Postdoctoral Research Student

For more information: http://cnst.nist.gov/about_res.html

Overview

Optical MEMS and NEMS Research Program at the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST) investigates integrated optical micro electro mechanical systems with nanoscale elements enabling novel imaging, metrology, manipulation and assembly techniques at the nanoscale.

Requirements

Postdoctoral lever research positions are immediately available in the following areas: mechanically agile scanning probes; high accuracy and sensitivity integrated optical sensing and actuation of MEMS; manipulation of MEMS and NEMS with holographic optical tweezers; high throughput nearfield optical imaging using nanofabricated optical reference structures. US Citizenship is required for NIST appointments. US citizenship is not required for appointments with Univ. of Maryland under NIST-UMD Cooperative Agreement.

Responsibilities

Agile versatile MEMS nanoprobes: Microsystems containing one or more functionalized nanoprobes in combination with integrated actuators and integrated optical force and position sensors will enable new ways of faster, more accurate, more compact and vibration-insensitive manipulation and measurement at the nanoscale. The nanoprobe %E2%80%93 sample interaction can be one or a combination of mechanical, electrical, electrostatic and optical/plasmonic. New mechanical sensor and actuator concepts will be investigated that leverage high finesse integrated optical resonators or field enhancement by surface plasmons. Fundamentals of optomechanical interaction, such as the Casimir force, are likely to play an important role. The project involves design, microfabrication and experimental study of these types of micro-devices and micro-systems. Nanoscale mechanical tools operated with holographic optical tweezers: We plan to develop an optically operated micro-mechanical tool kit capable of accurate manipulation and measurement at the nanoscale. Multiple such micro tools will be simultaneously positioned and operated by means of holographic optical tweezers, enabling a novel nanomanufacturing approach. The project will include design and fabrication of the optically actuated micro-tools, experimental validation of their operation, as well as development and demonstration of novel nanoscale manipulation, fabrication and metrology methods. High throughput optical nearfield imaging: We plan to dramatically increase the throughput of optical nearfield imaging by using a mechanically movable reference structure with nanoscale patterns in place of a nearfield aperture. Computational imaging techniques will be used to reconstruct the image and optimize the imaging process. The project will include nearfield optical modeling, design and microfabrication of the reference structures, as well as experimental validation and characterization of the imaging approach, including data acquisition and computational image reconstruction.

Application

Please contact: Dr. Vladimir Aksyuk NIST CNST and ECE, UMD 301-975-2867 [email protected]