Internship: Nano-imaging of non-Fourier heat flow

Efficient heat management is critical for the optimal performance and energy consumption of modern-day electronics. While Fourier’s macroscopic model for heat diffusion has been a valuable tool for homogeneous solids at room temperature, it falls short in describing heatpropagation accurately under certain conditions (small conductors, low temperatures…). This project aims to quantitatively investigate scenarios where the Fourier model breaks down and work towards developing a more physically satisfying model of heat propagation. In particular, this project will focus on the phonon viscous hydrodynamic transport regime that has recently attracted interest in the scientific community. It is a regime that is neither ballistic nor diffusive and emerges when quasi-particles (electrons or phonons) interact strongly with each other without loosing momentum.

During this internship you will contribute to the construction of a very sensitive and local thermometer (based on SQUID technology) so as to map out the temperature distribution at a few tens of nm and a few degree Kelvin to look for signatures of this non-Fourier like behaviour.

You will participate in the design, construction and operation of the SQUID based microscope. Enthusiasm for instrumentation is a necessity. You should have a back ground in condensed matter physics with some knowledge of thermal transport, superconductivity and Josephson physics.

Please send your application (Cover Letter and Résumé) to Internship Supervisor Arthur Marguerite: arthur.marguerite@espci.fr