MBE Engineered Interfaces for Space Ready UV Detectors

Reference Code 0344-NPP-NOV26-JPL-TechDev

About the NASA Postdoctoral Program

The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) offers unique research opportunities to highly-talented scientists to engage in ongoing NASA research projects at a NASA Center, NASA Headquarters, or at a NASA-affiliated research institute. These one- to three-year fellowships are competitive and are designed to advance NASA’s missions in space science, Earth science, aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems, and astrobiology.

Description

This postdoctoral position centers on the development of next-generation ultraviolet (UV) detector technologies, with a strong emphasis on molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) for advanced materials growth and interface engineering. The successful candidate will play a key role in expanding our MBE capabilities for band-structure engineering, surface passivation, and the fabrication of high-performance silicon-based photodetectors. Research efforts within our UV detector technology team focus on tailoring epitaxial interfaces to enhance detector responsivity, stability, and long-term space worthiness. Recent developments include wafer-scale MBE processing, improvements to MBE-grown passivation layers, and integration of epitaxial materials into flight-ready detector architectures.

We are seeking a candidate with strong cleanroom fabrication tool experience, particularly in materials characterization methods such as ellipsometry, AFM, SEM, TEM, XRD, SIMS, or related techniques. Experience with photodetector device characterization (quantum efficiency, dark current, noise, spectral response, etc.) is also essential. A key aspect of the role will be the ability to interpret device performance data and use it to refine and optimize fabrication processes, establishing a tight feedback loop between detector behavior and process adjustments.

Responsibilities

• Developing and evaluating new MBE growth techniques and epitaxial passivation strategies
• Designing, running, and optimizing cleanroom fabrication processes at wafer scale
• Performing materials and device characterization and using results to guide process improvements
• Documenting research outcomes through first-author publications, conference presentations, and internal technical reports

This work supports multiple NASA research programs with the long-term objective of flight instrument and mission infusion.

Requirements

• Doctoral Degree

Eligibility

Eligibility is currently open to:

• U.S. Citizens
• U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR)
• Foreign Nationals eligible for an Exchange Visitor J-1 visa status
• Applicants for LPR, asylees, or refugees in the U.S. at the time of application with 1) a valid EAD card and 2) I-485 or I-589 forms in pending status

Applications with citizens from Designated Countries will not be accepted at this time, unless they are Legal Permanent Residents of the United States. A complete list of Designated Countries can be found at: https://www.nasa.gov/oiir/export-control.

Field of Science

Technology Development

Advisors

April Jewell
april.d.jewell@jpl.nasa.gov | (818) 354-3474

Questions about this opportunity? Please email npp@orau.org.