A 3-year PhD studentship in Chemical Vapour Deposition of bespoke metal precursors

Supervisor: Prof Claire J. Carmalt and Dr Caroline E. Knapp

Application deadline: 3rd February

Interview date: likely w/c 24th February or 10th March

Start date: 1st October 2025

UCL Chemistry Department is offering a fully funded studentship to a highly motivated candidate to start in October 2025. The student will carry out their doctoral research at UCL.

As the demand for inorganic electronics grows, it is of great importance to develop materials and processes that outperform existing technologies in terms of efficiency, cost and sustainability. Chemical vapour deposition (CVD) is an efficient and industrially scalable process that produces conformal films of a desired material, for example, metallic thin films. Literature on the CVD of metallic films at low/ambient temperatures onto alternative substrates such as plastic and paper is currently sparse. This project will be concerned with the synthesis and characterisation of copper and silver precursors for the low temperature deposition of highly conductive metallic thin films via aerosol-assisted (AA)CVD. The project will study molecular compounds and probe their suitability as precursors. The PhD research will involve the design and synthesis of suitable ligand systems and their incorporation into precursors for application in materials chemistry. During your project, you will use Schlenk line and glove box techniques for compound handling and various techniques such as multinuclear NMR spectroscopy for compound characterisation and materials deposition and characterisation. UCL Chemistry provides an excellent research infrastructure and operates a wide range of state-of-the-art characterisation equipment. 

Please visit our group website for more details about our research: 

https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/7814-claire-carmalt

https://knappresearchgroup.wixsite.com/knappresearchgroup

Typically, applicants must have completed, or are soon to complete, a relevant chemistry degree (e.g. Master’s degree) at a high level (e.g. 2.1 minimum or equivalent). Good communication skills (both presentation and writing skills in English), the ability to work safely, independently and in a team environment, as well as a strong interest in precursor design and thin film deposition are essential. Previous experience in the handling and characterisation of air and moisture sensitive compounds is desirable but not essential.

UCL offers a world leading scientific environment in the heart of London. Interested candidates should initially contact the supervisors, Professor Claire Carmalt (c.j.carmalt@ucl.ac.uk) and Dr Knapp (caroline.knapp@ucl.ac.uk) with a degree transcript, a covering letter and CV. Informal inquiries are encouraged. Please note that a suitable applicant will be required to complete MS Form entitled Application for Research: degree Chemistry programme. In addition, it is essential that suitable applicants complete an electronic application form at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/research-degrees/chemistry-mphil-phd (please select Research degree: Chemistry programme) prior to the application deadline and advise their referees to submit their references as soon as they possibly can. All shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview no more than 4 weeks after the application deadline. Any admissions queries should be directed to Fahmida Yasmin and Dr Jadranka Butorac at doctoral.chem@ucl.ac.uk.