Irradiation effect in Ce3+ doped phosphate and silicate glasses
Project title: Irradiation effect in Ce3+ doped phosphate and silicate glasses
Recruiting institution: Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław (Poland)
Background
Over the past four decades, glass, glass-ceramics and composites have contributed
to the most advanced socio-economic breakthroughs as high-tech materials. To
compete with emerging economies such as China and India, the European glass
sector must strive for product leadership by investing more in research and
innovation to develop new materials and train specialists for a competitive but
promising market.
Contributing to this challenge is the main objective of the ‘Structured functional
glasses for lasing, sensing and health applications’ (FunctiGlass) project, dedicated to advanced high-tech materials for three sectors: light sources, sensors and biological applications.
FunctiGlass, supported by the CNRS, is a unique interdisciplinary research and
training programme with a double degree as part of Horizon Europe’s Doctoral
Networks (Marie-Sklodowska Curie Actions). It will train 11 doctoral candidates who
will take part in a joint research training programme based on very close cooperation between academia and industry. It will ensure that the trainees are exposed to 11 academic environments (universities and research institutes) and 9 non-academic environments (industry and SMEs) representing 9 different countries. Each PhD candidate will be supervised by two academic tutors from different units and one mentor (industrial partner) to ensure cross-sector knowledge sharing and the acquisition of transferable skills with a focus on entrepreneurship and innovation.
Through the multi-dimensional training of the FunctiGlass programme, the 11 PhD
candidates will excel in the future economy by acquiring a multi-dimensional
perspective and mindset to become future leaders in glass science and in particular
glass-based nano/micro-structured materials. Through this programme, they will find
their own path of innovation in academia or industry.
The project will create the conditions necessary for the establishment of long-term
relationships between the academic and private sectors for the transfer of
technologies and skills.
5 institutions will award the double degrees: Université Côte d’Azur (Nice, France), Tampere Universities (Finland), Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University Hannover (Germany), University Milano-Bicocca (Italy) and the Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research, Polish Academy of Sciences (Wroclaw, Poland).
Industrial partners: AOI Tech (France), Corning (France), Fastlite (France), Klearia (France), Else Nuclear (Italy), Nobula3D (Sweden), Nyfors Teknologi (Sweden), Rosendahl Nextrom (Finland), Scout Scientific Outsourcing Adam Junka (Poland).
Other universities involved in the project as partners (not awarding doctoral degrees):
University of Cergy-Pontoise (France), University of Gent (Belgium), University of
Pardubice (Czech Republic), University of Nazarbayev (Kazakhstan), Umeå
University (Sweden).
Description of the PhD project
X-rays and gamma radiations (which are highly ionizing) have been employed in
several areas of scientific applications such as cancer treatment, elemental analysis, waste removal, agriculture. Direct exposure to these types of radiation can cause health problems such as cancer, irritation and may, in some cases, lead to death. To reduce the amount of damage caused by exposure to these radiations scientists have already obtained promising results which favored the use of non-flexible radiation shielding materials such as concrete as well as lead and its compounds. However, lead is highly toxic and, therefore, unsuitable for radiation shielding on human. To remedy problems of health related issues attributed to concrete and lead, other materials were explored for radiation shielding applications, especially glasses.
CeO2 doped glasses have been found to be promising for radiation shielding.
Aside from application in radiation shielding, quantification of radiation is of
tremendous importance, especially in application such as in medicine (diagnostic and treatment), nuclear power supply, fundamental research, industrial manufacturing, sterilization, non-destructive testing, food processing, etc. The incorporation of Ce3+ ions in silicate glasses is a crucial issue for luminescence-based sensing applications, especially when thinking of fiber sensors, where the fiber fabrication is based on the MCVD process. In the scope of ionizing radiation dosimetry, optical fiber sensors attract a huge interest due to their small size, intrinsic immunity to electromagnetic interferences, flexibility and ability to be remotely interrogated. They also offer high spatial resolution of the measurement with the possibility to work in hazardous, narrow and constrained environments.
Within the FUNCTIGLASS project, the candidate will:
Produce phosphate and silicate fiber sensor doped with Ce3+ ions. The
impact of irradiation on the glasses’ spectroscopic properties will be analyzed.
– Design optical fiber sensors
– Identify applications in oncology sensing for the nanoparticles doped fibers
By the end of the project the aim is to demonstrate that the develop fibers have
potential in sensing X-ray and protons.
Here are few references related to the proposed project:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022309314002142
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272884218321813
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34066035/
Practical information
● Contract will start in October 2025, for 4 years
● Recruiting institution: Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław (Poland)
● Doctoral school: Wrocław Doctoral School of Institutes of Polish Academy of Sciences (ILTSR PAS)
● Host laboratory: Division of Optical Spectroscopy, ILTSR PAS
● Supervisor: Prof. Anna Łukowiak (ILTSR PAS)
● Co-host laboratory: Université Côte d’Azur, Institut de Physique de Nice (France)
● Co-supervisor: Prof. Franck Mady (Université Côte d’Azur, Nice, France)
● Industrial mentor from Rosendahl Nextrom Oy (Finland)
● Secondments: Université Côte d’Azur (France, second host institution, about 20 months), 1-3 months at: Tampere University (Finland), Rosendahl Nextrom Oy (Finland), and Nazarbayev University (Kazakhstan)
● The gross monthly salary based on the MSCA rules varies between 1920€ and 4063€,
depending on the country of recruitment
● The student will also receive a mobility allowance and a family allowance (depending on family situation) of up to 600 € and 495€ per month, respectively
Recruitment criteria
● MSCA Mobility Rule: researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting beneficiary (Poland) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their date of recruitment
● Candidate must not have a doctoral degree on the date of recruitment
● Possession of a Master’s degree before the start date of the contract. The diploma must be recognized in Poland not only for the purposes of pursuing further education, but also for the rights arising from holding a professional master’s degree (requirement to sign a contract)
● Scientific knowledge to fit the PhD project
● Confirmed fluent (oral and written) English skills at B2 level or higher (proper certificate or diploma supplement required)
Criteria specific for PhD6
● Good knowledge in materials sciences, spectroscopic technique, inorganic materials processing and characterization
● Work experience in chemical laboratory
● Master’s degree in Materials Sciences and Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, or related discipline
Application
Documentation to be sent in by the applicants
● Application form completed
● CV
● Motivation letter
● Contact of two reference persons to be contacted by the selection committee (name, relation to the candidate, e-mail address and phone number)
● Complete list of publications and academic works with proper documents
● Proof of language proficiencies
● Proof of master diploma or 2024 registration to master degree
How to apply?
● Download application form and fill it indicating the offer you wish to apply for
● Send your application by email to recruit@functiglass.eu The title of your email must be: FunctiGlass PhD 6 application
● Be careful to join all documentation required (see the list above)
● In the following step, the documents with a WDS application form and a letter of
recommendation from the Project Coordinator should be also sent till September 4 th to the Wrocław Doctoral School of Institutes of Polish Academy of Sciences (
wsdipan@intibs.pl ), where an interview is planned in mid-September.
Please read detailed information and check list of required documents at https://www.intibs.pl/en/for-
students/rules-of-recruitment/special-recruitment.html choosing the proper project
Deadline for application
25th August 2025 (11.59 pm CEST time, Paris)
Contact
contact@functiglass.eu