 2940) under agreement with the University Grenoble Alpes. The laboratory is related to the CNRS Physique. It is located in Grenoble, in the heart of a unique scientific, industrial and cultural environment. It is one of the largest French national research institutes for fundamental research in condensed matter physics enriched by interdisciplinary activities at the interfaces with chemistry, engineering and biology. It consists of 450 employees, including 175 researchers.
CNRS is a public, scientific and technological organization.
The core mandate is to identify, to carry out or to have carried out, either alone or with partners, all research that advances science or contributes to the country's economic, social, and cultural progress. Internationally recognized for the excellence of its scientific research, the CNRS is a reference in the world of research and development, as well as for the general public.

This 36-month PhD project will take place within the Quantum Nanoelectronics and Spectroscopy (QuNES) team at the QUEST department.

The steady progress in the fabrication of two-dimensional material samples now enables the realization of heterostructures in which mono- or multi-atomic layers of layered materials can be custom-stacked. This opens up remarkable opportunities for novel devices based on these crystalline materials with ultra-clean interfaces. The objective of this PhD project is to fabricate and study superconductor/insulator/superconductor heterostructures in which the insulator is sufficiently thin to achieve Josephson coupling and form a Josephson junction.

Expected skills

• Experimental work, cleanroom fabrication, and ultra-low-temperature measurements
• Expertise in microwave electronics (or: Microwave expertise)
• Solid background in condensed matter quantum physics (or: Educational background in condensed matter physics)