PhD offer (M/F): Topological structuring of liquid crystals under spatiotemporal external driving fields

5 Mar 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

CNRS

Department

Laboratoire ondes et matière d'Aquitaine

Research Field

Chemistry » Physical chemistry
Physics » Chemical physics
Physics » Biophysics

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

France

Application Deadline

25 Mar 2024 - 23:59 (UTC)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

35

Offer Starting Date

1 Oct 2024

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

The PhD candidate (M/F) will establish experimental protocols to achieve tailored spatiotemporal external driving fields of various nature. Specifically, using a combination of polarizing optical elements, the light beam will be shaped both in time and space to prepare various structured light excitations. Homemade approaches will be used to tailor electric and magnetic fields as well. Prepared structured fields will be applied to liquid crystal sample and resulting dynamic phenomena will be systematically registered and analyzed. The candidate (M/F) will be closely guided by advisors and host group Singular and will acquire both theoretical and experimental skills on laser beam tailoring, polarimetry, light and matter topology. The candidate (M/F) will benefit from interdisciplinary environment of LOMA via constant interaction with experts in both experimental and theoretical research in domains of soft matter and photonics.

This project aims to answer the question of how the spatiotemporal properties of external driving fields can be used to harness topological properties of liquid crystals in time and space.
This project is built at the intersection of soft, active and driven matter and photonics. Particles (either physical inclusions – colloids, or orientational structures) will be incorporated into liquid crystal samples and further manipulated by spatiotemporally structured external driving fields. In particular, structured light, electric and magnetic fields will be applied. The kinetics and the interaction between the particles will be studied using spatially resolved polarimetry and high-speed imaging in the optical domain. A rich variety of dynamic particle interactions and emerging behaviors are expected and will be studied. Also, this experimental project aims at bringing new opportunities for on-demand reconfigurable structuring of liquid crystal director field enriched by the presence of dynamic inclusions. This means that the combination of dynamics of particles together with external driving is expected to play a key role on liquid crystal reorientation. The project aim is twofold: (i) to explore the fundamentals of dynamic pattern formation and dynamic field-induced topological structuring of liquid crystals, and (ii) to pave the way toward realization of self-assembled soft actuators and circuits for particle transport in liquid crystals.

Requirements

Research Field

Chemistry

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Research Field

Physics

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Research Field

Physics

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Languages

FRENCH

Level

Basic

Research Field

Chemistry » Physical chemistry

Years of Research Experience

None

Research Field

Physics » Chemical physics

Years of Research Experience

None

Research Field

Physics » Biophysics

Years of Research Experience

None

Additional Information

Website for additional job details

https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/Doctorant/UMR5798-NINKRA-003/Default.aspx

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Laboratoire ondes et matière d'Aquitaine

Country

France

City

TALENCE

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Candidat/Offre/UMR5798-NINKRA-003/Candidater.aspx

Contact

City

TALENCE

Website

http://www.loma.cnrs.fr/

STATUS: EXPIRED