PhD Position in High-Performance Float Zone Crystalline Silicon for Application in Einstein Telescope

Supervisor: Iryna Buchovska

Institution:
Leibniz-Institut für Kristallzüchtung (IKZ), Berlin

Bewerbungsfrist: August 10, 2026

The Einstein Telescope (ET) is a future gravitational-wave observatory currently under development in Europe. With its unprecedented sensitivity, it will explore the Universe with significantly greater depth and precision than current detectors, opening a new era of gravitational-wave astronomy. Due to its outstanding mechanical and thermal properties, crystalline silicon is considered the leading candidate material for the core components of the ET interferometer. However, existing silicon crystal-growth technologies cannot simultaneously meet all stringent requirements regarding crystal size, geometry, optical quality, and thermal and mechanical performance. Among available growth techniques, the Float Zone (FZ) method provides silicon crystals with the highest purity and structural perfection and is therefore the primary technology of interest for ET material baseline research. Our recently funded BMFTR project aims to investigate process-related properties of FZ silicon relevant to future ET operation.

As a PhD student, you will be involved in comprehensive experimental research including FZ silicon crystal growth, advanced material characterization, data analysis, and the identification of impurity-related mechanisms affecting the optical and mechanical properties of crystalline silicon. The ultimate goal of this research is to develop ultra-pure silicon substrates and fibres with properties enabling the performance requirements of cryogenic gravitational-wave detectors.

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