Postdoc position on spectral sensing

Goal and background

Measuring the reflectance or transmittance spectrum of organic materials allows determining the composition of their key constituents, such as sugar, fat and protein. Near-infrared spectroscopic techniques are widely used in the food and chemical industries, but presently require an analytical lab.

Our group has developed integrated spectral sensors , based on an advanced nanophotonic platform, able to quantify and classify materials properties using near-infrared light. These low-cost, handheld spectral sensors, already commercialized by our spin-off MantiSpectra , will enable a wide range of applications in the agro-food sector, for example to monitor the growth of plants, the ripeness and aging of fruit, the properties of milk, etc, throughout the entire food production chain (from farms to consumers). In this project we want to make a major further step, by showing that this technology can also be used to measure several points of an object (e.g. a plant), positioned at a certain distance from the sensor. This is essential in many situations (e.g. a greenhouse) where the sensor must operate autonomously and cannot be placed in direct contact with the sample

Project description

The selected candidate will perform applied research in spectral sensing. He/she will conceive, build and test a sensing system able to perform spectral measurements at different points of a scene, using the combination of a single-point spectral sensor and a camera. The project will be carried out at the Eindhoven University of Technology, under the supervision of prof. dr. A. Fiore, Dep. Applied Physics, in close collaboration with a team of young and enthusiastic researchers and with industrial partners. The postdoctoral appointment will initially be for a period of one year, with the possibility of extensions depending on project funding. The Eindhoven region and its PhotonDelta ecosystem offer ample opportunities for developing an applied R&D career in photonics, within large companies or fast-growing spin-offs.