Postdoc Position: Development and Application of an Ultra-Bright Coherent Soft X-Ray Beamline

The Department of Physical Chemistry of Prof. Martin Wolf is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join our project focused on the realization of a bright tabletop coherent soft X-ray beamline, designed in collaboration with Prof. Jens Biegert (ICFO, Barcelona).

Our advanced multi-millijoule 2200 nm OPCPA system is operational, and the X-ray beamline has entered its final implementation phase offering the successful candidate an exciting opportunity to advance the frontiers of tabletop X-ray technology, contribute to bring a next-generation light source online and employ it to explore ultrafast phase transitions, Mott physics, and coupled electron-lattice dynamics in complex materials.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to:

• Work on the optimization of high harmonic generation driven by multi-millijoule 2200 nm OPCPA;
• Design and refine a highly efficient X-ray spectrograph based on reflection zone plates;
• Generate and control ultrashort, tunable infrared pulses for time-resolved pump-probe experiments;
• Conduct time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy (tr-XAS) and explore novel applications of emergent materials;
• Investigate femtosecond structural and electronic dynamics in quantum materials and 2D van der Waals systems.

This position combines instrument development and pioneering research to bring a world-class soft X-ray source to full operation and use it to tackle fundamental questions in correlated electron systems.

• Successfully completed PhD degree in physics or a related subject;
• Hands-on experience with ultrafast and nonlinear optics;
• Broad background in ultrafast optics;
• Experience in high harmonic generation in gases;
• Understanding of X-ray beamline instrumentation;
• Excellent communication skills, and in particular good command of the English language;
• Programming skills: Python, MATLAB, Wolfram Mathematica etc.

In addition, research experience in one of the following fields is an advantage:

• Ultrafast pulse characterization (e.g. SHG-FROG);
• Work with high vacuum (HV) setups;
• Solid state physics;
• CAD design (e.g. Solid edge);
• LabVIEW.