About the project:
The project focuses on achieving precise control over the atomic stacking order of van der Waals materials, specifically few-layer graphite. We exploit the natural sliding between layers, enabling the construction of artificial crystals with tailored stacking configurations. In the last few years, rhombohedral graphite has gained significant interest, as it hosts strong electronic correlations, exhibiting magnetic insulating states, spin and valley multiferroic orders, and unconventional superconductivity. Building on the group’s expertise in identifying defect-free rhombohedral graphite by electronic Raman scattering, we will combine rhombohedral and hexagonal graphite layers at small twist angles to realize all possible stacking polytypes in few-layer samples. We will then explore their electronic properties through scanning tunneling spectroscopy and low-temperature Raman measurements. This will be the first example of tailoring the defect structure of a macroscopic material at the atomic scale. By gaining full control over the stacking sequence, the project aims to uncover new correlated electron states, offering a platform for advanced quantum materials research.
Role of the applicant:
The work will be conducted within the framework of an Excellence Grant from the National Research Development and Innovation Office of Hungary, in the group of Peter Nemes-Incze. The tasks of the postdoctoral researcher will be to use well-established dry stacking techniques to create van der Waals heterostructures of graphene and few-layer rhombohedral graphite samples and to investigate their properties by confocal Raman and scanning probe techniques. The postdoctoral fellow will be responsible for sample preparation and characterization, working closely with other members of the research group and with collaborators involved in theoretical modeling. If you are eager to work at the cutting edge of 2D materials research and contribute to pioneering developments in correlated electron systems, please apply.
Applicant profile:
Applicants should have a strong background in solid-state physics, with a PhD in a relevant field.
Practical experience with dry stacking methods used in the preparation of van der Waals heterostructures is a must.
Experience with confocal Raman spectroscopy or scanning tunneling microscopy is a bonus.
Excellent English skills are required.
About the Nanostructures Department of the HUN-REN Centre for Energy Research
We are constantly at the forefront of scanning probe investigations of van der Waals, 2D materials. Our mission is the exploration of layered van der Waals materials, with a strong focus on topological and many-body phenomena. See the list of recent publications:
- Pálinkás, A. et al. The composition and structure of the ubiquitous hydrocarbon contamination on van der Waals materials. Nat. Commun. 13, 6770 (2022).
- Dobrik, G. et al. Large-area nanoengineering of graphene corrugations for visible-frequency graphene plasmons. Nat. Nanotechnol. 17, 61–66 (2022).
- Hagymási, I. et al. Observation of competing, correlated ground states in the flat band of rhombohedral graphite. Science Advances 8, eabo6879 (2022).
- Kandrai, K. et al. Signature of Large-Gap Quantum Spin Hall State in the Layered Mineral Jacutingaite. Nano Lett. 20, 5207–5213 (2020).
- Magda, G. Z. et al. Room-temperature magnetic order on zigzag edges of narrow graphene nanoribbons. Nature 514, 608–611 (2014).
What we offer:
Fixed contract: 24 months.
Location: Budapest, Hungary.
State-of-the-art labs and infrastructure for optical spectroscopy and scanning probes. Low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy facilities.
Young, highly motivated group, with a pleasant atmosphere.
Salary: Competitive on an international scale.
English 
Magyar