Our team designs uncooled infrared (IR, 1-14 micron) detectors and single sensor (signal/pixel-level fusion) architectures that transduce both IR and radiofrequency (RF, 100 MHz-40 GHz) spectra. This work pushes the sensor state-of-the-art by growing materials, fabricating non-traditional detector architectures, and by performing initial proof-of-concept sensor measurements. For example, we reactively sputtered highly oriented aluminum nitride, incorporated it into a plasmonic perfect absorber, and tested the detector response out to 10 microns. All of our materials (AlN, PZT, sputtered InSb, films similar to black gold) and fabrication concepts are readily and demonstrably scalable to at least a 2 inch wafer and have included wide area nanoparticle self-assembly, reactive sputtering, photolithographically defined surface features, multilayer films, and electrically tunable optical filter components. Conjugated polymer-based detector concepts such as polyaniline and polythiophene have been also explored and are encouraged. Successful proposals will have access to a sputtering laboratory featuring one high temperature UHV system, a variable atmosphere/vacuum furnace, and two HV sputtering systems. Chemical synthesis facilities are not available, but we do have spin-coaters and a Class 100 cleanroom fully equipped for photolithography. A large array of characterization equipment is also available, including probe stations, ultrafast lasers, Hall effect systems, XRD, AFM, SEM, TEM, and FTIR.

References

A. R. Benasco, C.-T. Liu, B. Rax, G. Mariani, S. McClure, T. Bills, S. D. Gupta, M. I. Vakil, S. Nikodemski, J. H. Vella and J. D. Azoulay, "Radiation Hardened Infrared Photodetectors Based on a Narrow Bandgap Conjugated Polymer Semiconductor," Adv. Electron. Mater. 11 2400918 (2025).

 J. H. Vella, S. Nikodemski, A. R. Benasco, T. A. Prusnick and V. Vasiliyev, "Multilevel View of Charge Transport in Ocvd Polymers," ‎Synt. Met 293 117277 (2023).

C.-T. Liu, J. Vella, N. Eedugurala, P. Mahalingavelar, T. Bills, B. Salcido-Santacruz, M. Y. Sfeir and J. D. Azoulay, "Ultrasensitive Room Temperature Infrared Photodetection Using a Narrow Bandgap Conjugated Polymer," Adv. Sci. 10 (36), 2304077 (2023).

infrared detectors; conjugated polymers; sputtering; thin films; radiofrequency; plasmonic; photolithography; infrared; focal plane arrays; detector

citizenship

Open to U.S. citizens

level

Open to Postdoctoral and Senior applicants

Additional Benefits

relocation

Awardees who reside more than 50 miles from their host laboratory and remain on tenure for at least six months are eligible for paid relocation to within the vicinity of their host laboratory.

health insurance

A group health insurance program is available to awardees and their qualifying dependents in the United States.