Open positions – Disordered Systems Group

PhD position: Photo-induced atomic dynamics in glasses

Sketch of an **X-ray photon correlation** experiment. A two-dimensional detector is used to acquire images of the scattered radiation. The correlation of these images provides information on the sample dynamics.

Distribution functions of the atomic displacements, w(ΔR), for an irradiated SiO₂ glass at two different times (blue and orange lines) compared to the very different case of diffusive dynamics (brown dot-dashed line), see **F. Dallari et al., PNAS 120, e2213182120 (2023).**

Upon impinging on an insulating glass, X-rays trigger photo-induced atomic dynamics. For sufficiently high fluences, this process can be called photo-fluidization, though it remains fundamentally different from the common thermal fluidization.

Within the framework of the Advanced ERC grant GLAXES, a PhD Thesis work is here proposed to use X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy to study the X-ray induced photo-fluidization at the interatomic length-scale accessible to X-rays. The final aim is to bring the glass into a very special state of interest for both fundamental science and applications. The project will be experimental, and will be carried out both at synchrotron radiation centers and in the laboratory using characterization techniques such as calorimetry and X-ray diffraction.

This PhD position is listed among those offered by the Physics PhD School of the Padua University for the academic year 2023/24. Interested candidates may visit the Physics PhD School home page:

http://www.dfa.unipd.it/didattica/dottorati-di-ricerca/phd-physics/

The admission documents and the procedure for the application can be found at this url:

https://www.unipd.it/en/phd-programmes-calls-and-admissions

Deadline: June 7^th, 2023 at 1:00 PM (CEST)

For more information, get in touch with us! (giulio.monaco[at]unipd.it)

Postdoc/PhD position: Liquid/amorphous polymorphism