CVD Growth, Transfer, and Functionalisation of 2D Metal-Chalcogenides: Enabling Net Zero and the AI Revolution with Ultra-Low Energy 2D Materials and Devices

About the Project

At the Glasgow Energy Conversion On Solids (GECOS) group, our research is unified by a focus on the global energy challenge and the need for efficient, scalable and sustainable technologies. We invite exceptional and ambitious candidates to join the team led by Alexey Ganin in the School of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow.

This PhD project focuses on chemical vapour deposition (CVD) growth of 2D films and their integration into ultra-low-energy electronic devices. This a part of a broader UKRI-funded NEED2D Programme (https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=UKRI1249) which is a multi-university partnership across Glasgow, Queen Mary University of London, and the University of Nottingham.

In this studentship, you will help extend these breakthroughs to new 2D semiconductors such as hexagonal boron nitride, gallium selenide and related layered materials. Your primary focus will be the controlled CVD growth of 2D films, optimisation of growth mechanisms, and chemical-structural characterisation of the resulting materials. You will work closely with collaborators developing prototype devices including heterostructures and novel transistor architectures such as Dirac-source transistors. These devices are expected to reduce energy consumption in data centres by up to a factor of 100. Achieving this reduction would transform the sustainability of AI computing in the UK and save many billions of pounds in long-term electricity costs.

This project is suited to candidates who want to push scientific boundaries and contribute to a new era of electronics beyond silicon. You will work in an internationally recognised research environment with world-leading expertise in 2D materials growth, characterisation and device integration. You will also interact with major industrial partners who are already committed to accelerating the technology towards real-world deployment.

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a first-class or high upper‑second-class degree in chemistry, materials science, physics or a related discipline. Experience in CVD, vacuum systems or thin‑film characterisation is welcome, although not required. More important is intellectual curiosity, motivation to solve a globally important problem and a wish to work at the interface between chemistry and advanced semiconductor technologies.

How to Apply: Please refer to the following website for details on how to apply:

http://www.gla.ac.uk/research/opportunities/howtoapplyforaresearchdegree/.

Funding Notes

The funding is available to home students, which includes home fees and a stipend at UKRI rate.

Eligibility: First or upper class in MSc / BSc / Msci in Chemistry or Physics or equivalent