PhD Student in Laser-Induced Plasmas of Functional Oxides

About the role

The Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) is looking for a PhD student in laser-induced plasmas of functional oxides for its Physical Properties of Materials group. The project is part of an international collaboration investigating ferroelectric field-effect transistor technologies, and the student will be enrolled in the doctoral programme at ETH Zurich.

Key responsibilities

• Develop a fundamental understanding of how process parameters in pulsed laser deposition affect the composition of complex oxide thin films and their functionality.
• Identify and investigate material compositions relevant to the technology.
• Manage a pulsed laser deposition chamber using highly unique in situ characterisation techniques.
• Develop strategies, including machine learning algorithms, to improve the reproducibility of the grown films using in situ techniques during growth.
• Use the collected data to publish peer-reviewed articles.

Required profile

• Master's degree or equivalent in materials science, chemistry, physics or a related discipline.
• Foundational knowledge of the physics and/or chemistry of laser-induced plasmas.
• Communicative and team-oriented, enjoying an interdisciplinary research environment.
• Professional proficiency in written and spoken English; knowledge of German is an asset.

Required skills

• Understanding of physical vapour deposition and vacuum infrastructure is advantageous.
• Development of electronic or mechanical components for vacuum chambers and Python are considered advantageous.

Applications must be submitted online by 22 November 2026, including referee addresses. The position is based in Villigen PSI, Switzerland.