CENTRALE LYON - Post-doctoral researcher in structural characterisation, fabrication and optical test on Thin Film Lithium Niobate on Sapphire and modulator devices

The iLUM team at INL has been awarded, in collaboration with ILM and the 3D oxides company, an ANR grant (MIRLIN project) to develop Photonic Integrated Circuits based on a novel thin-film Lithium Niobate on sapphire (LNOS) platform. Our ambition is to develop linear and nonlinear photonic devices on this material platform, including passive low-loss waveguides and resonators as well as active devices like E/O modulators or broadband supercontinuum and frequency combs that can operate up to 5 um.

To that aim our project will develop a unique approach by exploiting the CBVD technique developed by our industrial collaborator 3D oxides to grow thin film crystalline and stoichiometric LiNbO3 onto a sapphire substrate. In addition, the design of our devices will alleviate the need for etching the LN film, by exploiting either a strip-loaded geometry, whereby a dielectric (typically Si3N4) is patterned on top of the LN film, or the direct growth of LN onto patterned substrates, as could be uniquely afforded by the LN CBVD. We will then exploit this thin film LNOS platform to design, engineer and create nonlinear optical devices for efficient comb generation but also periodically poled integrated devices and Electro optics modulators.

The recruited candidate, who holds a PhD, will work on all these aspects with an initial focus on material/structural characterization (XRD, Raman, ellipsometry, M-line…). S/he will also take part on the development of the nanofabrication and optical test (mostly linear) of the LNOS photonic and modulator devices. S/he will work closely with two PhD students focusing on the design, realization, and test of the nonlinear photonic devices in LN based platforms

We are looking for a candidate with a general physics background (preferably in material science, and/or optical and nonlinear optical integrated science), and some experience of clean-room micro-fabrication.

Some expertise in technological micro-nanofabrication processes (clean-room, lithography, etching, deposition) and associated characterizations, structural and optical material characterization (XRD, XPS, Raman, ellipsometry, AFM, SEM) is essential.

Experience in at least one of the following fields would be also highly appreciated: Integrated optics, nonlinear optics (X2-based NLO, PPLN), Electro-Optics modulators, Lithium niobate photonic devices.

The postdoc will be jointly supervised by two academic partners of the MIRLIN ANR project, at INL and ILM, so s/he will liaise with both researchers between the two institutions. At the same time, s/he will be the primary link with the 3D Oxides company that will supply the LNOS wafers to be used for device manufacturing and test. The candidate therefore must have a strong taste for teamwork, good communication skills, show initiative and be a driving force behind proposals. S/he has or will be able to develop the ability to co-supervise PhD students and has very good written and oral skills (English at least for writing articles, projects and/or competitions).

Offer Starting Date : as early as 15/03/2025 (depending on the FSD approval)

Deadline : 23 february 2025