PhD student (m/f/d) in ultrafast laser-matter interactions and nanoprocessing

The Max Born Institute for Nonlinear Optics and Short Pulse Spectroscopy (MBI) conducts basic research in the field of nonlinear optics and ultrafast dynamics arising from the interaction of light with matter and pursues applications that emerge from this research. It develops and uses ultra-fast and ultra-intense lasers and laser-driven short-pulse light sources in a broad spectral range in combination with methods of nonlinear spectroscopy. With its research, MBI fulfills a national mission and is an integral part of the international scientific community.

PhD student (m/f/d) in ultrafast laser-matter interactions and nanoprocessing

The Max Born Institute invites applications for a PhD student (f/m/d) position within the Collaborative Research Centre 1477 “Light-Matter Interactions at Interfaces” (LiMatI), funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).

The project focuses on the ultrafast response of dielectric materials driven by intense laser fields. The central goal is to understand how strong laser excitation induces ionization, plasma formation, nonlinear optical effects, and modifications of material properties on ultrafast timescales ranging from attoseconds to picoseconds. The research combines fundamental studies of laser-matter interactions with advanced optical characterization techniques and is relevant for applications such as precision laser nanostructuring.

The doctoral researcher will work with ultrafast laser systems and implement advanced time-resolved optical measurement approaches for studying laser-induced material dynamics over a broad temporal range. One part of the project focuses on field-resolved and phase-sensitive measurements for investigating sub-cycle electron and plasma dynamics in strongly excited materials. A complementary part involves coherent diffractive imaging and holographic techniques for the spatio-temporal characterization of transient laser-induced modifications and refractive-index changes on longer timescales. By combining these approaches, the project aims to characterize and understand laser-induced material modifications with unprecedented spatio-temporal detail.

The work will involve experimental implementation, optical setup development, numerical data analysis, and modeling.