SULI - MSD - Lee, Justin - 2.16.26

Argonne National Laboratory • Lemont, IL

8d

About The Position

This project targets to study how controlled mechanical strain changes the electronic and optical behavior of two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) materials. Strain is a reliable way to tune band structure and symmetry without changing chemical composition, and 2D materials often respond strongly even to modest deformation. The intern will help establish a repeatable strain-dependent optical measurement and produce a first dataset that connects strain to dielectric response, photoluminescence, and nonlinear optical response. Strain engineering is increasingly important for next-generation optoelectronics, polarization optics, and symmetry-driven phenomena in layered quantum materials. A consistent link between applied strain, dielectric anisotropy, emission properties and symmetry fingerprints is still developing because these observables are often measured separately. This project brings them together using polarization-resolved multimodal optical probes. By the end of the internship, the student will be able to: 1. Build and perform polarization-resolved optical measurements on selected strained 2D vdW materials 2. Analyze optical spectra to extract peak positions and linewidths and dielectric anisotropy to understand the coupling between strain and optical properties 3. Maintain a lab notebook and organize data for reproducibility 4. Present results clearly in figures and a short final presentation

Requirements

• Currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate studies at an accredited institution.
• Graduated from an accredited institution within the past 3 months; or Actively enrolled in a graduate program at an accredited institution.
• Must be 18 years or older at the time the appointment begins.
• Must possess a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• Must be a U.S. citizen or Legal Permanent Resident at the time of application.
• If accepting an offer, must pass a screening drug test.

Responsibilities

• Build and perform polarization-resolved optical measurements on selected strained 2D vdW materials
• Analyze optical spectra to extract peak positions and linewidths and dielectric anisotropy to understand the coupling between strain and optical properties
• Maintain a lab notebook and organize data for reproducibility
• Present results clearly in figures and a short final presentation

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed