Ph.D. position - Ultrafast imaging of molecules with two-color laser fields

For our location in Hamburg we are seeking:

Limited: 3 years | Starting date: 01.03.2026 | ID: FSDO019/2025 | Deadline: 31.12.2025 | Full-time/Part-time

DESY, with more than 2900 employees at its two locations in Hamburg and Zeuthen, is one of the world's leading research centres. Its research focuses on decoding the structure and function of matter, from the smallest particles of the universe to the building blocks of life. In this way, DESY contributes to solving the major questions and urgent challenges facing science, society and industry. With its ultramodern research infrastructure, its interdisciplinary research platforms and its international networks, DESY offers a highly attractive working environment in the fields of science, technology and administration as well as for the education of highly qualified young scientists.

The PhD position, based at DESY (Hamburg, Germany), will be funded by the ERC Starting Grant SoftMeter and will focus on the establishment of soft-field laser spectroscopy of molecules. The “soft-field” scheme combines ultrashort ultraviolet pulses and few-cycle infrared pulses to replace the conventional strong-field photo-interactions. By using such a two-color scheme, we aim to trigger a new regime of high-harmonic generation and laser-induced electron diffraction. In particular, we aim to translate the seminal concepts of strong-field physics towards the weak-field regime for the first time. This achievement would open up the possibility of performing ultrafast imaging of complex systems such as large molecules or interfaces with unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution.

The PhD project will be pursued within the group led by Andrea Trabattoni and it will be embedded in the FS-ATTO group, which is one of the worldwide leading groups for the investigation of ultrafast photo-induced electron dynamics in matter. The activity will focus on the development of cutting-edge pump-probe laser schemes for the investigation of new regimes of ultrafast processes in molecules. A deep understanding of such phenomena is likely to have a significant impact across a wide range of disciplines. For example, in the future, our research may improve the energy-harvesting mechanism in molecular solar cells, with immense benefits for energy and environmental science.