Jobs

03/16/2022

Postdoctoral Position for Ultrafast Coherent X-ray Scattering Studies of
Quantum Materials Materials Science and Engineering, Kukreja Group, UC Davis

Kukreja group at UC Davis is currently hiring for a postdoctoral position focused on ultrafast coherent x-ray scattering studies of quantum materials.

Position Overview: The position will involve research projects focusing on understanding the role of electronic and magnetic fluctuations in quantum materials and their dynamical behavior under laser excitation. Coherent X-ray scattering at synchrotron sources and upcoming x-ray free electron sources (XFEL) will be utilized to access both nanoscale length scales and fundamental timescales. The main focus of these studies will be to develop a fundamental understanding of dynamical behavior including fluctuations of electronic and magnetic order across phase transitions i.e. metal-insulator transitions or magnetic phase transitions in strongly correlated oxides systems. In order to investigate the evolution of electronic and magnetic ordering as a function of sample ground state, thin films samples will be carefully tuned using parameters such as epitaxial strain, anion stoichiometry and cation doping. Candidates interested in functional properties of complex oxides, x-ray scattering or time-resolved studies of complex oxides are strongly encouraged to apply. In addition to experiments, the position will also involve working with variety of data analysis techniques and handling large x-ray scattering datasets obtained at user facilities such as National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS II), Advanced Photon Source (APS), Advanced Light Source (ALS) and Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) and LCLS II.

Project Overview: Quantum materials have emerged as potential candidates to realize energy-efficient computing for ever-increasing technological demands of the internet of things, big data, and cloud computing. Quantum materials display strong correlations between their spin, charge, orbital, and lattice degrees of freedom, which results in a rich variety of electronic and magnetic properties. Emergence of novel quantum states under non-equilibrium conditions in quantum materials challenges the limits of understanding at microscopic length scales and ultrafast time scales. However, fundamental understanding of the role of nanoscale disorder and fluctuations in quantum materials is impeded by the lack of experimental methods which can access both characteristic lengthscales and timescales. This project will utilize coherent x-ray methods to overcome this knowledge gap to develop spatio-temporal understanding of complex oxides. These studies will enable mapping of the domain dynamics and correlations as a function of emergent electronic and magnetic ordering in strongly correlated systems.

These studies will lead to development of a complete overview of electronic, magnetic, and structural properties of quantum materials with time scales down to the ultrafast regime and atomic resolution, to unravel nanoscale disorder in quantum materials and its evolution upon optical excitation.

Contact: Please contact Prof. Roopali Kukreja at rkukreja@ucdavis.edu