The research chair Complex Photonic Systems (COPS) – in the Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of Twente – studies advanced nanophotonic materials that control the propagation and emission of light in novel ways. An essential part of our multidisciplinary research is the fabrication, and characterization of custom-made nanomaterials. To this end we are recruiting a

Research Technician

The Research Technician develops and fabricates nanophotonic materials with extreme optical properties, such as a photonic band gap, or strong absorption. To this end you will employ self-assembly methods, or advanced nanofabrication techniques in the MESA+ Nanolab cleanroom. The Research Technician will assist and advise on other chemical preparations that occur in the various running projects and maintains the nanofabrication infrastructure of the COPS group.

An enthusiastic chemist or nanotechnologist at the BSc or MSc level, equivalent to Dutch HLO or university levels, who enjoys working independently and taking initiatives.

• Excellent and dynamic environment for researchers within our   research institute MESA+ (www.utwente.nl/mesa), an attractive campus and lots of facilities for sports and leisure;
• You will be appointed for 1 year (extension feasible) as a research technician.Terms of employment are in accordance with Dutch Collective Labour Agreement for Universities (CAO), include:
• A salary with a maximum of €3.548,- gross per month;
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end bonus (effectively corresponds to 14 months’ salary per annum);
• A pension scheme that is part of the world-famous Dutch pension system.

Nanophotonic materials are three dimensional (3D) composite materials wherein the refractive index for light varies on length scales commensurate with the wavelength of light, typically a few hundred nanometer. In photonic crystals, light is being Bragg reflected by periodically ordered crystal planes, analogous how electrons propagate through a silicon crystal. One of the unique properties of photonic crystals is the occurrence of a photonic band gap. This is a range of colors for which light is strictly forbidden to propagate or even exist inside the nanostructure! As a result, an excited molecule inside such a crystal will remain forever excited, thus opening new avenues in photochemistry and photovoltaics (see: Nature 430 (2004) 654). This exotic phenomenon promises novel miniature light sources and LEDs or opportunities in quantum computing.

Examples of nanophotonic materials made at COPS were made by self-assembly of nanoparticles (see: Optica 5 (2018) 844). In collaboration with Dutch high-tech industry (Philips, ASML, TNO) COPS’ Research Technicians have developed novel CMOS-compatible techniques using our MESA+ Nanolab to realize 3D silicon photonic band gap crystals (see: Nanotechnology 26 (2015) 505302; Adv. Func. Mater. 22 (2012) 25; J. Vac. Soc. Technol. B 29 (2011) 061604; Nanotechnology 19 (2008) 145304) that are among the most powerful ones in the world!