The Scholarship

An unsolved key question in condensed matter physics concerns the understanding of why and how materials go from fluid to disorded dynamically arrested states, so called glasses? Any liquid that is cooled fast enough to avoid the ordered crystalline state will form a glass which has a molecular structure almost identical to that of the liquid. Why the molecular motions in the liquid slow down so dramatically upon cooling is not well understood and glass formation thus remains an unsolved mystery of solid and soft condensed matter physics.

Materials that undergo transitions from fluid to disordered solid states are common and important both in nature and in man-made materials. Examples of such materials include gels, colloidal suspensions, granular systems, emulsions, foams, pastes and even biological cells. Despite the widely different nature of these materials, the transitions often show strong similarities, in turn suggesting a common physical description. The work involved in this position will adress some of the key open questions.

The understanding of these phenomena have implications for materials in a wide range of applications including drug release, batteries and fuels cells, food preservation, cryopreservation of proteins, novel construction materials, magnetic materials and advanced biointeractive materials.

A PhD position is for 4 years of research and course work and can be extended for up to 1 extra year depending on the degree of involvement in teaching duties.

Glass forming materials are characterized by an extremely wide range of characteristic time and length scales of the relevant molecular motions. To adress this, the work will encompass advanced experimental techniques that allow studies of molecular structure and dynamics from the microscopic to the macroscopic. Laser light and neutron scattering spectroscopy together with vibrational spectroscopy will be used. Part of the experimental work will be done at large international facilities for neutron and synchrotron radiation in France, UK and elsewhere.

The work will be problem oriented and any techniques necessary to solve the problem will be used. Thus, this project will provide excellent training in a wide range of state-of-the-art experimental techniques that are widely used to investigate materials.

A suitable applicant typically has a MSc degree in Physics, in Engineering Physics or in Physical Chemistry. The applicants are expected to master the English language, to have strong presentation skills and be prepared to work both individually and in a group environment.

Chalmers is an equal opportunity employer. In order to improve the gender balance at the department, we welcome in particular applications from female candidates.

For further information please contact
Professor Lars Börjesson, lars.borjesson@chalmers.se
Phone: +46 707 535307

• SACO: Jan Lindér
• ST: Marie Wenander
• SEKO: Johan Persson

All reachable via Chalmers exchange: +46 31 772 10 00