Postdoctoral Fellow (PREP0004167)

Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore is hiring a PREP Research Associate to support NIST's research collaboration. The role requires a PhD in experimental condensed matter physics and five years of relevant nanofabrication experience.

The successful candidate will work on innovative projects involving nanoscale devices and will engage with various advanced measurement techniques in a cleanroom environment. An equal opportunity employer, the university seeks talented professionals committed to scientific research.

Qualifications

• PhD degree in experimental condensed matter physics.
• Five years of experience in fabricating nanoscale patterns.
• Experience with cryogens and ultra-high vacuum techniques.

Responsibilities

• Design and fabricate van der Waals heterostructure devices.
• Perform measurements with scanning probe microscopy techniques.
• Ensure documentation is archived for the larger organization.

Skills

Fabricating nanoscale patterns

Ultra-low voltage electron beam lithography

Electrical transport measurements

Radio frequency measurements

Education

PhD in experimental condensed matter physics

Tools

Scanning probe microscopy

LabVIEW

Cleanroom equipment

Job description

PREP Research Associate

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Professional Research Experience Program (PREP). NIST recognises that its research staff may want to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest and therefore requires those institutions to be recipients of a PREP award. The PREP programme involves staff from a wide range of backgrounds conducting scientific research across various fields. Individuals in this position will perform technical work supporting the collaboration’s scientific research.

Research Title

Nanofabrication and Metrology Specialist

Responsibilities

• Designing and fabricating van der Waals heterostructure devices, including rhombohedral graphene and twisted graphene multilayers, for investigation with scanning probe microscopy.
• Fabrication of superlattices in 2‑D materials via e‑beam lithography.
• Perform measurements with scanning probe microscopy techniques.
• Present results at internal meetings and occasional meetings with external stakeholders.
• Ensure that results, protocols, software and documentation are archived or otherwise transmitted to the larger organisation.

Qualifications

• A PhD degree in experimental condensed matter physics.
• Five years of experience in fabricating nanoscale patterns at complex oxide interfaces using conductive atomic force microscopy (c‑AFM) and ultra‑low voltage electron beam lithography (ULV‑EBL).
• Three years of experience in nanoscale patterning of ferroelectric materials using ULV‑EBL.
• Five years of experience in cleanroom‑based nanofabrication of nanoelectronics and quantum devices, including layout design, fume hood, resist‑based lithography (photolithography and electron‑beam lithography), thin‑film deposition and etching.
• Three years of experience in fabricating two‑dimensional layered material devices, including graphene and hexagonal boron nitride heterostructure stacking and transferring.
• Five years of experience in electrical transport measurements at ultra‑low temperatures.
• Five years of experience in radio frequency (RF) measurements at ultra‑low temperatures.
• Five years of experience in the maintenance and operation of a dilution refrigerator.
• Five years of experience in handling cryogens, including liquid helium transfer.
• Experience operating a multi‑modal measurement scanning probe system, including STM, AFM and electrical transport in a single system operating at ultra‑low temperatures and in ultra‑high vacuum.
• Experience in preparing atomically sharp probe tips for STM and AFM measurements.
• Experience with ultra‑high vacuum (UHV) techniques, including assembly, pumps, in‑situ ion sputtering and reflection high‑energy electron diffraction (RHEED) measurements.
• Experience in dilute atom evaporation in UHV for SPM experiments on single isolated deposited atoms.
• Five years of experience in research of complex oxide physics, including LaAlO³/SrTiO\3 heterostructures, with at least three peer‑reviewed publications.
• Three years of experience in research of 2‑D quantum materials, including graphene‑based heterostructures and related van der Waals materials.
• Research experience in superconducting materials.
• Research experience with SPM probe‑based superconducting Josephson junctions.
• Five years of experience developing and programming LabVIEW VIs for electrical transport measurements and spectroscopic mapping of STM and AFM on the Nanonis SPM control system platform.
• Five years of experience developing and programming LabVIEW VIs for general instrument control and transport measurements.

U.S. Citizen Preferred

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity for its faculty, staff and students. The university does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, colour, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or other legally protected characteristics. The university is committed to providing qualified individuals access to all academic and employment programmes, benefits and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability, performance and merit without regard to personal factors or demographic characteristics that are irrelevant to the programme involved.