Ph.D. Student (M/F) – Theoretical Study of Atomic Diffraction Spectroscopy of Two-Dimensional Materials

About the position

Student (M/F) – Theoretical Study of Atomic Diffraction Spectroscopy of Two-Dimensional Materials

Institution: CNRS

Research Field: Physics

Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)

Application Deadline: 26 Oct 2026 - 23:59 (UTC)

Job Status: Full-time

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?: Not funded by a EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?: No

The thesis research will be conducted at the Institute of Materials Physics and Chemistry in Strasbourg (IPCMS), within the Q-Dyno team (https://www.ipcms.unistra.fr/equipe/dynamique-quantique-theorique-dyno/) of the Department of Nonlinear Optics (DON).

The work will involve developing theoretical models and performing numerical simulations to predict the diffraction properties and interaction mechanisms between fast atoms and two-dimensional materials.

The campus offers a pleasant work environment that includes a university cafeteria and sports facilities.

Lett. 135, 263403 (2025)) and highlighted by the journal editors for its exceptional originality (DOI: 10.1103/Physics.18.s166), we developed a novel spectroscopic technique capable of probing atom–surface interactions with unprecedented precision.

In this combined theoretical and experimental study, a beam of fast hydrogen atoms was transmitted through a graphene sheet, a two-dimensional material consisting of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice.

Interpreting the experimental observations required a detailed comparison with theoretical calculations describing the atom–surface interaction potential.

Beyond its fundamental interest, this approach opens a new avenue for probing materials at the atomic scale using neutral atoms rather than charged particles such as electrons, with the major advantage of causing only minimal perturbation to the systems under investigation.

Building on these results, the proposed Ph.D. project aims to develop the theoretical tools required to investigate other two-dimensional insulating materials in close collaboration with the experimental group of Xavier Urbain (Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium) and with Raj Sinha-Roy (Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1) on the theoretical and numerical simulation aspects.

The objective is to analyze how both the nature of the material and the choice of incident projectile (beyond hydrogen) influence the diffraction patterns, thereby providing highly accurate information on atom–surface interaction potentials.

Particular attention will also be devoted to inelastic processes, which will be investigated using time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT).

Years of Research Experience: None

Research Field: Physics » Solid state physics

Research Field: Physics » Surface physics

Website for additional job details: https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/Doctorant/UMR7504-PAUHER-002/Default.aspx

What you’ll bring

• Research Field: Physics
• Education Level: PhD or equivalent
• Languages: FRENCH
• Level: Basic
• Years of Research Experience: None
• Research Field: Physics » Solid state physics
• Research Field: Physics » Surface physics

At a glance

Position type

PhD

Institution

CNRS

Department

Institut de physique et chimie des matériaux de Strasbourg

Research group

Not stated

Location

STRASBOURG, France, FR

Supervisor / contact person

Not stated

Funding

Funding not stated
Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?: Not funded by a EU programme

Duration

Not stated

Expected start

Not stated

Vacancy reference

EURAXESS-456611

Research focus

Discipline

Chemistry, Physics

Research area

Not stated

Methods

DFT, Spectroscopy

Software

Not stated

Dates to know

Listed on FOSS Positions

17 Sep 2026

Original advertisement date

Not stated in the source

Application deadline

26 Oct 2026 · 23:59 UTC

Priority review date

Not stated

Last checked

17 Sep 2026

Last updated

17 Sep 2026

2026-10-26T23:59:00+00:00

How to apply

Application Deadline: 26 Oct 2026 - 23:59 (UTC)
Where to apply
Apply now

https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/Doctorant/UMR7504-PAUHER-002/Default.aspx

Original sources

https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/456611 ↗

https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/Doctorant/UMR7504-PAUHER-002/Default.aspx ↗