PhD position: Chemical vapor deposition of graphene, a route to wafer scale integration
Job description
The PhD student will produce graphene in an UHV system at TU Delft. In order to find the conditions for “good” films, he/she will characterize those films by STM. “Good” layers of graphene will be transfered to an insulating substrate with electrodes. In collaboration with other researchers in the consortium the PhD student will study the mobility of the graphene. The project will first focus on producing graphene on single crystal nickel substrates. Once that is mastered the project will focus on producing graphene on in-house sputter deposited nickel films. The challenge here is to set a record for the mobility and to understand the influence of grain boundaries.
We also expect a PhD student to supervise undergraduate students in our group.
Research
Graphene is a novel and exciting material, introduced less than a decade ago. Graphene can be considered to be a mono-atomic sheet of graphite. The interest in graphene stems from the unprecedented high electron mobility in this material. This high mobility holds a promise for fast electronics, provided that a wafer scale technology will be developed. In the Netherlands a Graphene consortium, consisting of a number of university groups has been funded by FOM to explore the possibilities of graphene. The present position is within this consortium. For more information on the consortium see: http://www.graphene.nl.
Up to now electrical measurements on graphene are done on small pieces obtained by removing a few layers of carbon atoms from bulk graphite by mechanical exfoliation, i.e. by pulling it off with scotch tape. This production method allows electrical transport measurements, but will certainly not be the technology of choice for a wafer scale technology. The present proposal is concerned with a route to fabricate graphene on a wafer scale.
The proposed approach is to coat silicon wafers with a nickel film in such fashion that the nickel (111) planes are parallel to the wafer surface. The (111) planes of nickel exhibit six-fold symmetry, with a spacing very close to the spacing of graphene. On this template a graphene layer will be grown by chemical vapour deposition (CVD). Subsequently the graphene layer will be transferred to a wafer with the contact structure in place.
The main research questions will be: “How do the grain boundaries in the nickel film show up in the graphene?” What conductivity can be reached in poly-crystalline graphene?”
Requirements
The successful candidate is an experimental scientist who holds a masters degree in physics or materials science, preferably with experience in thin films, UHV or advanced analytical techniques. The successful candidate interacts easily with scientists from various disciplines and institutes.
Conditions of employment
When fulfilling a PhD position at the FOM foundation, you will get the status of junior scientist.
You will have an employee status and can participate in all the employee benefits FOM offers. You will get a contract for 4 years. Your salary will be up to a maximum of 2,610 euro gross per month.
You are supposed to have a thesis finished at the end of your four year term with FOM.
A training programme is part of the agreement. You and your supervisor will make up a plan for the additional education and supervising that you specifically need. This plan also defines which teaching activities you will be responsible (up to a maximum of 10% of your time). The conditions of employment of the FOM-foundation are laid down in the Collective Labour Agreement for Research Centres (CAO-Onderzoekinstellingen), more exclusive information is available at this website under Personeelsinformatie (in Dutch) or under Personnel (in English).
General information about working at FOM can be found in the English part of this website under Personnel. The ‘FOM-sollicitatiecode’ (in Dutch) applies to this position.
Contract type
Temporary
four years
5993
Direct link to this job www.academictransfer.com/5993
