Post-doc position: mechanical driving of a telecom band spin-photon device in silicon (M/F)

CNRS; France; Sur place; EUR 35 000 - 50 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

A leading French research institute is seeking a researcher in Engineering Physics to work on a project focused on quantum light sources and mechanical coupling of spins in silicon. The successful candidate will develop SAW devices for modulating optical emission and integrate advanced spectroscopic techniques. This position requires expertise in cleanroom processes and solid-state optics. Located in Grenoble, the role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research in a collaborative environment with state-of-the-art facilities.

Qualifications

• PhD in Engineering Physics or related field.
• Strong background in nanotechnology and optics.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a research environment.

Responsabilités

• Develop SAW devices on G centers for optical modulation.
• Integrate optical pumping techniques with photonic structures.
• Conduct spectroscopic measurements to evaluate coupling of spin transitions.

Connaissances

Experience in cleanroom processes for the fabrication and characterization of nanophotonic or nanoelectronic devices

Experience in optical spectroscopy of solid-state materials or optoelectronic devices

Experience with telecom-band optics

Formation

Relevant degree in Engineering Physics or related field

Description du poste

Organisation/Company CNRS Department Institut NEEL Research Field Engineering Physics Technology Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Country France Application Deadline 25 Dec 2025 - 23:59 (UTC) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 1 Feb 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Colour centres — atomic defects that emit single photons — provide stable quantum light sources and can host controllable spins for quantum memory and processing. Integrating spin and photonic properties enables efficient quantum networking through entanglement, while embedding these centres in silicon ensures compatibility with existing technologies and scalability for quantum communication and computing. Mechanical coupling of spins in silicon, particularly using surface acoustic waves (SAWs), offers a route to hybrid quantum systems. This project aims to demonstrate mechanical driving of spins in silicon (Er, T-center) via SAWs, as a first step toward on-chip coupling of distant spin qubits.

To demonstrate the mechanical modulation of a single-photon emitter in silicon, we will first develop SAW devices on G centers. These centers, produced in collaboration with CEA Grenoble on SOI substrates via C and H implantation, will be integrated into photonic micro-pucks coupled to SAW devices composed of interdigitated transducers (IDTs) on a ZnO layer. The propagating SAW will modulate the G-center emission frequency, enabling an evaluation of the electromechanical efficiency. Counter-propagating SAWs generated by two IDTs will form a standing wave, with phase control used to maximize coupling at the optical cavity.
Once the SAW devices on SOI single emitters are fully controlled, we will apply this technique to photon–spin interfaces, specifically T centers and Er centers, which are less efficient photon emitters. T centers will be produced by annealing C- and H-implanted SOI, with fabrication processes optimized using optical feedback. The methods developed for G centers will be transferred to T-center samples, along with a setup for resonant optical pumping of T-center spins within micro-pucks. Resonant fluorescence under SAW excitation will be used to probe optical modulation, while the combination of optical pumping, SAWs, and a magnetic field will enable the demonstration of mechanically driven T-center spins in the sideband regime.
In Er-doped SOI samples, provided by our collaborators at the University of Munich, SAW transducers will be integrated with waveguide structures to perform spectroscopy on a small inhomogeneous ensemble (the implanted region) and to provide direct evidence of acoustic coupling to the Er optical and spin transitions.

The work will be carried out at the Néel Institute, a CNRS–UGA research laboratory in Grenoble. The implantation of color centers in silicon will be performed in collaboration with colleagues at CEA-Leti and CEA-IRIG-Pheliqs, and Er-doped samples will be provided through a collaboration with TU Munich. Photonic structures and SAW transducers will be fabricated in the state-of-the-art cleanroom facilities of the Néel Institute. Optical spectroscopy will initially be carried out using a telecom-band micro-spectroscopy setup operating at 5 K. The candidate will also contribute to the development of a micro-spectroscopy setup operating at 100 mK. This system, based on a dilution refrigerator with optical access, will enable high-sensitivity, optically detected spin–mechanical measurements.
The Institut NEEL, UPR 2940 CNRS, 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. The laboratory is related to the CNRS Physique. It is located in the heart of a unique scientific, industrial and cultural environment. It is part of one of Europe's biggest high-tech environment in micro- and nanoelectronics, right next to the French Alpes.
The Institut NEEL is a CNRS laboratory. CNRS is a public, scientific and technological organisation.
The core mandate is to identify, carry out ou 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 recognised 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.

Experience in cleanroom processes for the fabrication and characterization of nanophotonic or nanoelectronic devices.
Experience in optical spectroscopy of solid-state materials or optoelectronic devices.
Experience with telecom-band optics is an asset.