Graduate Student Position
Experimental Physicist or Physical-Chemist

  
Imaging of Reactive and Inelastic Molecular Scattering


The Applied Molecular Physics and Molecular and Laser Physics departments 
of the Institute for Molecules and Materials at the Radboud University 
Nijmegen, The Netherlands, invite applications for a four year graduate 
student (PhD student) position in experimental physics or physical 
chemistry.

Research Programme
In this four-year PhD research project molecular collision processes of 
importance in atmospheric and combustion processes will be studied at the 
highest possible level of experimental detail and compared with 
predictions from ab initio theory. For a few very simple systems, such as 
the reaction D + H2 --> HD + H, experiment has recently reached the level 
of perfection, where all reactant and product quantum numbers and other 
collision conditions are fully characterized.  Similarly, theory can make 
absolute predictions, but for only few tractable systems.  For ‘real 
world’ problems in molecular dynamics, progress can only be made by a 
joint effort where experiment tests and pushes the limits of theory, and 
theory provides, when possible, both a quantitative and intuitive 
interpretation of how a reaction takes place.  
Collisions that will be studied involve small free radicals, such as OH, 
NH and O(1D), which play an important role in interstellar, atmospheric 
and combustion processes. The experiments will be performed in a crossed 
molecular beam imaging machine. In recent years we have developed 
sophisticated techniques to control and manipulate the colliding molecules 
and to image the collision products. This enables us to obtain extremely 
detailed information about the intermolecular interactions. There will be 
a close collaboration with the Nijmegen Theoretical Chemistry group of the 
Institute for Molecules and Materials, providing a unique combination of 
experimental and theoretical expertise. No such study has been carried out 
previously, which indicates the challenging and innovative nature of the 
research.  

Position
Candidates should have experience in the field of molecular physics. The 
contract is for 4 years. Monthly salary (gross): € 1933,- in the first 
year increasing to € 2472,- in the fourth year. The position is that of a 
junior researcher and the research must lead to a PhD thesis. A PhD 
training programme is part of the agreement as well as some teaching 
activities (up to 0.1 fte). 

Contact
For further information please contact:
Prof.dr. J.J. ter Meulen, [log in to unmask]
Prof.dr. D.H. Parker, [log in to unmask] 

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