Supervisor: Dr Tim Albrecht (Dept. of Chemistry, Imperial College London)

One 3-year PhD positions in Molecular Spintronics is currently available within the Chemistry Department at Imperial College, London, to start October 2013 (or as early as possible). The successful candidate will join an inter-disciplinary team working on the synthesis of target molecules, their structural characterization, and experimental studies on single-molecule charge transport and spintronic properties. The post is part of a Leverhulme Trust-funded project involving the Albrecht and Long research groups at Imperial College/Chemistry, as well as the Fisher and Hirjibehedin groups at UCL/London Centre for Nanotechnology/Physics.

The PhD project will involve monolayer and single-molecule charge transport studies, using scanning probe microscopy and chip-based nanoelectrode junctions at room temperature and in condensed matter environments. The molecular target systems contain multiple transition metal centres in different geometries and are synthesized in-house by other members of the team. We intend to use various types of electrochemical pulse techniques as well as tunnelling spectroscopy to characterize the molecule/electrode coupling, charge transport in these complex molecular architectures and their spintronic properties. The successful candidate will also have to liaise efficiently with other parts of the project, including synthesis, low-temperature STM and theory.

Applicants should hold or expect to gain a first or upper second class degree in Chemistry, and should send a (i) Curriculum Vitae, (ii) covering letter explaining why they are interested in the PhD positions – specifying which one is of interest, and (iii) the names and addresses of two referees Dr Tim Albrecht (t.albrecht@imperial.ac.uk).