To find the right proposal !
Internship and thesis proposals
Criteria for selection
Number of proposals
96
1
Automated Computational Tools for Studying New Physics Models
Domaines
High energy physics
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
High-Energy Physics explores the fundamental laws of the Universe through global experiments such as the LHC at CERN. Confronting experimental data with theoretical predictions lies at the heart of this research, but the calculations required to study New Physics models are complex and computationally demanding. Developing automated codes capable of generating these predictions directly from the Lagrangian of various models is therefore a major challenge to accelerate and systematize the study of scenarios beyond the Standard Model.
The proposed internship will allow the candidate to:
- Become familiar with these existing codes (such as MARTY and SuperIso) and their functionalities,
- Contribute to their development and automation, making the calculations more robust and accessible,
- Explore, through concrete applications, different New Physics models and their phenomenological predictions.
This project will provide practical experience with computational tools used in theoretical particle physics, as well
as an introduction to the systematic study of New Physics effects, combining theory, phenomenology, and
scientific programming.
Contact
Nazila Mahmoudi
30/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
2
Désintégrations semileptoniques des mésons B et la nouvelle physique
Domaines
High energy physics
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
Despite its spectacular successes, the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics has well-known limitations. Understanding what lies beyond the SM is one of the major challenges of contemporary fundamental physics.
In recent years, flavour physics and in particular the study of rare B-meson decays, has revealed deviations from the predictions of the SM. These “flavour anomalies” have attracted strong interest, as they could represent the first indirect signs of New Physics.
The internship project aims to explore these deviations in two steps:
- Perform precise calculations within the Standard Model for the relevant decays,
- Carry out a study of a theoretical New Physics scenario capable of modifying these processes and potentially accounting for the observed deviations.
Depending on the candidate’s interests, the project may also include a more involved programming component to complement the analytical approach.
This project will allow the intern to gain experience with analytical and numerical tools used in particle physics, to develop skills in theoretical calculations while maintaining a link with phenomenological aspects, and to take part in a research topic at the forefront of current investigations.
Contact
Nazila Mahmoudi
30/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
3
A tunable optical lattice for ultra-cold quantum gases
Domaines
Quantum gases
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
The Master 2 internship aims at conceiving, realizing and testing a tunable optical
lattices. The conception of the optical system realizing the tunable lattice will carefully
consider optimizing the lattice depth and homogeneity, as well as easing the tuning of the
lattice configuration on the experiment. Numerical calculations of the physical parameters
of the tunable lattice in the various configurations (e.g. tunnelling amplitude, on-site
interaction energy) will be realized, to prepare the appropriate choice of parameters of the
future studies. A substantial part of the internship will be dedicated the experimental
characterization of the laser source used to create the tunable lattice. A self-heterodyne
interferometer will be built on a test bench to precisely measure the phase noise of the
laser, the latter being the most sensitive property affecting the lattice potential that results
from interferences between retroflected laser beams.
Contact
David CLEMENT
30/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
4
Emergence of directed collective cell migration on ratchet-like asymmetric cues
Domaines
Physics of living systems
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Directed collective cell migration is central to morphogenesis, wound healing and cancer progression. The molecular anisotropy of the microenvironment can guide this migration in vivo via extra cellular matrix (ECM) deposition. On microgrooved substrates, anisotropic friction elicits a polar mode of collective migration in bidirectional wide “lanes”.
Here, we question the behavior of the cells on surfaces that are not only anisotropic but also asymmetric. Using ratchet-like substrates that break the left-right symmetry, we expect a non-zero component the cells’ velocity in the direction perpendicular to the grooves. Such a displacement has indeed been recently observed in preliminary experiments.
A better understanding of this phenomenon requires a reliable mapping of the trajectories of all cells to quantitatively characterize the impact of cell-cell transient interactions (e.g. contacts and reorientations) in space and time. This is notoriously difficult in dense monolayers because of practical limitations (cells divide, die, they can be too close to be discernable, etc..). Here, we propose to adapt a new deep neural network architecture for 2D tracking that includes temporal information (ongoing, collaboration Laboratoire Jean Perrin). Quantities based on a statistical analysis of these trajectories on different geometries (flat, anisotropic but symmetric, anisotropic and asymmetric) will then be correlated to the rectification process to pinpoint its origin.
Contact
Pascal Silberzan
30/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
5
Kinetically locked-in cell migration on micro-patterned substrates
Domaines
Physics of living systems
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Emerging collective behaviors observed in biological tissues are largely controlled by the structure of the underlying extracellular matrix (ECM). Notably, cells can deposit aligned fibrous ECM which then acts as a guiding cue for neighboring cells, providing an effective “memory” of the cell trajectories in cell populations and contributing to large correlation lengths in confluent monolayers.
Aligned ECM on a surface can be mimicked by synthetic subcellular micro-patterns such as grooves. On the other hand, the spontaneous direction of collective migration can be controlled by the release of a well-defined barrier. In the absence of grooves, the direction of migration is perpendicular to the initial barrier. When the substrate is patterned with microlines making an angle with direction, the collective behavior of the monolayer is then either dominated by the initial barrier direction, by the grooves’ direction, or may result from a compromise. In the same line, other geometries such as a regular array of obstacles defining an “easy axis” at an angle with the migration direction define an energy landscape in which collectively migrating cells may be kinetically locked-in, the corrugation of this energy landscape being tuned by the depth of the micropattern.
These experiments will be interpreted with our colleagues from the theory group of the laboratory, shedding light on the behavior of cell populations in complex environments.
Contact
Pascal Silberzan
30/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
6
Direct measurement of cell-cell friction
Domaines
Physics of living systems
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Directed collective cell migration is central to morphogenesis, wound healing, and cancer progression. Although the microscopic anisotropy of the microenvironment (mostly extracellular matrix) has been shown to guide this migration in vivo, its quantitative impact on cell collective motion remains unexplored. In a previous work, we have shown that subcellular microgrooves elicit a polar mode of collective migration in bidirectional “lanes”, whose widths reach hundreds of micrometers. This directed form of flocking is explained by a hydrodynamic theory of active polar fluids and corresponding numerical simulations.
Interestingly, the velocity does not vary within a given lane and the boundary between two antiparallel lanes is smaller than a cell size, meaning that the shear experienced by the cells at these boundaries is very large.
In the present project, we propose to take advantage of this mode of migration to directly measure the friction between cells of the same type. We will first monitor the velocities of the cells in this laning phenomenon as the lanes reconfigure, and use dedicated microfabricated setups for better control and force measurement. Eventually, such experiments may allow measuring friction between different cell types, or between a monolayer and a wall bearing various moieties (adhesive, non-adhesive …).
Contact
Pascal Silberzan
30/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
7
Impact of self-organized elongated fibroblasts in the sorting of cancer cells
Domaines
Physics of living systems
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Even though the presence of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the vicinity of tumors is well documented, it is not clear whether they promote or inhibit the escape and migration of the cancer cells away from the primary tumor.
In vivo experiments monitoring the morphology of tumors in mice are very valuable, but are too complex to infer a physical mechanism. Here, we propose an interdisciplinary experimental program that aims at investigating the processes involved in cocultures of CAFs and tumor cells (TCs). Experiments will initially be performed on Ewing tumor cells, an aggressive cancer targeting teenagers and young adults. In a second step, breast cancer cells will also be studied. Sorting of the CAFs and TCs is dictated not only by the cell/cell adhesive properties and rheology, as would be the case for passive materials, but also by the CAFs’ “nematic” organization (their propensity to align along a common direction) and their active contractility, both properties potentially affecting the tumor’s structure.
In close collaboration with our biology collaborators, we will use well-controlled cell lines on micro structured surfaces. The observations will be interpreted with physical theories encompassing adhesion and active nematicity. These well-controlled in vitro experiments may bring new insights into the mechanisms directing the evolution of these cancer systems in their in-vivo native environment.
Contact
Pascal Silberzan
30/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
8
Bilayering of cell sheets at conflicting orientation cues
Domaines
Physics of living systems
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Emerging collective behaviors in biological tissues are largely controlled by the structure of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Notably, cells can deposit aligned ECM fibers guiding neighboring cells and leading to the formation of large domains of common cell orientation. In these active cell sheets, multilayers form at conflicts of orientation such as defects. At an early stage, bilayering corresponds to a 2D-to-3D transition that is critical in several biological processes in embryogenesis or cancer development but whose physical mechanism is still unclear.
We have recently shown that aligned ECM on a surface can be mimicked by synthetic micro-patterned grooves. We then make mosaic surfaces with juxtaposed domains of uniform orientation recapitulating in a controlled way defect-like conflicts of orientation. The angle between the two orientations is one of our control parameters. Culturing a cell monolayer on such substrates can result in “crisscross” bilayers where the two layers are perpendicularly oriented. By monitoring quantitatively the formation of these bilayers in space and time, the fields of orientation or velocity can be quantitatively compared to the predictions of active matter theories developed in parallel by our collaborators in the laboratory. Other geometries can provide complementary information contributing to unravel the mechanism of formation of bilayers from a 2D monolayer as a first step in our understanding of the formation of 3D tissues.
Contact
Pascal Silberzan
30/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
9
Characterization of the mechanism of periosteal adhesion to bone, implications for bone remodeling
Domaines
Biophysics
Soft matter
Physics of living systems
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
The periosteum is a soft tissue that covers all the bones in the body. It nourishes the cortical bone, protects it from fractures, and transmits forces from tendons and ligaments. Located at the interface between bone and soft tissue, the periosteum transmits mechanical stimuli between these two environments, thereby influencing bone cell differentiation, remodeling, and healing. However, the role of periosteal adhesion in transmitting these stimuli remains poorly understood.
The objective of this internship—and subsequent thesis—is to thoroughly characterize the adhesion properties of the periosteum and to achieve a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms, particularly at the microstructural level. This will be accomplished through biomechanical experiments, primarily instrumented peeling tests to detach the periosteum from the bone.
Contact
Jean Boisson
30/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
10
Stationary fluctuations in integrable spin chains and KPZ universality with boundaries
Domaines
Low dimension physics
Nonequilibrium statistical physics
Non-equilibrium Statistical Physics
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
KPZ universality, from Kardar, Parisi and Zhang, describes the dynamics of large scale fluctuations in a variety of settings, such as growing interfaces, one-dimensional classical and quantum fluids, or random geometry, which exhibit characteristic long range correlations generated by local interactions. In the past decade, it has become a prominent topic at the interface between non-equilibrium statistical physics and probability theory, with recent experimental observations in a few classical and quantum systems.
KPZ fluctuations have in particular been observed in integrable spin chains, classical and quantum, in the early time regime where the correlation length is small compared to the system size. A goal of the proposed internship would be to explore the longer time scale associated with the relaxation of fluctuations to a non-equilibrium stationary state, when correlations eventually span the whole system. There, KPZ fluctuations in finite volume, taking into account boundary effects responsible for the spin current flowing into the system, are expected.
During the internship, after familiarizing herself / himself with integrable spin chains and their relation with KPZ fluctuations, the student will explore a quantum spin chain with dissipative boundaries, and especially analytical representations for its stationary density matrix, from which stationary spin fluctuations may be extracted.
Contact
Sylvain Prolhac
30/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
11
Étude expérimentale des propriétés électroniques et magnétiques du RuCl₃
Domaines
Condensed matter
Nouveaux états électroniques de la matière corrélée
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Depuis leur découverte en 2017, les matériaux bidimensionnels (2D) magnétiques suscitent un fort intérêt
scientifique et technologique. Ces matériaux offrent une plateforme unique pour étudier le magnétisme à
l’échelle 2D, où les fluctuations thermiques s’opposent à l’ordre magnétique à longue portée. Parmi eux, RuCl₃
se distingue par ses propriétés électroniques et magnétiques intrigantes et par la possibilité de former des
hétérostructures pouvant présenter des effets ferroélectriques. Le stage vise à explorer les propriétés électroniques et
magnétiques du RuCl₃, ainsi que de ses hétérostructures, en se concentrant sur des mesures de transport électronique à basse
température et sous champ magnétique. La ou le stagiaire : 1. préparera des échantillons en exfoliant des cristaux
massifs du RuCl₃, 2 fabriquera des dispositifs microélectroniques à base de couches exfoliées, 3.réalisera des mesures de transport électronique à températures cryogéniques et sous haut champ magnétique pour explorer les propriétés magnétiques, électroniques et ferroélectriques des matériaux.
Contact
Marco Aprili
30/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
12
Intégration à grande échelle de matériaux 2D pour des applications optoélectroniques
Domaines
Condensed matter
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Les matériaux bidimensionnels (2D), tels que le graphène, constituent une nouvelle classe de cristaux d’un atome d’épaisseur dotés de propriétés optiques et électriques spectaculaires. L’un des principaux obstacles au développement de technologies basées sur des matériaux 2D est le manque de procédés de fabrication à grande échelle. Le développement de procédés de production fiables permettrait de libérer le
potentiel des matériaux 2D pour toute une gamme de technologies.
Ce stage vise à développer de nouveaux procédés de fabrication afin d’intégrer des matériaux 2D dans des dispositifs hautes performances à l'échelle de la tranche. L'un des principaux objectifs du ce stage est de développer un procédé à grande échelle
permettant de transférer des matériaux 2D sur divers substrats sans les endommager. Le projet de ce stage vise également à améliorer les étapes de micro/nanofabrication nécessaires pour intégrer les matériaux 2D transférés dans des dispositifs optoélectroniques hautes performances. En collaboration avec des partenaires
universitaires et industriels (Teledyne-DALSA), ces dispositifs seront ensuite caractérisés et utilisés dans divers prototypes technologiques, notamment des simulateurs quantiques et des circuits intégrés photoniques.
Contact
Marco Aprili
30/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
13
Système hybrides quantiques
Domaines
Condensed matter
Quantum information theory and quantum technologies
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Les avancées récentes en physique quantique ont ouvert de nouvelles perspectives fascinantes, permettant
un contrôle sans précédent des degrés de liberté quantiques dans divers systèmes tels que les atomes
froids, les dispositifs micromécaniques et les boîtes quantiques. Grâce à ce contrôle, nous pouvons
aujourd’hui créer et manipuler des systèmes hybrides quantiques de plus en plus complexes. Ces
systèmes, combinant plusieurs types de degrés de liberté quantiques, offrent une plateforme unique pour
explorer des phénomènes physiques novateurs tout en ouvrant la voie à la prochaine génération de
technologies quantiques. Par exemple, l’un des grands défis technologiques actuel est le développement de
nouvelles interconnexions quantiques. En contrôlant les interactions lumière-matière à la fois dans les
domaines microonde et optique, il devient possible de transférer de l’information quantique entre différents
supports. Dans ce contexte, les systèmes mécaniques peuvent jouer le rôle d’interface, facilitant le transfert
d’états quantiques d’un mode à l’autre avec une précision exceptionnelle.
Notre groupe est à la pointe de ces recherches, travaillant activement sur des systèmes hybrides
quantiques qui intègrent circuits supraconducteurs, dispositifs mécaniques et systèmes optiques. En
particulier, nous utilisons des membranes, des cantileviers et des résonateurs mécaniques.
Contact
Marco Aprili
30/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
14
Modélisation théorique des dispositifs microélectroniques topologiques
Domaines
Condensed matter
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
Des efforts importants sont actuellement déployés pour trouver de nouveaux matériaux d'interconnexion qui
remplaceront le cuivre. Les matériaux topologiques, dotés d'états de surface robustes et hautement
conducteurs, ont le potentiel de renverser l'échelle de résistivité défavorable prédite par Fuchs et Sondheimer
pour les fils conventionnels. En collaboration avec des chercheurs d'IBM, j’ai récemment évalué le potentiel
des semi-métaux topologiques (CoSi) pour les interconnexions [voir l’article Unconventional Resistivity
Scaling in Topological Semimetal CoSi, npj Quantum Materials 8, 3 (2023)].
Il reste encore beaucoup à faire pour consolider et développer la théorie précédente. Ce sera l'objet de ce
stage. Par exemple, dans les interconnexions réelles, la composition du fil le long de sa section transversale
n'est pas homogène. Dans ce cas, la courbure de Berry devrait contribuer au courant électrique longitudinal
au premier ordre dans le champ électrique appliqué. Cela crée une perspective alléchante pour concevoir
des hétérogénéités spatiales dans les interconnexions topologiques afin d'améliorer leur conductivité grâce
à la courbure de Berry. Pour explorer cette nouvelle possibilité, nous allons résoudre l'équation de Boltzmann
dans des systèmes confinés, en présence d’un gradient spatial du potentiel chimique le long de la direction
de l'épaisseur.
Contact
Marco Aprili
30/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
15
Théorie de la correction d’erreur quantique dans un ensemble d’oscillateurs harmoniques
Domaines
Condensed matter
Quantum information theory and quantum technologies
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
Un des plus grands défis technologiques des dernières décennies est de construire un ordinateur
quantique. Ce type d’ordinateur promet de révolutionner plusieurs domaines comme la chimie,
l’apprentissage machine et la cryptographie. Cependant, un des défis majeurs à surmonter est de
combattre la décohérence qui efface l’information quantique et limite les capacités de calcul. La correction
d’erreur quantique permet, en principe, de résoudre ce problème. Une approche prometteuse pour la
correction d’erreur est d’encoder l’information dans des oscillateurs harmoniques, par exemple des cavités
micro-ondes, à l’aide de codes bosoniques. Cette approche tire avantage des longs temps de vie des
oscillateurs harmoniques, de leur grand espace d’Hilbert, et permet de corriger les erreurs avec un
minimum de surcoût en matériel.
Pour une perspective récente sur le domaine, voir l’article suivant:
Cai et al., Fundamental Research 1, 50-67 (2021)
Voir aussi : Sivak et al., Nature 616, pages 50-55 (2023)
SUJET DE STAGE
Le projet de stage consiste à explorer différents codes bosoniques, plus spécifiquement des codes où un
qubit est encodé dans plusieurs oscillateurs harmoniques. Le sujet précis du stage pourra être adapté en
fonction des intérêts du stagiaire, par exemple penchant plus sur des aspects mathématiques ou pratiques
des codes bosoniques multimodes.
Ce projet théorique serait constitué d’un mélange de calculs analytiques et de simulations numériques.
Contact
Marco Aprili
30/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
16
Théorie des circuits quantiques supraconducteurs
Domaines
Condensed matter
Quantum information theory and quantum technologies
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
Les circuits quantiques supraconducteurs constituent l'une des approches les plus prometteuses pour
construire un ordinateur quantique. Cela s'explique notamment par l'augmentation du temps de
cohérence et de relaxation des qubits supraconducteurs au cours des dernières décennies, qui est passé
de moins d'une nanoseconde au début des années 2000 à plusieurs centaines de microsecondes
aujourd'hui. Grâce à ces progrès, il est possible d'exécuter des algorithmes quantiques simples avec des
dizaines de ces qubits. Cependant, le passage à des processeurs quantiques plus grands nécessite
encore une amélioration significative de la qualité de tous ses composants. Par conséquent, l'objectif de
ce projet est de concevoir des qubits supraconducteurs plus robustes. Parmi les pistes prometteuses
figurent les qubits bosoniques, où les informations quantiques sont stockées dans des cavités
électromagnétiques de haute qualité, et les variations du qubit 0-π qui exploite les symétries pour
découpler le qubit de son environnement bruyant.
Contact
Marco Aprili
30/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
17
Coupled quantum dots for integrated quantum photonics
Domaines
Condensed matter
Quantum optics
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Semiconductor-baser quantum dots are ideal for quantum information applications due to their discrete, atom-like density of states and ease of integration into conventional semiconductor devices. In this internship we propose to explore coupled quantum dots, or so-called quantum dot molecules, where two dots are close enough that carriers can tunnel coherently between them. This system has great potential as the quantum gate needed for quantum computation. By controlling the number of charge carriers in the molecule, a spin qubit with a large coherence time can be created, about two orders of magnitude longer than the coherence time of a single spin in a QD. The intern will perform single quantum dot molecule spectroscopy at low temperature under applied external bias in order to characterize the electronic spectrum and identify the spin states that are at stake. The long term goal is to manipulate the quantum states with sequences of optical pulses in order to initialize, control and read the qubits.
Contact
Valia Voliotis
30/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
18
Mechanics of the cytoskeleton in living cells
Domaines
Biophysics
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Physics of living systems
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Although extensively studied in vitro, the mechanics of the cytoskeleton is still largely unexplored in living cells. We have recently developed a micromanipulation technique based on intracellular optical tweezers and fast confocal imaging to measure the mechanical properties of two components of the cytoskeleton, microtubules (MTs) and intermediate filaments (IFs). This internship aims at better understanding the mechanical coupling between MTs and IFs.
Contact
Jean-Baptiste Manneville
29/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
19
Are mitochondria mechanosensitive organelles?
Domaines
Biophysics
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Physics of living systems
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Cells can sense and respond to external forces and mechanotransduction events appear to be critical for most cellular functions, including cell migration and invasion. This M2 internship project will study mechanotransduction at the level of mitochondria, the intracellular organelle which is central to cell metabolism by producing energy in the form of ATP molecules.
Contact
Jean-Baptiste Manneville
29/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
20
Role of the Alzheimer amyloid beta peptide in glioblastoma cell mechanics and invasive properties
Domaines
Biophysics
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Physics of living systems
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Cells can sense and respond to external forces and mechanotransduction events appear to be critical for most cellular functions, including cell migration and invasion. This M2 internship project will study mechanotransduction in the context of glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive brain tumour, and Alzheimer’s disease. The project will focus on the role of the Alzheimer amyloid beta (Abeta) peptide in GBM cell mechanics, migration and invasive properties.
Contact
Jean-Baptiste Manneville
29/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
21
A flick to get in : Active transport through mimetic nanopores
Domaines
Statistical physics
Biophysics
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Physics of living systems
Non-linear optics
Non-equilibrium Statistical Physics
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Biological nanopores are uncanny molecular machines that perform a wide variety of cellular functions, from sorting biomolecules to building cellular osmotic pressure and folding newly synthesised proteins. Their performance, as measured, for instance, by their energy efficiency, is unmatched by any other artificial system. Some biological nanopores as the nuclear pore complex induce the directionnal transport of macromolecules such as DNA, RNA and proteins.
In this internship/PhD project, our aim is to investigate directional transport using to two distincts scenario :
- Translocation ratchet : A molecular agent present downstream bind to the transported molecule and exert an effective translocation force on the species present upstream.
- Translocation induced by the enhanced mobility of enzymes in presence of their substrate.
The transport of single macromolecules will be measured by a near-field optical technique developed in the laboratory (Zero-Mode Waveguide for nanopores). Using a unique in France optical tweezers system coupled to a confocal microscope and a microfluidic system (Lumicks C-Trap) the forces involved in the transport will also be measured. From this measurement, we will extract the change in the translocation energy landscape in the presence of ratchet agents.
Contact
Fabien Montel
Laboratory : laboratoire de physique, ENS de Lyon - umr 5672
Team : ENS de Lyon, Physique
Team Website
Team : ENS de Lyon, Physique
Team Website
29/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
22
Optical sequencing of molecules for molecular data storage
Domaines
Statistical physics
Biophysics
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Physics of living systems
Non-linear optics
Non-equilibrium Statistical Physics
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Molecular data storage relies on the ability to write and read digital information encoded onto large molecules. Recently, digital synthetic polymers have been introduced offering interesting perspectives for data storage due to a larger versatility and variety. However, sequencing of macromolecules, i.e. reading the digital information they contain, is a major challenge for molecular data storage. Nowadays, the main characterization techniques are based on mass spectrometry or electrical current detection. Despite their high sensitivity, these methods remain restricted to specific polymers and low level of parallelization.
Our transdisciplinary consortium of 3 laboratories (Ingénierie des Matériaux Polymères, Lyon; Laboratoire de Physique ENS de Lyon / CNRS ; Institut Fresnel, Marseille) aims to explore a novel approach involving the development of fluorescently encoded synthetic polymers and also DNA origamis, combined with an optical sequencing technique that enables faster reading of their controlled sequence. Our main goal is to set up an innovative platform based on the real-time optical sequencing of digital synthetic and natural polymers (Figure 1).
Contact
Fabien Montel
Laboratory : laboratoire de physique, ENS de Lyon - umr 5672
Team : ENS de Lyon, Physique
Team Website
Team : ENS de Lyon, Physique
Team Website
29/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
23
Protein droplets on a DNA wire : Optical tweezers to decipher biocondensate formation
Domaines
Statistical physics
Biophysics
Soft matter
Nonequilibrium statistical physics
Physics of living systems
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Inside our cells, compartments also known as organelles enable to separate and regulate biomolecular processes : e.g. DNA replication in the nucleus or ATP production inside the mitochondria. Beyond these objects delimited by lipid bilayers it has been shown more recently that membrane-less structures known as biomolecular condensates can also segregate specific molecules. Such assemblies are formed by a demixing process called liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), in which molecular partners spontaneously enrich in a condensed phase usually forming droplets.
Here at the Physics Laboratory of ENS de Lyon / CNRS, we propose a single molecule approach using cutting-edge technology to manipulate DNA molecules together with a protein involved in DNA maintenance, DciA,. This protein from Deinococcus radiodurans, has been shown to form LLPS with DNA molecules and is postulated to be able to recruit other repair factors.
Using optical tweezers coupled with confocal microscopy and a microfluidic control, we will characterize the formation, the structure and the dynamics of these assemblies. Based on the ability of our system to exert and measure forces at the same time as they are visualized in fluorescence microscopy, our aim will be to understand the key molecular processes involved.
Contact
Fabien Montel
Laboratory : laboratoire de physique, ENS de Lyon - umr 5672
Team : ENS de Lyon, Physique
Team Website
Team : ENS de Lyon, Physique
Team Website
29/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
24
Pressure-imposed flows of model granular suspensions
Domaines
Condensed matter
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
The purpose of this internship is to start investigating the pressure-imposed rheology (PIR) of suspensions [3,4], a state-of-the-art method to characterize quantitatively suspensions up to the critical volume friction at which the viscosity diverges. Part of the internship will be dedicated to the finalization of the PIR tool currently developed at MSC. Then, work will revolve around the characterization of the mechanical response of model suspensions developed between MSC and SIMM under imposed pressure. In particular we will focus on frictionless suspensions, as their response to flow is still essentially unknown. Theoretical propositions exist in the literature to which the data will be compared.
This work may lead to a PhD, subject to the smooth progress of the internship. Th eproject is supported by an ANR grant.
Contact
Matthieu Roché
29/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
25
Superfluorescence of semiconductor quantum light nano-emitters
Domaines
Condensed matter
Quantum optics
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
The topic of the internship is to probe chains of semiconductor nanoplatelets by fluorescence microscopy and examine whether these structures exhibit superfluorescence, a mechanism by which incoherently excited dipoles, because of their coupling to the electromagnetic field, spontaneously develop a coherence and interfere constructively, leading to accelerated emission and original properties for emission correlations and directionality.
Contact
Laurent Coolen
29/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
26
Charge carrier dynamics in rutile TiO₂(110): role of oxygen vacancies probed by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
Domaines
Condensed matter
Non-linear optics
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Contact
Anna LEVY
28/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
27
Hot electron injection and defect control in Au–TiO₂ nanocomposites probed by ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy
Domaines
Condensed matter
Non-linear optics
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Contact
Anna LEVY
28/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
28
Simultaneous cooling of degenerate optomechanical modes (experiment).
Domaines
Quantum optics/Atomic physics/Laser
Quantum optics
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Optomechanics explores the interaction between light and mechanical vibrations. As a typical example, one can consider a Fabry-Perot cavity (i.e., optical mode), in which one of the two mirrors is vibrating (i.e., mechanical mode). To display quantum properties, a mechanical mode must be cooled down close to its ground state (i.e., down to a few quanta of vibrational energy), which is typically achieved by leveraging the optical field. Sadly, when considering multiple degenerate modes, one cannot apply conventional cooling techniques that have been devised for single modes. Throughout this internship, the candidate will experimentally implement a new cooling technique intended to achieve the first-ever cooling of degenerate mechanical modes. Compared to former strategies, here, a spatial light modulator is used to spatially shape the wavefront of the light beam. Such a modulation enables to exert simultaneously adapted optical forces on each mode in order to reduce (i.e., cool) their individual vibrations. A funding is available to continue and expand this internship through a PhD.
Contact
Nicolas Bachelard
Laboratory : Laboratoire Ondes et Matière d'Aquitaine - UMR 5798
Team : Nanophotonics Group
Team Website
Team : Nanophotonics Group
Team Website
28/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
29
Drainage of bubbles in liquid mixtures
Domaines
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
The aim of the internship is to study the drainage of bubbles formed on the surface of mixtures of miscible liquids. The lifetimes of bubbles in mixtures is larger by up to four orders of magnitude than in a pure liquid. We have recently shown that this effect results from a surface elasticity induced by small concentration differences in the mixture and that this effect could be quantitatively described by solving the coupled equations for velocity and concentration fields established from thermodynamics of ideal solutions and hydrodynamics. These model systems open up a new avenue for investigating coalescence phenomena which are poorly understood at the present time.
Contact
Laurence Talini
26/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
30
Magnetic Control of Inter-Valley Coupling In A Single Type-II GaAs/AlAs Quantum Dots
Domaines
Condensed matter
Low dimension physics
Quantum optics
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
This Master’s internship explores the optical and electronic properties of GaAs/AlAs type-II quantum dots grown via nanohole infilling at the Institut des NanoSciences de Paris. These quantum dots uniquely support both direct and indirect excitons, whose hybridization can be tuned using an external electric field. The spatial separation of the carriers, an electron in the X-valley of AlAs and a hole in GaAs, enables strong Stark tunability and reveals anti-crossings indicative of inter-valley coupling.
The project aims to control this coupling strength, which is influenced by interface quality and electron density. By applying an in-plane magnetic field (Voigt geometry), the electron wavefunction can be compressed, modulating the inter-valley interaction. This setup may also offer a pathway to probe Aharonov–Bohm-like spectral oscillations.
Contact
Benoit Eble
26/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
31
Sedimentation of diatom chain colonies in complex flows
Domaines
Biophysics
Physics of liquids
Physics of living systems
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
Diatom chains are cohesive assemblies of unicellular microorganisms that are found in still and fresh
waters. Some species are passively transported by ambient currents and settle due to the weight of their dense
silica shells, while others have use various strategies to move or self-propel. One species in particular, called
Bacillaria Paxillifer, forms colonies of stacked rectangular cells that slide along each other while remaining
parallel. Their intriguing coordinated motion, leads to beautiful and nontrivial trajectories at the scale of the colony.
However, the effect of gravity and externat ambient flows on the dynamics of diatom chains must be investigated
to understand the behavior of plankton and marine snow aggregates as they sink, and capture CO2, to the ocean
depths.
Contact
Blaise Delmotte
26/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
32
Understanding Confined Glass Transition using Levitodynamics
Domaines
Condensed matter
Statistical physics
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Nonequilibrium statistical physics
Non-equilibrium Statistical Physics
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Metrology
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
According to Anderson, the most profound and interesting problem in condensed matter physics is the glass transition. Indeed, glassy materials are ubiquitous in nature, and discussions of the glass transition involve many areas of physics. Despite intense interest in the dynamic slowing down that accompanies glass formation, a complete microscopic theory does not yet exist. Recently, the supposed existence of a length scale ξ for cooperative rearrangement has generated considerable interest in an alternative approach: the study of confined glasses. The correlation length scales emerging in these systems appear to be much larger than molecular sizes, which intrigues the community. We propose to address the problem of confined glass transition on a silica nanoparticle isolated from its environment using optical trapping in vacuum.
Contact
Yacine AMAROUCHENE
26/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
33
Internship at University of Califonia, Santa Barbara
Domaines
Condensed matter
Statistical physics
Biophysics
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Low dimension physics
Nonequilibrium statistical physics
Physics of living systems
Non-equilibrium Statistical Physics
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
We are looking for motivated students in Physics or Applied Math who are interested in soft matter and complex systems.
Our group combines Theory, table top Experiments, and numerical Simulation to Test ideas and gain insights into the evolution of patterns in in soft matter and fluids mechanics. Also, we use machine learning methods to learn the underlying physical laws of these complex systems.
Both theorists and experimentalists are welcome to apply to the group. Current topics of research include: pattern formation in active matter, statistical mechanics of filaments, instability in thin films, fluids-solids interaction, impact on soft interfaces.
Contact
Ousmane Kodio
26/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
34
Probing Short-Time and Small-Scale Brownian Motion with Optical Traps
Domaines
Condensed matter
Statistical physics
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Non-equilibrium Statistical Physics
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
This Master’s internship focuses on optical trapping, a technique pioneered by A. Ashkin (Nobel Prize 2018) and now widely used to probe matter at short scales.
The project aims to study Brownian motion, whose instantaneous velocity was long thought immeasurable until recent breakthroughs using ultra-sensitive optical setups. Our experiment combines balanced detection, high-speed acquisition, and an ultra-stable continuous laser, reaching record sensitivity down to 10⁻¹⁵ m/√Hz. We have already observed the ballistic regime of Brownian motion in water and measured particle velocity and its autocorrelation function. The internship will provide the opportunity to refine instantaneous velocity measurements, benchmark and optimize detection performance, and explore new regimes of Brownian motion near rigid and soft boundaries.
Contact
Julien BURGIN
26/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
35
Real time and Multipoint measurement of Interfacial Properties via structured illumination
Domaines
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Understanding and characterizing soft systems—ubiquitous in materials science and biophysics—requires precise knowledge of their rheological and interfacial properties, such as viscosity and sur-face tension. These properties are not always uniform: many dynamic processes, like the solute or thermal Marangoni effect and surfactant-driven interfacial motion, are governed by spatial variations in these same interfacial parameters. Yet, capturing these interfacial variations remains a significant experimental challenge—especially at the micrometric scale, where traditional methods fall short, and in out-of-equilibrium systems, where many fundamental questions are still unresolved. This project aims to tackle this challenge by developing an innovative, non-invasive optical technique capable of simultaneously measuring interfacial properties in real time and across multiple points of a micrometric interface. The final goal of the PhD project is to achieve the first-ever 2D mapping of interfacial properties in non-equilibrium systems—a breakthrough that could revolutionize how we understand and control interfacial dynamics at small scales.
Contact
Ulysse DELABRE
26/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
36
Patterns generated by erosion by dissolution
Domaines
Soft matter
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
Erosion by dissolution plays a significant role in area covered by a soluble mineral like in Karst regions and is the cause of the formation of remarkable patterns (limestone pavements, scallops, dissolution channels, dissolution pinnacles, limestone forests…) with characteristic length scales. We propose in this internship, by the mean of controlled laboratory experiments, to study the morphogenesis of dissolution patterns. The soluble media and the hydrodynamic flows will be tuned to downscale the characteristic size and time of the involved processes from geological values to “laboratory” values. Thanks to quantitative measurements of the flow and of the topography of eroded surfaces, we will identify the driving elementary physical mechanisms and thus develop mathematical models and numerical simulations, with the aim to explain complex geological systems and to predict the long term evolution of landscapes.
In this internship, the student will develop in the group, one or several model experiments, reproducing dissolution erosion phenomena. To decrease the timescales, fast dissolving materials like salt and plaster will be used. Hydrodynamic properties of the flows will be characterized and the 3D shape evolution of eroded surfaces will be recorded.
Contact
Michael Berhanu
25/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
37
Test of quantum electrodynamics in strong Coulomb fields
Domaines
Fields theory/String theory
Metrology
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
This internship will be centred on the preparation of a new experiment on high-accuracy x-ray spectroscopy for testing quantum electrodynamics in strong Coulomb fields of highly charged ions and antiprotonic atoms.
Contact
Martino Trassinelli
25/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
38
Quantum-repeater architecture with high-performance optical memories
Domaines
Quantum optics/Atomic physics/Laser
Quantum information theory and quantum technologies
Quantum optics
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
Central to the development of long-distance quantum communications is the concept of quantum repeater. It consists in dividing a long communication channel into various shorter segments over which entanglement can be faithfully distributed. Adjacent segments are then connected by entanglement swapping operations. To be scalable, this approach requires quantum memories, which enable quantum states to be stored at each intermediate node.
In this context, the LKB team developed a large cold atomic ensemble based on an elongated magneto-optical trap (3-cm long), enabling 90% efficiency for entanglement storage between two memories. This is the state-of-the-art in term of storage-and-retrieval efficiency for a quantum memory, regardless of the physical platform considered.
The work is now focusing on two directions. A first one is to improve other figures of merit, including storage lifetime and multimode capacity. A second one is the demonstration of a 50-km telecom quantum repeater link relying on two distant quantum memories and frequency non-degenerate photon pair sources.
Contact
Alban Urvoy
25/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
39
Waveguide-QED - combining cold atoms and nanophotonics (2 internships)
Domaines
Quantum optics/Atomic physics/Laser
Quantum information theory and quantum technologies
Quantum optics
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
Controlling light-matter interaction at the single-quantum level is a long-standing goal in optical physics, with applications to quantum optics and quantum information science. However, single photons usually do not interact with each other and the interaction needs to be mediated by an atomic system. Enhancing this coupling has been the driving force for a large community over the past two decades.
In contrast to the cavity-QED approach where the interaction is enhanced by a cavity around the atoms, strong transverse confinement in single-pass nanoscale waveguides recently triggered various investigations for coupling guided light and cold atoms. Specifically, a subwavelength waveguide can provide a large evanescent field that can interact with atoms trapped in the vicinity. An atom close to the surface can absorb a fraction of the guided light as the effective mode area is comparable with the atom cross-section. This emerging field known as waveguide-QED promises unique applications to quantum networks, quantum non-linear optics and quantum simulation. Recently, the LKB team pushed the field for the first time into the quantum regime by creating an entangled state of an array of atoms coupled to such a waveguide. Two experiments are dedicated to this waveguide-QED effort and internships/PhD projects are proposed on both of them.
Contact
Alban Urvoy
25/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
40
New thermalized light sources based on fluorescent scattering media
Domaines
Condensed matter
Statistical physics
Quantum gases
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
At ESPCI PSL, the Institut Langevin and LPEM are seeking a motivated intern and PhD candidate to join an exciting ANR-funded collaborative project investigating photon thermalization in disordered scattering media.
The spectrum of the light emitted by a black body in thermal equilibrium at temperature T, such as the Sun or a light bulb, is determined by the temperature alone, as stated by Planck’s and Wien’s law. At Institut Langevin we have recently experimentally demonstrated that a different behavior can be observed for photons emitted by laser-pumped Rhodamine fluorescent molecules in a scattering medium. The next step after this first proof of principle is to design the disordered scattering medium and the properties of the fluorophores to optimize the occurrence of photon thermalization.
In the frame of the internship, the student will work at both LPEM to synthesize inorganic nanomaterials as scatterers or emitters with well controlled optical properties and at Institut Langevin to characterize the ability of the samples to generate thermalized light.
During the PhD thesis that will follow the internship, we will use the knowledge developed in nanoparticles synthesis and thermalization to develop innovative scattering materials with optimized disorder correlations with the final goal to reach Bose-Einstein condensation of photons in these samples.
Contact
Valentina Krachmalnicoff
25/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
41
Chaotic graphs in silicon photonics
Domaines
Quantum optics/Atomic physics/Laser
Low dimension physics
Non-relativistic quantum field theory, quantum optics, complex quantum systems
Quantum information theory and quantum technologies
Quantum optics
Non-linear optics
Kinetic theory ; Diffusion ; Long-range interacting systems
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
Chaotic systems have a particular quantum behavior and several conjectures remain to be demonstrated concerning their spectrum and their wave functions [1]. Graphs can be chaotic or not and allow a relatively simple theoretical study of the classical and quantum limits [2]. These experiments are easier to carry out in photonics and the formalism fits well to the wave-particle duality of light. We have therefore produced graphs (chaotic or not) where light circulates in silicon waveguides (Fig. 1a) and we study their spectrum (Fig. 1c) and their wave functions (Fig. 1b).
The first objective is to verify the validity of the conjectures according to different types of graphs. In a second step, we will inject non-classical light (squeezed light or entangled photons for instance) to know if entanglement is sensitive to chaos.
The silicon graphs are fabricated in the C2N cleanroom. Their design requires numerical simulations performed under the supervision of Xavier Chécoury (C2N). The experiments are carried out on a dedicated characterization setup at C2N and the theory is developed in collaboration with Barbara Dietz (Dresden). The student may be involved in one or several of these tasks, depending on his/her preferences.
Contact
Mélanie Lebental
25/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
42
Quantum informational resources in quantum optics and superselection rules: the role of detection.
Domaines
Quantum information theory and quantum technologies
Quantum optics
Metrology
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
Quantum information protocols are well defined mathematically, and there exist different benchmarks for establishing the necessary resources for potential quantum advantage, as for instance the discrete Wigner function negativies or "magic". At the same time, physical systems, and in particular, bosonic systems - as the quantum electromagnetic field - can be used to encode quantum information or, alternatively speaking, simulate quantum informational protocols. Nevertheless, for such systems, the "magical" resources enabling quantum advantage over classical simulations - i.e., enabling the efficient simulation of quantum protocols - are subjected to physical constraints, as symmetries and conservation laws. While abstract qubits have no particular symmetry, photons are bosons, symmetric identical particles.
During this internship, we will address the interplay between physical and informational resources to determine how detection may be seen as a non-classical resource in quantum optics based quantum information protocols. This will be done by constructing a original framework where the phase reference of quantum optical states is explicitly treated as a resource. In general, this resource is implicit and disregarded, obscuring the assessment of the resource tradeoff of bosonic quantum information protocols. We will analyze, in particular, the role of detection in BosonSampling protocols and in homodyne detection, that is usually considered as resourceless.
Contact
Perola Milman
25/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
43
Tuning the electronic and magnetic properties of 2D antimonene via doping with magnetic impurities
Domaines
Condensed matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
In this intership project we propose to study the electronic properties of antimonene, a 2D allotrope of antimony, grown on topological insulators, by angle resolved photoemission electron spectroscopy (ARPES). The antimonene layer will be doped with magnetic impurities to induce ferromagnetism. This intership project, and the follow up PhD thesis will be carried out in collaboration with the EPFL in Switzerland.
Contact
Sergio Vlaic
25/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
44
Toward 2D electron gases with strong spin-orbit coupling in crystalline metal- semiconductor heterostructures
Domaines
Condensed matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
The aim of this intership project and the following PhD thesis is to develop a strategy to preserve the strong Rashba effect in 2D heavy metallic layers on semiconducting surfaces and make use of these systems for spintronic applications. We will grow a dielectric capping material on the desired heavy metal in ultra-high vacuum environement, study the band structure of the heterostructures by ARPES and perform charge-spin conversion measurements by magneto-transport techniques.
Contact
Sergio Vlaic
25/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
45
Probing the impact of electron–phonon coupling on the carriers lifetime in gold-based perovskites
Domaines
Condensed matter
Nouveaux états électroniques de la matière corrélée
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Halide perovskites are promising semiconductors for thin-film photovoltaics, but contain toxic lead and suffer from stability issues. Gold-based double perovskites such as Cs₂Au₂Cl₆, provide a lead-free alternative with bandgaps well suited for solar energy conversion. Yet, their charge recombination pathways—radiative and non-radiative—remain poorly understood. Our recent work has shown that photoinjected carriers (electrons and holes) rapidly formnew quantum quasi-particle called polarons through strong interactions with phonons. The objective is therefore to investigate how this coupling influences carrier lifetimes. The internship aims to investigate the role of electron–phonon interactions in carrier recombination in gold-based perovskites. The student will combine transient absorption and time-resolved photoluminescence to probe radiative and non-radiative pathways and perform temperature-dependent studies using a cryostat to control phonon populations and explore the influence of lattice vibrations. The intern will work at IPVF, benefiting from state-of-the-art facilities for material growth, device fabrication, and optical/electronic characterization.
Contact
Géraud DELPORT
25/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
46
High-Sensitivity Microwave Spectroscopy for Precision Measurements and Tests of Fundamental Physics
Domaines
Quantum optics/Atomic physics/Laser
Metrology
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
The master’s student will join Laboratoire de Physique des Lasers (LPL) to develop a compact microwave (MW) spectrometer operating from 2–20 GHz. This instrument is designed both as a sensitive detector of internal quantum states in polyatomic molecules and as a precision tool for molecular frequency metrology. Proof-of-principle measurements have already shown free induction decay signals on the OCS J = 0 → 1 transition at 12.163 GHz with excellent signal-to-noise ratios. The next objective is sub-Hz accuracy, made possible by ultrastable, SI-traceable frequency references distributed by the REFIMEVE network.
Within the ANR Ultiμos project, the spectrometer will enable cross-checks between MW rotational frequencies and mid-infrared (MIR) rovibrational data measured at the 100 Hz level. These comparisons are motivated by the search for variations of the proton-to-electron mass ratio μ, a key constant of the Standard Model. Methanol and ammonia, with transitions highly sensitive to μ, are particularly powerful probes. MIR and MW results, obtained via independent experimental chains, will provide robust cross-validation of frequencies and uncertainty budgets.
The student will contribute to optimizing waveguide and cavity configurations, performing precision spectroscopy on benchmark species, developing MIR–MW double-resonance schemes to enhance sensitivity, and preparing integration with a cryogenic buffer-gas cooling source (~3 K).
Contact
Mathieu Manceau
Laboratory : Laboratoire de physique des lasers - UMR7538
Team : Métrologie, Molécules et Tests Fondamentaux
Team Website
Team : Métrologie, Molécules et Tests Fondamentaux
Team Website
24/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
47
Precision Measurements and tests of fundamental physics with cold molecules
Domaines
Quantum optics/Atomic physics/Laser
Metrology
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
The master’s student will contribute to the development of a new-generation molecular clock dedicated to precision vibrational spectroscopy of cold molecules in the gas phase. This cutting-edge platform combines cold molecule research and frequency metrology, enabling fundamental tests of physics beyond the Standard Model. A key first objective is the measurement of the tiny electroweak-induced energy difference between enantiomers of a chiral molecule—a direct signature of parity (left-right symmetry) violation and a sensitive probe of dark matter.
Molecules, with their rich internal structure, offer unique opportunities compared to atoms for precision measurements. They are increasingly used to test fundamental symmetries, measure fundamental constants and their possible time variations, and search for dark matter. Such experiments rely on ultra-precise determination of molecular transition frequencies, requiring advanced techniques familiar in atomic physics: selective state control, high detection efficiency, long coherence times, and cooling of internal and external degrees of freedom.
The student will play an active role in early developments of the experiment, including: setting up mid-infrared quantum cascade laser systems at 6.4 μm and 15.5 μm to probe molecular vibrations; and performing first Doppler and sub-Doppler absorption spectroscopy on cold molecules (~1 K) generated in a novel apparatus.
Contact
Mathieu Manceau
Laboratory : Laboratoire de physique des lasers - UMR7538
Team : Métrologie, Molécules et Tests Fondamentaux
Team Website
Team : Métrologie, Molécules et Tests Fondamentaux
Team Website
24/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
48
Looking for potential variations of the proton-to-electron mass ratio and other tests of fundamental physics via precision measurements with molecules
Domaines
Quantum optics/Atomic physics/Laser
Metrology
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
The master’s student will take part in forefront experiments dedicated to ultra-precise measurements of rovibrational molecular transitions to test a possible time variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio (μ), a key constant of the Standard Model. Detecting such a drift would signal new physics and shed light on dark matter and dark energy. The approach relies on comparing astronomical molecular spectra with laboratory data. The experimental setup uses quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) stabilized to optical frequency combs traceable to primary standards, a technology pioneered at LPL that enables unprecedented precision in the mid-infrared.
The internship centers on methanol (CH₃OH), whose transitions are especially sensitive to μ-variation. The student will install and stabilize a QCL in the relevant spectral region, aiming for sub-Doppler resolution and ~100 Hz frequency accuracy, necessary for astrophysical comparisons. This work is part of the ANR Ultiμos project with LKB and MONARIS, combining spectroscopy of methanol and other species such as ammonia to identify key transitions for Earth- and space-based campaigns. Partners including Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Onsala Space Observatory provide theory and astronomical input.
Contact
Mathieu Manceau
Laboratory : Laboratoire de physique des lasers - UMR7538
Team : Métrologie, Molécules et Tests Fondamentaux
Team Website
Team : Métrologie, Molécules et Tests Fondamentaux
Team Website
24/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
49
Interférométrie à haute sensibilité pour le développement de revêtements cristallins dédiés aux détecteurs d'ondes gravitationnelles
Domaines
Relativity/Astrophysics/Cosmology
Quantum optics
Metrology
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Les détecteurs d’ondes gravitationnelles sont basés sur un interféromètre laser de type Michelson dont les bras, de plusieurs km de long, subissent un petit changement de longueur lors du passage d’une onde gravitationnelle. Dans la région de fréquences où les détecteurs sont le plus sensible, autour de 100 Hz, la limitation principale vient du bruit thermique des miroirs qui composent l’interféromètre. Pour cette raison les scientifiques cherchent à réaliser des miroirs ayant un plus faible bruit thermique. Un axe de recherche consiste à utiliser de matériaux monocristallins basés sur des matériaux III-V du type de ceux utilisés pour l’électronique.
Pour ce faire, le groupe Virgo du LAPP coordonne un projet financé par l’ANR en collaboration avec le CEA à Grenoble, le LMA à Lyon et deux entreprises en région parisienne. Le rôle du LAPP est de développer un banc optique capable de mesurer le bruit thermique de ces miroirs afin de guider leur développement. La mesure est basée sur une cavité optique à très haute finesse illuminée avec un faisceau laser dont la fréquence est modulée de façon à exciter plusieurs modes de la cavité en même temps. Le stage proposé porte sur le développement et la mise en fonctionnement de ce banc de mesure. Le banc est installé au LAPP et son développement bénéficie du savoir-faire développé à Annecy dans le domaine de la détection des ondes gravitationnelles depuis plus de trois décennies
Contact
Raffaele Flaminio
24/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
50
Multiscale computational investigation of PAR-seeded condensates in DNA damage response
Domaines
Biophysics
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
This M2 project aims to understand the formation and structure of biomolecular condensates, which are crucial for DNA damage repair. Specifically, it will use multiscale simulations to investigate the interaction between PAR chains (nucleic acid scaffolds for these condensates) and the FUS protein, a key player in DNA repair. The project will be divided in two tasks: 1) Atomistic simulations with refined force fields to characterize PAR-FUS interactions in dilute solutions; 2) Coarse-grained simulations to explore the physical properties of PAR-FUS condensates under varying conditions. This internship should yield an improved molecular understanding of these crucial processes, with long term potential therapeutic impact as dysfunctional condensates are linked to diseases like cancer and neurodegenerative disorders
Contact
Elise Duboué-Dijon
24/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
51
Realization of a Topological Model in a Dynamical Quantum System with a Bose–Einstein Condensate
Domaines
Quantum optics/Atomic physics/Laser
Topological materials, Quantum Transport, Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics
Quantum gases
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
This internship focuses on the realization of topological quantum phases in a dynamical system based on a Bose–Einstein condensate (BEC) of potassium atoms. Topology provides robust properties in quantum states, often revealed through protected states or invariants, and can emerge in periodically driven ("Floquet") systems. Building on the group’s recent advances in implementing effective spin–orbit coupling with spin-dependent optical potentials and modulated Raman coupling, the project will combine experimental and numerical approaches. The intern will contribute to ongoing experiments on BEC preparation of optical driving sequences, experimentation and data analysis, as well as develop numerical simulations, aimed at identifying signatures of topological phases, such as topological invariants. The project offers the opportunity to collaborate with theorists and is intended as a precursor to a PhD, extending toward many-body topological systems. The position is hosted at the PhLAM laboratory (University of Lille, CNRS) within the “Quantum Systems” team, which provides strong experimental and theoretical support. Candidates should have a background in quantum/atomic physics, interest in both theory and experiment, and prior lab experience is highly valued.
Contact
Radu Chicireanu
24/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
52
Quantum devices in the ultra-strong light-matter coupling regime
Domaines
Condensed matter
Quantum optics
Topological materials, Quantum Transport, Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics
Non-linear optics
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
The aim of the internship is to explore microcavity-coupled optoelectronic quantum devices which operate in the ultra-strong light-matter coupling regime. These devices are based on quantum well heterostructures integrated with multimode photonic microcavities and metamaterials. Such architectures can dramatically enhance light–matter interactions, enabling access to the ultra-strong coupling regime, which defines new frontiers in cavity quantum electrodynamics. In this regime, electronic excitations in quantum wells hybridize with optical modes of microcavities to form new coupled states—cavity polaritons—that can exhibit strikingly non-classical properties. Such properties can be uncovered by electrical transport measurements or through the non-linear optical conversion which takes place under strong coherent pump.
As an intern, the candidate will characterize optoelectronic devices that have been already fabricated in clean room. She/he will thus acquire advanced training in infrared spectroscopy and electrical measurements of quantum devices, including in cryogenic conditions. The internship can be followed by a PhD project specifically focused on non-linear optical effects in such devices. The PhD funding is available through an ANR project.
Contact
Yanko Todorov
23/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
53
Position dependent two- and three-body interactions in Bose-Einstein condensates
Domaines
Low dimension physics
Quantum gases
Type of internship
Expérimental Contact
Thomas Bourdel
23/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
54
Proto-Neutron Star Dynamics : A Stepping Stone to Beyond-Standard-Model Physics
Domaines
High energy physics
Relativity/Astrophysics/Cosmology
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Nuclear physics and Nuclear astrophysics
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
Core-collapse supernovae create a hot (≳50 MeV) proto-neutron star (PNS) that cools mainly via neutrinos before becoming a neutron star or collapsing to a black hole. Because any extra cooling channel (e.g., axions/hidden-sector particles) would modify the cooling history and leave multimessenger signatures, PNSs are powerful laboratories for new physics.
This project takes an integrated approach: (i) a rigorous beyond-Standard-Model framework rooted in effective field theories (Chiral Perturbation Theory at finite T, ρ) to model reliably calculable exotic-emission channels—focusing on the well-motivated QCD axion; and (ii) state-of-the-art PNS simulations of hydrodynamics and neutrino transport, extended to include muons, pions, hyperons, and axions, with improved turbulence/transport modeling. The synergy enables quantitative predictions of how exotic physics distorts neutrino and gravitational-wave signals.
Training spans EFT, nuclear astrophysics, and numerical modeling. The thesis is co-supervised by UniStra (numerics/astrophysics) and LAPTh Annecy (EFT). We seek a strong candidate in theory or astrophysics, ideally with QFT or simulation experience. An M2 internship in spring–summer 2026 is strongly encouraged and can be hosted at either lab.
Contacts:
diego.guadagnoli@lapth.cnrs.fr
micaela.oertel@astro.unistra.fr
Contact
Diego Guadagnoli
22/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
55
Molecular dynamics simulations of shocks in metallic glasses
Domaines
Condensed matter
Non-equilibrium Statistical Physics
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
Since their appearance in the 1960s, metallic glasses have been the subject of numerous studies highlighting mechanical properties that are often superior to those of their crystallised counterparts (yield strength, hardness and fracture resistance). Although the compositions of these amorphous alloys have expanded in terms of the elements present (Zr, Ti, Al, Cu, Ni, Fe, etc.), their industrialisation is currently limited to a few niche markets (luxury watchmaking and jewellery, cutting-edge medical applications, aeronautics, defence, and high-end leisure goods). In the field of shock and impact applications, the potential of metallic glasses is largely untapped, for example in golf clubs or the armouring of space structures against hypervelocity impacts, with studies on their dynamic behaviour initiated in the early 2000s still in their infancy. Our results already obtained on Zr50Cu40Al10 glasses at the macroscopic scale originate at the microscopic scale in the modification of the organisation and local composition of the material at the atomic scale. It is therefore also at this scale that the behaviour of different metallic glasses under laser shock must be studied. To analyse behaviour at this scale, we will use molecular dynamics simulations with the LAMMPS code. The simulations will enable us to account for the evolution of the atomic organisation of metallic glasses under dynamic stress.
Contact
Maxime Vassaux
22/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
56
Shear phonons in graphite and their coupling to electronic excitations
Domaines
Condensed matter
Low dimension physics
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
The graphite crystal represents a stack of rigid graphene monolayers bound by Van der Waals forces. The shear phonon mode corresponds to the neighboring layers oscillating in the opposite directions. Phonons are typically probed by Raman spectroscopy, and the observed spectrum of the shear phonon mode has a peculiar Fano shape which arises due to quantum interference when a discrete mode is coupled to a continuum of excitations. In the case of graphite, the continuum was suggested to originate from electronic excitations.
A recent experiment has shown that the shape of the shear phonon peak strongly changes with the magnetic field. The preliminary explanation of this result is that the magnetic field quantizes the electronic bands of graphite into Landau levels, so the structure of the electronic excitation continuum is modified. To put this explanation on a firm ground, we have to construct a quantitative theory of this effect.
The goal of the internship is to calculate the coupling of the shear mode phonons to the electronic excitations in a magnetic field using the tight-binding model of Slonczewski, Weiss, and McClure. When the coupling is found,
we can proceed to the calculation of the Raman spectrum.
Contact
Denis Basko
22/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
57
Dissipative dynamics of a phase slip in a Josephson junction
Domaines
Condensed matter
Topological materials, Quantum Transport, Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics
Kinetic theory ; Diffusion ; Long-range interacting systems
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
Superconducting circuits have many applications ranging from amplifiers and detectors to quantum computers and quantum metrological standards. A key building block of superconducting circuits is the Josephson junction between two superconductors which are connected by a weak link or a thin tunnel barrier. When the junction is closed into a loop by an inductance, the potential energy of the system as a function of the superconductor phase difference may exhibit several local minima, whose position and shape can be controlled by applying an external magnetic flux through the loop. The phase can slide from one minimum to the neighboring one, either spontaneously or due to some perturbation, which is called a phase slip. In a recent experiment at Néel Institute, a single phase slip in a Josephson junction based on a superconducting-normal-superconducting (SNS) junction could be detected thanks to a measurable temperature rise of the electrons in the normal link between the two superconductors, which absorbed the energy released during the phase slip.
The goal of this internship is to construct a time-dependent solution for the slipping phase, accounting for back-action of the electrons in the normal link, which are being heated up by the phase slip, on the superconducting condensate. Thus, we will have to solve coupled equations for the superconducting phase and for the distribution of normal electrons. This work will involve both analytical and numerical calculations.
Contact
Denis Basko
22/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
58
Investigating electronic correlation effects in epitaxial single atomic layers
Domaines
Condensed matter
Low dimension physics
Nouveaux états électroniques de la matière corrélée
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Electronic correlation effects are the heart of complex problems in condensed matter physics. It can induce a wealth of fascinating properties like high-temperature superconductivity and complex magnetic and charge ordering. In real materials, the structural complexity can makes it hard to disentangle these various ordering and trace back their origin to a well-defined theoretical model. We propose in this experimental internship to study a model system of Mott physics on a triangular lattice with an extremely simple chemical structure. We propose to pursue investigations already started in our group on the Pb/Ge(111) phase and reveal the nature of the groundstate. It is predicted not to undergo the Mott transition but to present a charge/lattice ordering. This work could pursued in the framework of a PhD thesis to induce an unconventionnal superconducting phase out of the Sn/Si(111) Mott insulating state by appropriate doping.
Contact
Christophe Brun
22/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
59
Non-equilibrium dynamics of degenerate 1D Bose gases
Domaines
Low dimension physics
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Quantum gases
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
This internship focuses on the non-equilibrium dynamics of one-dimensional Bose gas and, in particular, on the detection of gray or dark solitons, density defects that can propagate through the system without dissipation. The work will be mainly experimental and will include the implementation of a new imaging system. The internship may be followed by a PhD thesis, for which funding has already been secured.
Contact
Aurélien Perrin
20/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
60
Higgs Mechanism & Ultraviolet-Infrared Mixing
Domaines
High energy physics
Fields theory/String theory
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
Internship opportunity in Theoretical Particle Physics at IP2I Lyon.
Topic: For nearly four decades, the Higgs boson has inspired extensions to the Standard Model aimed at explaining its unnaturally light mass within the context of effective field theories. These extensions typically predict the existence of new particles that should be accessible at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). However, the absence of experimental evidence for such particles poses a significant challenge to conventional approaches addressing this issue. This internship is embedded within a research program that explores modifications to the Higgs sector to achieve ultraviolet-infrared mixing, thereby providing an explanation for why new physics may emerge at higher energy scales than those envisioned in traditional models. The internship is designed as a precursor to doctoral studies, offering a pathway to a PhD. More details in the attached file.
Contact
Florian NORTIER
19/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
61
Pilot-wave dynamics of swimming particles in stratified fluids
Domaines
Condensed matter
Statistical physics
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Nonequilibrium statistical physics
Non-equilibrium Statistical Physics
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
Over the past two decades, experiments with bouncing droplets have shown that macroscopic “pilot-wave” systems - where a particle is guided by its self-generated wave - can mimic certain aspects of quantum-like dynamics. We recently demonstrated that similar dynamics emerge when a particle oscillates in a density-stratified fluid, such as in the ocean. The oscillating particle emits internal gravity waves and begins to swim horizontally due to a Doppler effect that creates a non linear propulsive force. These waves propagate over large distances, reflect on boundaries, and can strongly modify—or even cancel—the particle’s motion. A key open question now concerns collective states: how groups of such particles interact through their wave fields. This internship will focus on the simplest case—a pair of particles in the same horizontal plane—using experiments, theory, and simulations.
Contact
Simon Gsell
19/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
62
Soft Valves Under Pressure: When Flow Triggers Failure
Domaines
Biophysics
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Physics of living systems
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
In nature, liquid transport often relies on soft structures, such as valves, cilia, or porous walls, that deform under flow to passively regulate circulation. These structures have inspired the design of microfluidic devices and soft-robotic systems. However, sometimes these soft structures fail. For instance, soft valves are meant to close gently to prevent backflow, but under certain conditions, they can instead undergo snap-through instabilities: instead of sealing properly, the leaflet suddenly bends in an unintended direction. Such failures disrupt normal flow and can lead to pathological conditions. In this internship, we will explore these mechanisms using a simplified, upscaled experimental model of a soft valve in a flow at low Reynolds numbers.
Contact
Martin Brandenbourger
18/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
63
Domain walls in layered magnetic materials
Domaines
Condensed matter
Quantum information theory and quantum technologies
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Heterostructures built from atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) materials form a rapidly advancing frontier of condensed matter physics. Within this family, several compounds exhibit intrinsic magnetic order. A prominent example is CrSBr, where spins align ferromagnetically within each layer but antiferromagnetically between layers.
Recently, our team developed a technique to write magnetic domain walls between regions of opposite Néel vectors [arXiv:2503.04922]. Building on this result, we aim to investigate (i) the optical properties of these domain walls and (ii) their response to external electric and magnetic fields. Key open questions include: What is the characteristic size and internal structure of the domain walls? Do they couple to optically injected excitons? Can domain walls be manipulated with electric or magnetic fields?
As a Master’s student, you will join our team to explore these questions. Depending on project needs and your personal interests, you could contribute to:
• Fabrication of layered magnetic heterostructures
• Optical spectroscopy at cryogenic temperatures
• Scanning magnetometry experiments
Contact
Patrick Maletinsky
18/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
64
Machine-learning approaches to model interatomic interactions
Domaines
Condensed matter
Statistical physics
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Nonequilibrium statistical physics
Non-equilibrium Statistical Physics
Kinetic theory ; Diffusion ; Long-range interacting systems
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
Research overview
Materials can be studied using computer simulation which enables one to probe the motion of each constituent atoms and to build correlations between the macroscopic properties and the microscopic behaviors. On the one hand, traditional quantum mechanics methods provides particularly accurate results up to the electronic structure of the material. Yet, the drawback of this method concerns its computational cost which prevents from studying large system sizes and long time scales. On the other hand, effective potentials have been developed to mimic atomic interactions thereby reducing those issues. However, these potentials are often built to reproduce bulk properties of the materials and can hardly be employed to study some specific systems including interfaces and nanomaterials. In this context, a new class of interatomic potentials based on machine-learning algorithms is being developed to retain the accuracy of traditional quantum mechanics methods while being able to run simulations with larger system sizes and longer time scales.
Simulation project
Using computer simulations, the student will construct a database that should be representative of the different interactions occurring in a specific material. Machine-learning potentials based on the least-angle regression algorithm as well as neural network potentials will be trained and their accuracy will be studied as a function of the size and the complexity of the database.
Contact
Julien LAM
18/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
65
Crystallization of nanomaterials: theory and simulation
Domaines
Condensed matter
Statistical physics
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Nonequilibrium statistical physics
Non-equilibrium Statistical Physics
Kinetic theory ; Diffusion ; Long-range interacting systems
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
Research overview
The formation of a crystal is triggered by the emergence of a nucleation core. Classical nucleation theory (CNT) is widely employed to discuss its nature and its origin. In CNT, the thermodynamically stable phase is always the one that grows first and its size is then driven by the free energy competition between how much it costs to build a liquid-crystal interface and the gain from growing the crystal. Yet, following Ostwald’s rule, another structure may emerge beforehand if it is closer in free energy to the mother phase. Then, structural and also chemical reorganizations happen during the growth. This multi-stage nucleation mechanism already appears in bulk systems but can be amplified in nanocrystal nucleation where surface effects and chemical reactivity are enhanced. For nanoscience to be inspired by the practical applications instead of still being driven by the synthesis possibilities, it is crucial to reach a better understanding of the unique crystallization mechanisms leading to nanocrystals.
Simulation project
Atomistic simulations will be performed to study crystallization of binary particles. Examples will be taken from well-studied materials including CuZr, NiAl, NaCl, Water... We will investigate the correlation between the thermodynamic conditions and the final nanoparticles. The goal is to ultimately better understand how nucleation theory is affected by downsizing to the nanometric scale.
Contact
Julien LAM
18/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
66
“Input-output” theory of light-matter interactions in optical Fabry-Pérot cavities
Domaines
Quantum optics/Atomic physics/Laser
Condensed matter
Non-relativistic quantum field theory, quantum optics, complex quantum systems
Quantum optics
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
Over the past years, there has been a renewed interest in investigating light-matter interactions in optical Fabry-Pérot cavities. When molecules are put inside such cavities, they interact collectively and resonantly with the cavity electromagnetic field, leading to the formation of hybrid light-matter excitations called polaritons. It was shown experimentally that various physico-chemical properties of cavity-embedded molecules were deeply modified in such a polaritonic regime. While most of the available quantum mechanical theoretical models used to describe such properties consider the cavity optical modes and molecules embedded inside to be a closed system, the computation of experimentally relevant signals like the cavity optical spectra (transmittance, reflectance, or absorbance), fluctuation spectra and higher-order correlation functions of the field necessitate to « open » the cavity. The goal of this M2 internship is to develop and implement an « input-output theory » for computing optical properties of polaritonic Fabry-Pérot cavities, taking into account both the mirror losses and polarization of light. The application of this theory to chiral mirrors and chiral light-matter interactions for which optically active molecules are embedded inside the cavity constitute an open and interesting problem in this field of research.
Contact
Rémi Avriller
17/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
67
Cinétique de nucléation des gaz rares à différents taux de compression
Domaines
Condensed matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
The objective of this internship is to take advantage of the new possibilities offered by the dynamic diamond anvil cell, an innovative dynamic compression device, to demonstrate novel phenomena or gain a detailed understanding of certain effects discussed in the literature, by performing ultrafast pressure variations. The work will focus on studying the nucleation kinetics of noble gases (Ar, Ne, Kr) as a function of the compression rate, and on comparing the results with recent measurements carried out at the XFEL in cryogenic jets.
A PhD may be pursued following this internship.
Contact
Charles Pépin
Laboratory : Laboratoire Matière en Conditions Extrêmes (LMCE) - ...
Team : Hautes pressions statiques
Team Website
Team : Hautes pressions statiques
Team Website
17/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
68
Enduction et évaporation sur des faisceaux de fibres
Domaines
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
Il s'agit d'un stage au Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, à l'Université Paris Saclay, suivi d'une thèse. Le stage et la thèse CIFRE sont en collaboration avec Saint-Gobain recherche.
Le sujet porte sur l’enduction et l’évaporation d’une suspension diluée sur un faisceau
de fibres dans le but de mieux comprendre le procédé industriel utilisé pour modifier les propriétés physico-chimiques de surface de fibres de verre. Le défi industriel est d’assurer un parfait contrôle du dépôt ainsi que sa reproductibilité, ce qui nécessite une parfaite maîtrise des phénomènes physiques et chimiques en jeu dans le procédé. Ici, nous nous concentrons sur les aspects physiques et nous avons identifié deux étapes importantes : l’enduction d’un liquide sur un faisceau de fibres puis son évaporation qui assurera le dépôt de la suspension.
Contact
Emmanuelle Rio
Laboratory : Laboratoire de Physique des Solides -
Team : MMOI : Matière molle aux interfaces
Team Website
Team : MMOI : Matière molle aux interfaces
Team Website
16/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
69
Flow through deformable vascular network
Domaines
Biophysics
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Physics of living systems
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
Metastasis remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. A critical step in metastasis involves circulating tumor cells (CTCs) moving through confined environment of the vascular microcirculation before colonizing distant tissues. Unlike rigid tubes, these vessels are soft and deformable, continuously reshaping under pressure and flow. A critical yet often overlooked aspect here is how fluid flow locally deforms the vascular network, and how these deformations in turn alter the flow itself. Capturing this two-way feedback is essential to understanding the physics of transport in living systems- insights that goes well beyond cancer metastasis.
Contact
Martin Brandenbourger
16/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
70
Collective motion in complex flows
Domaines
Biophysics
Soft matter
Non-equilibrium Statistical Physics
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
When a system of many individuals is under stress, whether seeking resources or avoiding
threats, its survival depends on its ability to collectively move towards a specific objective. In
many cases, either the objective itself or the environment in which this locomotion occurs is fluid,
examples include large systems like human populations migrating in response to climate change,
or microscopic systems like viruses navigating through the body to infect host cells. These
complex events are often difficult to study directly due to their infrequency, experimental
complexity, or the many scales involved. A large scientific community is currently working on
solutions to better model and predict these collective motions.
Contact
Martin Brandenbourger
16/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
71
Active mechanics of fluid transport
Domaines
Biophysics
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Nonequilibrium statistical physics
Physics of living systems
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
From unicellular organisms to human beings, liquid flows in vascular networks are among the most effective ways to transport matter and information for life. Artificial vascular networks have mimicked this strategy, without reproducing the same level of autonomy and adaptability. An ERC Starting Grant project (Self-Flow) has recently been started in the lab to bridge this gap between living and artificial matter. This project will create an artificial version of one of the simplest forms of life: the slime mold. The life of this organism is entirely based on a vascular network that actively contracts to transport fluids.
Contact
Martin Brandenbourger
16/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
72
Infrared sensing with enhanced light matter coupling using quantum dot
Domaines
Low dimension physics
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Quantum dots, thanks to quantum confinement, offer an interesting playground for optoelectronics. In the visible range, they have already reached commercial status as light sources for displays, and current efforts now focus on the infrared range. Films of such colloidal quantum dots offer a strategy for cost disruption, while infrared optoelectronics has historically been prohibitive. However, their polycrystalline nature tends to limit carrier diffusion length; therefore, to efficiently absorb and photoconduct, they must be coupled to a photonic structure whose role is to focus light onto a thin film of such quantum dots. This concept is now established, and our group aims to go further through the introduction of post-fabrication reconfigurable structures, where the spectral response can be tuned via the application of a bias.
In this project, we aim to design new photonic structures that enable control of linewidth and absorption directivity. In the long term, the project could also shift toward light emission, depending on the applicant’s interests.
Contact
Emmanuel Lhuillier
16/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
73
Weyl quasiparticles in photonic metamaterials
Domaines
Condensed matter
Topological materials, Quantum Transport, Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
Weyl points are band-crossing singularities in 3D crystals that host Weyl fermions, leading to Weyl semimetals with topologically protected chiral surface states and high electron mobility. Photonic analogues, found in chiral crystals and metamaterials, exhibit photonic Weyl points with robust surface modes and unusual scattering properties.
Coupling quantum electronic states to cavity photons has given rise to polaritonics, and its topological extension is rapidly advancing. Yet, strong coupling between topological electronic systems and nontrivial chiral photonic edge modes near optical Weyl points remains largely unexplored. This internship will develop a Hamiltonian model that can be solved analytically and use numerical simulations (finite element and FDTD) to assess experimental platforms capable of realizing such light–matter interactions.
Contact
Guillaume Weick
16/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
74
Physics of plants: Solving the mystery of embolism repair in plants after a period of drought
Domaines
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Physics of living systems
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
It is not really understood how a plant can recover after the development of an air embolism after the nucleation of cavitation bubbles in their hydraulic network, some studies calling for a "miracle". An emerging hypothesis focuses on solutes (salts, sugars) to trigger the nucleation and growth of new droplets, which will refill the dry parts of the hydraulic circuit. The main objective of the internship is to understand the physics of the refilling when solutes are present. Our approach will be to manufacture biomimetic leaves made of a thin layer of transparent silicone.
Contact
Philippe Marmottant
16/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
75
Impact of stimulated Raman scattering on time-frequency single photon encoding for quantum communication protocols
Domaines
Quantum optics/Atomic physics/Laser
Non-relativistic quantum field theory, quantum optics, complex quantum systems
Quantum information theory and quantum technologies
Quantum optics
Non-linear optics
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
The frequency (or time-of-arrival) degree of freedom of a single photon represents a continuous variable used for encoding quantum information [1,2,3]. Frequency is less susceptible to noise in optical fibers, waveguides, and free space, making it a strong candidate for future quantum information processing. Unlike polarization, frequency is unaffected by birefringence, does not require phase stabilization, and is immune to nonlinear effects at the single-photon level. Given the high cost and impracticality of deploying new fiber infrastructure, the project explores how quantum communication can be integrated into existing classical networks by having the coexistence of quantum and classical signals within one optical fiber.
This project investigates the development of a quantum channel mediated by stimulated Raman scattering (SRS), when there is coexistence of one classical field and a frequency-encoded single photon state. We will employ a light-matter interaction model to analyze how
SRS-induced field distortion impacts the frequency encoding of single photons, including two-color and grid-state encodings [3]. The resulting spectral modifications will be quantified by their effect on quantum communication performance, specifically the quantum bit error
rate (QBER) and the asymptotic key rate.
Contact
Nicolas Fabre
16/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
76
Mechanical regulation of cytoskeleton crosstalk in vitro
Domaines
Biophysics
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Context of the project
Cell mechanics is mostly governed by the cytoskeleton which is composed of three types of interconnected filaments: actin, microtubules and intermediate filaments. Among them, actin forms dynamic networks that can remodel rapidly in response to its environmental cues, but are not mechanically resistant to deformation. Conversely, vimentin intermediate filaments form stable networks that are highly extensible and resistant to rupture. Despite these very different properties, actin and vimentin are involved in many common cellular functions such as cell migration or mechano-sensitivity, and work in coordination to perform them. However, very few studies have focused on the interaction between actin and vimentin at the molecular level to understand the mechanisms involved in this coordination.
Objectives
The goal of the internship is to reconstitute in vitro certain aspects of the vimentin/actin crosstalk and understand how it is modulated under external stresses. Using original microfluidic approaches developed by the team, we will study the impact of vimentin filament tension on the recruitment of vimentin/actin crosslinkers and how this could impact the morphology of vimentin/actin composite networks.
Contact
Cécile Leduc
15/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
77
Cooperative effects in a spherical quantum well supercrystal
Domaines
Condensed matter
Quantum optics
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
The fluorescence of a single quantum emitter is beginning to be well understood in condensed matter; but what happens when a large number of quantum emitters share a small volume, as in a supercrystal?
Contact
Benjamin Besga
15/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
78
Curvature control during insect wing unfolding
Domaines
Biophysics
Soft matter
Physics of living systems
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
Insects inflate wings larger than their cocoons within minutes, but what keeps them flat instead of curling? Combining advanced imaging, genetic perturbations, and mechanical testing, we seek the principles that ensure wing flatness and regulate curvature.
Contact
Joel Marthelot
12/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
79
Bosons and fermions in van der Waals heterostructures
Domaines
Condensed matter
Nouveaux états électroniques de la matière corrélée
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
The project focuses on mixtures of electrons (fermion) and excitons (electron-hole pair, a boson) in a new class of materials: van der Waals heterostructures. The latter can be seen as a “mille-feuille”, obtained by stacking atomically thin sheets of various materials. They recently became a prominent platform to study many-body physics, after a milestone discovery of superconductivity in bilayer graphene. Our long term ambition is to introduce superconductivity in a controlled manner, using excitons as force-carrier bosons (instead of phonons in conventional superconductors). The internship will pave the way toward this goal. It includes two steps, (i) the fabrication of the heterostructures and (ii) a first characterization with optical spectroscopy.
Contact
Bertrand Evrard
12/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
80
Information flow and polymer physics of gene activity
Domaines
Statistical physics
Biophysics
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
Our project tackles the fundamental challenge of bridging the diverse temporal and spatial scales of biological development. From the nanoscale molecular interactions that occur in seconds to the formation of millimeter-to-meter-scale tissues over days, nature's complexity is staggering. This project seeks to unveil how information flows from molecular transcription factors to orchestrate tissue formation. This project employs a multidisciplinary approach, combining experimental techniques (quantitative microscopy) with theoretical modeling (polymer and statistical physics). It aims to decode the mechanisms governing the interplay between cellular regulation and tissue development. This research has broad implications for biophysics, developmental biology, and regenerative medicine.
Contact
Thomas Gregor
12/09/2025
/
Thesis :
Funding :
81
SELF-ORGANIZED PATTERNING IN MAMMALIAN STEM-CELL AGGREGATES
Domaines
Statistical physics
Biophysics
Non-equilibrium Statistical Physics
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
This research project aims to uncover the biophysical principles that enable mammalian embryonic stem cells to self-organize into synthetic organoid structures reminiscent of mouse embryos. Our approach blends mathematical modeling with precise single-cell
measurements to investigate the emergence of positional and correlative information within differentiating stem-cell aggregates. By integrating theoretical predictions with experimental data, the project will compare dynamic information flow across various
developmental systems, such as fly embryos and stem-cell-derived organoids. This interdisciplinary effort not only bridges quantitative and life sciences but also offers students a collaborative environment where they can take ownership of their research and help define the project’s direction.
Contact
Thomas Gregor
12/09/2025
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Thesis :
Funding :
82
Dynamics and Mechanics of Drosophila Head Eversion
Domaines
Biophysics
Soft matter
Physics of living systems
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
During development, the fly head initially forms inward, in the larval body. A few hours after puparium (i.e. cocoon) formation, the head and eyes suddenly pop out, everting in less than a minute. Preliminary evidence suggests that this sudden inversion of curvature is driven by a change of internal pressure in the animal. We seek to describe the biophysics of head eversion through live imaging and mechanical measurements.
Contact
Raphael Clement
12/09/2025
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Thesis :
Funding :
83
FISH SCHOOLS AS SOFT ACTIVE MATTER
Domaines
Statistical physics
Soft matter
Physics of living systems
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
Can the motion of animal collectives be described as the flows of soft active matter? To answer this question, we combine field studies of massive fish schools, extensive data analysis, machine learning, and mathematical modelling. Depending on your interests and the scope of your internship, you will contribute to a selection of these efforts. Reach out to learn more about our research!
Contact
Denis Bartolo
12/09/2025
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Thesis :
Funding :
84
Hiding images in quantum correlations
Domaines
Quantum information theory and quantum technologies
Quantum optics
Non-linear optics
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Quantum imaging exploits non-classical light to outperform classical methods in resolution, sensitivity, or to enable new modalities. Our team has recently developed an approach that encodes images in the correlations of entangled photon pairs, making them invisible to standard intensity measurements but retrievable through coincidence detection with advanced single-photon cameras. Using this technique, we demonstrated image transmission through scattering layers in conditions where classical light fails. This M2 internship (with the possibility of continuing as a PhD) builds directly on these results. The setup will be upgraded with a digital micromirror device and an event-based camera to move toward real-time operation. The project will then explore new applications, such as exploiting the intrinsic nonlinearity of quantum imaging for advanced image processing or photonic computing, and investigating secure image transmission schemes based on entanglement. The student will actively improve the system’s performance, study the underlying physics, and help identify promising research directions through both experiments and simulations.
More infos: www.quantumimagingparis.fr
Contact
Hugo Defienne
11/09/2025
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Thesis :
Funding :
85
Manipulating entangled photons through complex media
Domaines
Quantum optics
Non-linear optics
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Quantum entanglement underpins technologies in communication, computing, and imaging, but its fragile nature makes it highly sensitive to optical disorder such as turbulence or scattering. This limits the performance of many quantum protocols and poses a major challenge for real-world applications. In collaboration with Prof. Gigan’s group at LKB, we investigate how entangled photons propagate through complex media and develop methods to preserve and control their quantum properties. We have shown that wavefront shaping, originally designed for classical light, can compensate for scattering and enable entanglement transmission through diffusive layers. Surprisingly, disorder can also be exploited: we demonstrated Bell inequality violations through multimode fibers, opening new perspectives for entanglement distribution in networks. Building on these results, this Master’s internship (with the possibility of continuing to a PhD) will focus on transmitting complex entangled two-photon states (e.g. polariation, space, spectral) through highly scattering media. The project will develop a novel multi-plane wavefront shaping strategy, inspired by multi-plane light converters, combining the expertise of Dr. Defienne’s team in quantum imaging with Prof. Gigan’s advances in wavefront shaping. More infos: www.quantumimagingparis.fr
Contact
Hugo Defienne
11/09/2025
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Thesis :
Funding :
86
Nonequilibrium thermodynamics of many-body quantum systems
Domaines
Quantum optics/Atomic physics/Laser
Condensed matter
Low dimension physics
Non-relativistic quantum field theory, quantum optics, complex quantum systems
Nonequilibrium statistical physics
Quantum information theory and quantum technologies
Quantum optics
Non-equilibrium Statistical Physics
Quantum gases
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
Recent progress in the field of quantum thermodynamics allowed to define and analyze work and heat exchanges between quantum systems, and extend the Second law to nonequilibrium ensemble of quantum systems. However, applying those definitions to concrete situations require to keep track of the full state of the systems, which is intractable for large quantum systems. The intern will join the effort of the group to build a formalism for nonequilibrium quantum thermodynamics involving only a few macroscopic observables, relevant for numerical or experimental analysis of many-body systems. To do so, the intern will apply the concepts developed in the group to paradigmatic examples of many-body quantum systems, whose dynamics is either analytically or numerically solvable, to help identify the best formulations of the theory being developed. The internship might be pursued with a PhD in the group funded via a European ERC project.
Contact
Cyril Elouard
11/09/2025
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Thesis :
Funding :
87
Brownian Motion near Soft Interfaces
Domaines
Condensed matter
Statistical physics
Biophysics
Soft matter
Physics of liquids
Nonequilibrium statistical physics
Physics of living systems
Non-equilibrium Statistical Physics
Kinetic theory ; Diffusion ; Long-range interacting systems
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
Motility of microscopic biological entities with the aim of reaching specific targets is a central question of biophysics, as evidenced by: cancer metastasis, durotaxis of stem cells, antibody recognition, or DNA replication, among numerous other examples. In an idealization attempt, this problem could perhaps be reduced to simple mechanics through a minimal combination of essential ingredients: viscous flow, elastic boundaries, confined environment, charges and thermal fluctuations. Right from the above, the study of Brownian motion in soft-lubricated environments appears as one of the canonical fundamental problems of biophysics and nanophysics. Despite the obvious character of this statement, it is intriguing to notice that theoretical studies are scarce on the topic, and that experimental pieces of evidence are inexistant - to the best of our knowledge. The “EMetBrown” project thus naturally aims at filling this gap through various experiments, theoretical models and numerical simulations.
Contact
Thomas Salez
10/09/2025
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Thesis :
Funding :
88
Probing electronic states of a synthetic 1D chain with transport and cQED
Domaines
Low dimension physics
Topological materials, Quantum Transport, Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
We study how spatial modulation of tunnel couplings in one-dimensional systems can open electronic band gaps and host edge states, as in the Su–Schrieffer–Heeger (SSH) model. Beyond fundamental physics, controlling such gaps is attractive for quantum technologies, since they can protect fragile quantum states from decoherence.
Recently, our team demonstrated electrical control of a band gap in a suspended carbon nanotube using an array of 15 gates. By applying alternating electrostatic potentials, we achieved tunable gaps up to 25 meV, directly visible in transport spectroscopy.
The internship (with possible continuation as a PhD) will build on this result by probing the system with microwave photons in a mesoscopic QED setup. Using a new readout technique based on cavity dipole radiation activated by rf-gates, the goal is to reveal edge states and move toward SSH-type physics. The project combines quantum transport and microwave engineering in close collaboration with the startup C12. Candidates should have a strong background in quantum/condensed matter physics and an interest in nanodevices and advanced measurement methods.
Contact
Matthieu Delbecq
10/09/2025
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Thesis :
Funding :
89
Contingent dynamics in unbounded chemical networks: towards the emergence of prebiotic Darwinian processes
Domaines
Biophysics
Physics of living systems
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
This internship explores the emergence of prebiotic Darwinian processes in unbounded chemical networks. While existing models focus on autocatalytic cycles within finite chemical networks, this project aims to simulate infinite networks generated stochastically from simple chemical rules, considering a finite number of particles. This approach naturally incorporates chance effects, central to evolution, and produces dynamics that may be only partially reproducible. The goal is to understand how natural selection could arise in a purely physico-chemical context, at the origin of life. Simulations will be developed within the EmergeNS platform (C++), featuring a graphical interface and advanced visualization tools. The internship will take place at LBBE (Lyon) in a highly interdisciplinary environment bridging evolutionary biology, ecology, physics, and mathematics, with potential continuation as a PhD project at LBBE or PIMIT.
Contact
Sylvain Charlat
09/09/2025
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Thesis :
Funding :
90
Molecular Formation Pictures: Time-resolved photoionization studies of atoms and molecules embedded in superfluid helium nanodroplets.
Domaines
Quantum optics/Atomic physics/Laser
Nonequilibrium statistical physics
Quantum gases
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
The goal of this experimental internship is to follow in real time the bond formation of two isolated species initially separated in an ultracold (0.37K) superfluid solvent. For this purpose, we will use ultrashort laser pulses to trigger, track and characterize the reaction following a pump-probe methodology.
In practice, we will rely on time-resolved photoionization spectroscopy, a technique based on the ionization of the species by the laser pulses and on the detection of the electrons and ions as molecular probes. The electron carries information about the initial electronic state of the ionized species, while the ion reveals the final state after relaxation processes such as fragmentation or isomerization.
Contact
Constant Schouder
08/09/2025
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Thesis :
Funding :
91
Quantum electronic waves crossing 2D junctions
Domaines
Condensed matter
Low dimension physics
Nouveaux états électroniques de la matière corrélée
Quantum information theory and quantum technologies
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
The internship is focused on charge density waves —macroscopic quantum states consisting in a coherent spatial modulation of the charge in a crystal— and how they can experience a proximity effect, i.e. live in a crystal that does not naturally develop such quantum phases but can host them when put in contact to another crystal. This effect will be studied in two-dimensional crystals, and will be scrutinized using cryogenic optical spectroscopy and electron diffraction.
Contact
Johann Coraux
03/09/2025
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Thesis :
Funding :
92
Photon statistics of electrical light nanosources
Domaines
Condensed matter
Low dimension physics
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
The goal of this internship is to develop a unique combination of a scanning tunneling microscope, an optical microscope, and a Hanbury Brown and Twiss (HBT) interferometer for photon correlation measurements. Using this unique instrument, cutting-edge nano-optics experiments on plasmonic nanostructures coupled to quantum emitters will be performed. The tunneling current under the STM tip will be used as a source of local electrical excitation of the surface plasmons. The light produced will be collected using the optical microscope, and the photon bunching and anti-bunching effects will be demonstrated using the HBT interferometer (i.e. measuring the second-order correlation g(2) function of light). The internship includes a significant experimental component and instrumental development
Contact
Elizabeth Boer-Duchemin
03/09/2025
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Thesis :
Funding :
93
Probing excitons on the nanoscale in two-dimensional semiconductors and their heterostructures
Domaines
Condensed matter
Low dimension physics
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Two-dimensional semiconducting materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers, are key in the development of future device technologies. This is because such materials are only a few atoms thick and have unique optical and electronic properties. TMD monolayers are also considered an ideal platform for the study of excitons, i.e., bound electron-hole pairs, in 2D materials. Controlling the generation of excitons, their radiative decay, and their interactions with free charge carriers in 2D semiconductors is crucial for applications, e.g., in photovoltaic and light emitting devices. In this Masters thesis, the student will use nano-optical tools to probe the excitonic properties of TMD monolayers on the nanometer scale. The tunneling current between the sample and the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) will serve to locally excite the electroluminescence of the 2D semiconductor. The resulting light will be analyzed using optical microscopy and spectroscopy. Moreover, the student will carry out cutting-edge nano-optics experiments using the STM on “twist-engineered” heterostructures of these TMD monolayers. As has been recently discovered, new material properties may appear in such layered heterostructures depending on the misalignment angle (or “twist”) between adjacent layers.
Contact
Elizabeth Boer-Duchemin
03/09/2025
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Thesis :
Funding :
94
Controlling the polarization of light with chiral plasmonic nanostructures
Domaines
Condensed matter
Nanophysics, nanophotonics, 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,, surface physicss, new electronic states of matter
Type of internship
Expérimental et théorique Description
The chiroptical response of materials and structures is most often studied by optical means, yet in a future optoelectronic nanodevice, a local electronic excitation is necessary. Working with this long-term goal in mind, we will investigate for the first time the electrical excitation
of a chiral nanoparticle using the tunneling current from a scanning tunneling microscope. We will also investigate chiral light-matter interactions of a 2D semiconductor in an electrically excited plasmonic cavity
Contact
Elizabeth Boer-Duchemin
03/09/2025
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Thesis :
Funding :
95
Cell automaton-based simulation of tissue migration in early embryonic development
Domaines
Biophysics
Soft matter
Nonequilibrium statistical physics
Physics of living systems
Type of internship
Théorique, numérique Description
This is a new multidisciplinary collaboration between two internationally renown teams: one in biophysics (Paris) and one in cell developmental biology (Montpellier).
Embryonic development involves large scale auto-organised tissue remodelling. Gastrulation is the process during which a sphere-like embryo acquires a multi-layered structure with a distinction between an “inside” and an “outside”. This a major event, highly conserved across evolution. This internship focuses on the stage where the mesoderm tissues (purple and red in the diagrams below) enter inside the embryo and prepare the head-trunk organisation of the future animal. Our model is here an amphibian, for which the Fagotto team measures experimentally all physical properties (stiffness, adhesiveness, tensions, motility) that control the individual or collective cell activity.
We aim at integrating experiment-driven information into a robust numerical simulation of collective movements emerging at tissue scale. This internship will focus on the onset of gastrulation. The intern will exploit an open-source software based on the “cellular Potts model” in the Graner team. The aim is to propose predictions which the Fagotto team will experimentally test.
Contact
François Graner
Laboratory : MSC - UMR7057
Team : Morphogenèse et Dynamique des Systèmes Auto-Organisés
Team Website
Team : Morphogenèse et Dynamique des Systèmes Auto-Organisés
Team Website
03/09/2025
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Thesis :
Funding :
96
Pressure profile in hydrogel membranes
Domaines
Soft matter
Hydrodynamics/Turbulence/Fluid mechanics
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
The aim of this project is to characterize mechanical deformations inside soft membranes under an osmotic flux. The membrane fabrication method will rely on photo-polymerization of hydrogels, and the characterization on micromechanics experiments, which allow for the visualization of materials displacements inside a hydrogel. Beyond bringing fundamental insight into soft membranes, this project will have far-reaching implications in the fields of biophysics and polymer physics.
Contact
Nicolas Bain
03/09/2025
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Thesis :
Funding :