Mobility experience with a research focus
Master students involved in the final research; PhD sandwich; Post Doc
Department of Industrial, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering
The research activity is aimed at the understanding of the vortex physics in superconductors at microwave frequencies. The motivation resides in the fact that new experiments and infrastructures for fundamental physics (e.g, the Future Circular Collider (FCC) project at CERN, some families of haloscopes for axion detection) require superconductors with low surface impedance Z at radio- or microwave frequencies (RF), in high dc magnetic fields, at cryogenic temperatures (4K, haloscopes; 50 K – 60 K, FCC), i.e. in conditions very different from those extensively explored so far, where the attention was focussed on Z in zero dc magnetic field. The microwave vortex physics is by contrast little understood beyond simple models, whence the present strong interest.
The research program foresees the measurement of Z in relevant superconductors in the mixed state (magnetic fields dc B_dc~1-10 T), and the determination of the applicable physical models or the development of models beyond the present knowledge. Samples of superconductors of interest are grown within international collaborations with world-leading laboratories (CERN-CH, FermiLab-USA, INFN-IT, CNR-IT).
For a sample of recent activities, please refer to:
G. Ghigo et al., Vortex dynamics in NbTi films at high frequency and high DC magnetic fields, Scientific Reports. 13 9315 (2023)
N. Pompeo et al., Intrinsic anisotropy and pinning anisotropy in nanostructured YBa2Cu2O7-x from microwave measurements, Supercond. Sci. Technol. 33 04417 (2020).
N. Pompeo et al., Pinning properties of FeSeTe thin film through multifrequency measurements of the surface impedance, Supercond. Sci. Technol. 33 114006 (2020)
A. Alimenti et al., Microwave measurements of the high magnetic field vortex motion pinning parameters in Nb3Sn, Supercond. Sci. Technol. 34 014003 (2021).
English. The Lab is multinational (Italian, Spanish, Ukrainian, Indian researchers/PhD). A bit of Italian can help, but it is by no means required.
Required: Basic (bachelor level) knowledge of superconductivity and solid state physics. Knowledge of Office suite. LaTeX writing skill (basic or beyond).
Appreciated: Lab experience. Superconducting vortex physics. Microwave properties of conductors (surface impedance, complex conductivity).
Preferred for short PhD/PostDoc stay: knowledge of working principles of VNA (Vector Network Analysers); LabView© environment
Master Research: 3-8
PhD sandwich: 4-12
Post Doc: 2-12