Job Description:
A joint collaboration between The Nanotube Research Center at AIST and Technology Research Association for Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes (TASC), Japan invites highly-motivated applicants from various research backgrounds for post-doctoral positions to work on the development of nanotechnology, nanomaterials, and nanodevices. Led by Prof. Sumio Iijima, recognized as the discoverer of carbon nanotubes (CNT), we have established ourselves as one of the world leaders in the hot field of carbon nanotube synthesis and applications. The candidates are expected to contribute to our efforts on CNT synthesis, applications, and devices.
1) For synthesis, we are constantly striving to develop new rational synthetic approaches to both understand the growth mechanism of CNTs and to ultimately grow carbon nanotubes with completely defined structures (Science 2004, Nano Lett (2009), Adv. Mater. (2009), JACS (2009)).
2) For applications, we are actively investigating new and unexpected functions which an assembly of CNTs (and composites) can possess that a single CNT does not. The discovery of such new functions and development of new forms of CNTs can generate a huge impact as can be seen in the development of SWNT-Solid (Nature Materials 2006), SWNT-Wafers (Nature Nanotech. 2008), and Conductive CNT rubber (Science 2008, Nature Mater. 2009), a CNT black body absorber (PNAS 2009), and a viscoelastic CNT material (Science 2010).
3) For CNT energy devices, we have been placing significant effort to develop energy devices, such as the SWNT super-capacitor. For future directions, we are planning to incorporate technology, such as lithography, that has not been applied in this field, to make rational new energy devices such as micro-batteries which would be installable in places where conventional devices could not be used (Adv. Mater. 2010).
4) For ubiquitous devices, the ultimate goal of this new direction in our group is to assemble various nanomaterials to realize human friendly devices with rational functions and abilities that are not possible to achieve the by mere extension of modern technology. We have made devices that act as a part of the human skin and clothing and therefore can be used subconsciously (to appear in Nature Nanotechnology).
About Us:
We currently lead several large government projects (until 2015) whose funding allows us to further expand our future research as well as to aim for the next big breakthrough. Furthermore, through our close relationship with companies, we are involved in both fundamental as well as industrial research in hopes of establishing a carbon nanotube industry.
Our facilities include six lab rooms, of which three are clean rooms fully-equipped with microprocessing systems, 11 automated CVD systems, etc for micro-processing, chemical processing and characterization.
Our lab is set within AIST, Tsukuba the largest government-funded research facility in Japan. Tsukuba is located approximately 30 miles outside of Tokyo (45 minutes by train). We are an international group, composed of people from Japan, America, Canada, India, and China. Therefore, we have the experience of foreign researchers joining our lab, as well as the AIST International Center which assists foreign researchers in various aspects of life in Japan.
Requirements:
The position is one year, renewable. Applicants must have received their Ph.D. within seven years prior to application. Backgrounds in chemistry, physics, material science and engineering are encouraged to apply. In addition, people with specific experience in carbon nanotubes, carbon nanotube synthesis, materials synthesis, electrochemistry, (e.g. super-capacitors), composites, semiconductor processes, device fabrication, microelecromechanical systems (MEMS), or thermodynamic fluid flow simulations are sought. Applications, including resume, publication list, and summary of research experience should be sent to: Post-doctoral position, Research Center for Advanced Carbon Materials, AIST, Central 5, Tsukuba, 305-8565, JAPAN;
Email: nanocarbon-apply@m.aist.go.jp.
We encourage potential applicants to visit our group website at http://www.nanocarbon.jp/index_e.shtml and the AIST website at http://www.aist.go.jp/index_en.html. Review of applicants will begin immediately and continue until positions are filled. AIST is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
