[visionlist] Postdoc position on design, fabrication and characterization of an infrared plasmonic lens available at IIT-CNCS

[Cncs_selezioni]

Postdoc position on design, fabrication and characterization of an infrared plasmonic lens available at IIT-CNCS
Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems (CNCS)
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT)
Infrared Lab, Rovereto, Italy

CB 67238

The Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (http://www.iit.it) is a private law Foundation, created with special Government Law no. 269 of September 30th 2003, with the objective of promoting Italy's technological development and higher education in science and technology. Research at IIT is carried out in highly innovative scientific fields with state-of-the-art technology.

The InfraRed (IRlab)-Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems (http://cncs.iit.it/) is seeking an applicant with a Ph.D in physics and a substantial experience in optics and near IR experimental techniques for a one-year Post Doctoral position to begin in Feb. 2012.
The IRlab lab is equipped for near infrared (NIR) with semiconductor lasers, 2W EDFA amplifier, fiber optics with piezo micropositioners, and InGaAs high gain photodetectors, whereas for mid infrared (MIR) with a 1W CO2 laser source and cutting edge detection system based on MCT multistage TE-cooled detector, which is the same detection system mounted onto Curiosity, the robotic rover recently landed on Mars to explore and take the chemical fingerprint of Mars crust.
The successful candidate will assist Dr. Zeno Gaburro to develop a new flat lens for infrared radiation, based on plasmonic nanoantennas. The lens will be designed in Rovereto, for the near and mid infrared windows, fabricated in Genoa and characterized in Rovereto, in the lab supervised by Dr. Zeno Gaburro at CNCS. Potential applications include monitoring of fluorophores for two-photon microscopy in living tissue.
The Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems is hosted at the facilities of the Center for Mind/Brain Sciences - CIMeC (http://www.unitn.it/cimec), an interdisciplinary center for teaching and research in cognitive neuroscience of the University of Trento in Rovereto, Italy. The CIMeC hosts also a Doctoral School in Cognitive and Brain Sciences (http://www.unitn.it/en/drcimec). The University of Trento is ranked first among research universities in Italy, and the Trentino region is consistently at the top for quality of life and for the most efficient services in Italy. The Infrared Lab is one of the most recent additions to the CNCS, and pursues the interdisciplinary character of the center by strengthening its expertise in optics and photonics in the infrared window. Its ambitious goal in the long term is to foster connections and opportunities for creative interactions, acting as a bridge between CNCS and the departments of Nanostructures, Nanophysics, and Nanochemistry at IIT headquarters in Genoa. The start-up objective of this lab is the development of infrared devices such as phase masks and ultrathin lenses for infrared beam shaping, beam processing and wavefront engineering. Our devices are based on the most recent advancements on optical antennas and antenna arrays, and benefit of the state-of-the art fabrication facilities of IIT in Genoa. They are envisioned as enabling technologies for fingerprinting of species of interest for physics, environmental studies, biotechnology, and neuroscience. 
We seek highly motivated candidates who are willing to design the lens, assist in the fabrication, and then characterize its performance as focusing device at CNCS, Rovereto. The candidate is expected also to produce publications in high impact scientific journals. Applications should include a CV, a statement of research experience and interests, and names of 2 referees. Please send your application by e-mail to Dr. Zeno Gaburro (zeno.gaburro at iit.it) and Ms. Sara Maistrelli (Cncs_selezioni at iit.it). The deadline for the application is January, 8th 2013.
In order to comply with the Italian law (art. 23 of Privacy Law of the Italian Legislative Decree n. 196/03), we have to kindly ask the candidate to give his/her consent to allow IIT to process his/her personal data. We inform you that the information you provided will be used solely for the purpose of assessing your professional profile to meet the requirements of the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia. Your data will be processed by the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, with headquarters in Genoa, Via Morego, 30, acting as the Data Holder, using computer and paper based means, observing the rules on protection of personal data, including those relating to the security of data. Please also note that, pursuant to art. 7 of Legislative Decree 196/2003, you may exercise your rights at any time as a party concerned by contacting the Data Manager.
The Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia is an Equal Opportunity Employer that actively seeks diversity in the workforce.