NMR PhD fellowship - 2

We are offering a three-year PhD scholarship in NMR spectroscopy in Lille. The PhD students will be employed by the CNRS and enrolled at the University of Lille.

Thesis topic no. 2: 
Amorphous thin-film electrolytes: why does the addition of lattice modifiers improve ionic conductivity?

Keywords: Solid-state NMR, ab initio molecular dynamics, amorphous thin-film electrolytes

Background: Amorphous thin-film electrolytes, such as those based on LiPON, are essential components of microbatteries, which are increasingly used in the healthcare sector. They also represent promising coatings for the electrodes of solid-state batteries. However, one of their main limitations is their moderate ionic conductivity. A promising approach to overcoming this limitation involves incorporating lattice modifiers other than P, such as Si or B. Nevertheless, our limited knowledge of the atomic-scale structure of these amorphous materials, with the exception of LiPON, restricts the possibilities for rationally improving their conductivity using this strategy. The characterisation of thin films by NMR spectroscopy, for example, is all the more complex as the elements B and Si are significantly more difficult to observe using this technique than P. This project aims to overcome these obstacles and to understand how the combination of different lattice modifiers influences the structural organisation of these thin-film electrolytes, thereby enabling an increase in their ionic conductivity.

Approach: To address this question, we will study their structure and dynamics at the atomic scale by combining advanced solid-state NMR spectroscopy techniques with ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. In particular, we will demonstrate the possibility of detecting the isotopes 11B, 14N, 15N and 29Si in these thin films. The gains in resolution and sensitivity offered by the ultra-high magnetic fields (up to 28 T) of the 1.2 GHz NMR spectrometer will be particularly useful for observing quadrupolar nuclei with spin I > 1/2 (11B, 14N). These experimental data will be compared with structural models and the diffusion coefficients of Li+ ions calculated by ab initio molecular dynamics.

Host laboratory and equipment: This project is funded under the ANR Ampère project.

This project is funded by the University of Lille’s Excellence Initiative as part of the interdisciplinary IMMENSE project. The PhD will be supervised by Olivier Lafon at the University of Lille in the RM2I team and Éric Furet at the École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes. This project will benefit from the use of very high-field NMR spectrometers (800, 900 MHz and 1.2 GHz) at the Institut Chevreul’s advanced characterisation platform and the computational resources of the inorganic theoretical chemistry team at the Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes.

Profile: We are looking for an engineering student or someone with a Master’s degree in physics, chemistry, materials science or data science. Knowledge of NMR spectroscopy or theoretical chemistry would be an advantage. We are committed to the principle of equal opportunities in recruitment. The ANR Ampère project is dedicated to promoting the role of women in science and particularly encourages women to apply.

Contact: Please direct any queries and submit your application (CV, cover letter, Master’s and Bachelor’s degree transcripts) to olivier.lafonuniv-lillefr.

Expected start date: between September and December 2026

Application deadline: 6 April 2026