Postdoctoral researcher
The project entails the development of mid-infrared absorption spectroscopy sensors for portable, field-deployable detection of fentanyl mixtures. The sensors will be based on dielectric and plasmonic metasurfaces sustaining highly resonant, bound-state-in-continuum electromagnetic modes, directly integrated onto an infrared camera. This research supports the NIST mission by advancing optical measurement science to help solve the ongoing opioid crisis, here within the framework of the “TRANQ” Strategic and Emerging Research Initiative funded by the NIST Associate Director for Laboratory Program in support of a Congressional Directive.
Mid-infrared Resonant Metasurfaces for Portable Detection of Opioid Mixtures
- A Ph.D. in Applied Physics, Physics, or Electrical Engineering
- Research Experience in Nanophotonics, Plasmonics, and Nanofabrication
- Experience with Design and Fabrication of Optical Metasurfaces
- Familiarity with software computation and simulation tools such as Labview, Matlab, and Zemax
- Strong oral and written communication skills
Key tasks and responsibilities will include but are not limited to:
- Electromagnetic-simulation-based design of plasmonic and dielectric resonant metasurfaces designed for mid-infrared absorption spectroscopic sensing of opioid mixtures.
- Implementation of the metasurfaces using advanced nanofabrication techniques.
- Mid-infrared optical characterization of the device structures and analysis of their performance for molecular sensing, including understanding strong coupling effects between electronic transitions and resonant electromagnetic modes.
- Written and oral reporting of findings by submission of journal articles and presentations at conferences.