PhD Position MSCA COFUND BEST: Hybrid PVD/ALD Multilayer Thin Film Deposition for High-Voltage Dielectric Breakdown Strength in Sustainable Aeronautics University of Toulouse in France

PhD opportunity in hybrid PVD/ALD multilayer dielectrics for high-voltage power electronics in sustainable aeronautics. This MSCA COFUND BEST doctoral project is hosted by the University of Toulouse, LAPLACE Institute, in collaboration with the University of Nottingham. The research addresses a major challenge for future More Electric and All Electric Aircraft: how to build thin, reliable electrical insulation layers that can withstand very high electric fields while remaining compatible with industrially relevant deposition rates.

The project studies hybrid nanolaminates based on oxides and nitrides, combining fast physical vapor deposition (PVD, especially reactive magnetron sputtering) with ultra-thin atomic layer deposition (ALD) interlayers. The concept is to use PVD for the bulk of the film and ALD to suppress pinholes, cap columnar defects, and interrupt leakage pathways. The expected outcome is a step-change in dielectric breakdown strength for micrometer-thick coatings, with the long-term goal of exceeding 20 MV/cm.

The first 18 months will be spent at the University of Nottingham, where the student will optimize deposition conditions, layer thicknesses, film stoichiometry, crystallinity, and defect density. Characterization will include XPS, SEM/EDX, FTIR, Raman, AFM, profilometry, cross-sectional SEM/HR-TEM, and nanoscale breakdown mapping using AFM-Raman and TERS. The final 18 months will be at the University of Toulouse, where the films will be evaluated under high-voltage conditions using I-V measurements, dielectric spectroscopy, breakdown testing, and accelerated aging/lifetime studies in a 20 kV probe station.

The fellowship is fully funded through Horizon Europe / MSCA COFUND BEST. The contract is a 36-month full-time French doctoral employment contract, with a competitive net monthly salary of approximately €2,800 before tax and a monthly travel and mobility allowance of €350. The fellow will also benefit from institutional support, career-development workshops, language training, and access to advanced laboratories and high-voltage facilities at both partner institutions.

Eligibility requires a master’s degree or equivalent, no doctoral degree, and compliance with the MSCA mobility rule. A background in Materials Science, Physics, or Materials for Electronics is preferred, with strong interest in experimental thin-film deposition and electrical characterization. English proficiency at C1/C2 level is required. The application deadline is 23 November 2026 at 12:00 Paris time.

Supervision is provided by Dr. Sombel Diaham at the University of Toulouse and co-supervision by Dr. Zakhar Kudrynskyi at the University of Nottingham. Applications should be submitted via the University of Toulouse application portal.