Materials for the detection of minority species in optofluidic waveguides

PhD-Position (m/w/d) – Materials for the detection of minority species in optofluidic waveguides

The detection of pollutants in wastewater, fertilisers in drinking water or biomarkers in medical samples is important for people and the environment. However, conventional analytical methods are time-consuming. More efficient methods that enable more frequent and more cost-effective analyses are required. Methods that enable rapid measurements without sample preparation in a single device are particularly efficient. The aim of the project is to develop an analytical method that measures the concentration of an aqueous dissolved substance in situ and without sample preparation, the mass-related concentration of which is in the range of one billionth (parts per billion, ppb). Stimulated Raman spectroscopy (SRS) is used for this: the liquid sample is irradiated with light, the light scattered by the sample is detected and analysed within seconds. The measurement is not carried out in a normal glass vessel, but inside a capillary filled with gel. The aqueous sample flows through the gel. The substance to be detected is selectively adsorbed from the solution and thus accumulates inside the tube. The gel and aqueous sample also conduct the light required for Raman spectroscopy along the length of the capillary (light waveguide). By combining the advantages of SRS, light waveguide and analyte accumulation, the detection limit is to be reduced to the ppb range. The new method will be used in medicine, in the monitoring of production processes and in environmental and food analysis. The project results can also be used in research into adsorption processes and surface effects.

https://www.photonikforschung.de/projekte/explorative-forschung/projekt/minosens.html (German)

These are your tasks:

• Working on a research project funded by the BMBF within the framework of “Photonics Research” (in cooperation with the Institute of Thermal Process Engineering, Environmental Process Engineering, Natural Materials Process Engineering (ITUN))
• Development of functionalized aerogels and hydrogels
• Supervision and assessment of student work
• Reporting to funding bodies and publication of results in journals and conferences

What you can expect from us:

• Working at a family-friendly university with flexible working hours
• Remuneration in accordance with the provisions of the collective agreement for the public service of the federal states in line with personal requirements
• Attractive fringe benefits, e.g. capital-forming benefits (VL), company pension scheme (VBL), health man-agement; discounted ticket for local public transport “Job-Ticket”
• Further training opportunities
• A very well-developed research environment with modern chemical and physical laboratories

What we expect from you:

• University degree or master’s degree in chemistry, materials science, chemical process engineering or comparable disciplines
• Expertise in the synthesis of inorganic and/or organic materials and wet-chemical coating technologies
• Interest in optical measurement methods and photonics
• thirsty for knowledge, innovative/creative and well organized in working purposefully towards project goals.
• good command of written and spoken English