Metal Oxide Thin Films for Metamaterial and Plasmonic Applications
This research explores metal oxide thin films like ITO and VO2 for tunable metamaterials and plasmonic devices, using pulsed laser deposition and advanced characterization techniques.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
NRC Research Associateship Programs has archived this opportunity.
Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: May 1, 2025
Funding Amounts: Stipend approximately $99,200 per year plus $3,000 travel allowance; typical fellowship duration 2-3 years.
Summary: Postdoctoral fellowship supporting experimental research on metal oxide thin films for tunable metamaterial and plasmonic device applications at the Naval Research Laboratory.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents; requires Ph.D. earned within last 5 years; relocation and health insurance benefits included.
Description
This fellowship opportunity at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) focuses on experimental research involving metal oxide thin films as active components in metamaterial and plasmonic devices. The research emphasizes transparent conducting oxides such as indium tin oxide (ITO), aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), and gallium-doped zinc oxide (GZO), which serve as low-loss plasmonic materials. These materials' electrical and optical properties can be tuned by doping, allowing control over their plasma frequency across a broad spectral range.
The program also investigates phase-changing materials like vanadium dioxide (VO2), which exhibit tunable electrical, optical, and structural properties. VO2 thin films are utilized as active elements in metamaterial-based tunable terahertz (THz) devices and broadband THz sources. Additional research includes other electronic oxides such as ferroelectric, ferromagnetic, and multiferroic thin films, exploring novel applications in sensors and electronics.
Thin films are deposited using pulsed laser deposition techniques. The NRL provides extensive materials characterization capabilities, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-IR ellipsometry, Hall Effect measurements, Physical Property Measurement System (PPMS), and Magnetic Property Measurement System (MPMS). Device fabrication facilities include conventional photolithography, electron-beam lithography, ion milling, reactive dry etching, and other nanofabrication tools available at the NRL Nanoscience Center.
