CMOS: advanced and beyond
Discover why imec is the premier R&D center for advanced logic & memory devices.
Integrated photonics
Take a look at technologies for optical transceivers, sensors and more.
Health technologies
See how imec brings the power of chip technology to the world of healthcare.
Sensing and actuation
Explore imec’s CMOS- and photonics-based sensing and actuation systems.
Connectivity technology
Look into our reliable, high-performance, low-power network technologies.
More expertises
Discover all our expertises.
Research
Be the first to reap the benefits of imec’s research by joining one of our programs or starting an exclusive bilateral collaboration.
Foundry services
Build on our expertise for the design, prototyping and low-volume manufacturing of your innovative nanotech components and products.
Venturing and startups
Kick-start your business. Launch or expand your tech company by drawing on the funds and knowhow of imec’s ecosystem of tailored venturing support.
Education and workforce development
Imec supports formal and on-the-job training for a range of careers in semiconductors.
NanoIC pilot line
Aligned with the EU Chips Act, access to the pilot line will accelerate beyond-2nm innovation.
Next-Generation Mixed Ionic-Electronic Semiconducting Polymers
PhD - Hasselt | Just now
Development of novel, high-quality, p and n-type, hydrophilic conjugated polymers to boost the performance of neuromorphic electronics and photocatalytic hydrogen generation
Mixed
ionic-electronic semiconducting polymers – either conjugated
polyelectrolytes or glycol-decorated conjugated polymers – constitute a peculiar
class of materials defined by a π-conjugated backbone and hydrophilic side
chains. The delocalized π electrons offer distinct electronic and optical
properties, while the presence of ionic or amphiphilic moieties enables precise
adjustments of hydrophilicity, pH neutrality, self-doping, and ionic
conductivity. The recent proliferation of applications for mixed ionic-electronic semiconducting polymers
underscores their dual nature, marking a notable expansion in their potential for
technological innovation. The ability to fine-tune both electronic and ionic
traits broadens the horizon for their utility, spanning organic/inorganic opto/bioelectronics,
electrochemical transistors, neuromorphics, photocatalytic water splitting,
thermo-electric devices, and energy storage systems.[1-4]
Despite recent successes in
many of these emerging application domains, significant challenges and
opportunities remain. Synthetic strategies for integrating a wide range of
structural units that can tailor optoelectronic and ion transport functions
have been reported, but the critical structural parameters defining the polymer
performance remain (very) poorly understood. This challenge is addressed in the
present proposal by targeted synthesis and characterization of novel,
top-quality, p- and n-type mixed
ionic-electronic semiconducting polymers, and their analysis in selected
applications.
Over the past years, the
imomec group of IMEC has built up dedicated expertise on the synthesis of
advanced mixed ionic-electronic polymer semiconductors, notably in the
framework of the H2020 project MITICS (https://www.mitics-h2020-fetopen.eu/).
Particular focus on the synthetic method, limiting structural defects to the
highest possible extent, has afforded record-high transconductance values for
p-type accumulation-mode OECTs, conventional as well as all-printed devices.[5-7]
These results have received significant exposure, resulting in many new
contacts and material deliveries to various partners. In parallel, these polymers
have also been explored for hydrogen generation, affording promising initial
results. This Ph.D. project aims to build on these solid foundations and
explore the development of novel high-performance p- and n-type hydrophilic
conjugated polymers for neuromorphic electronics/computing
and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. The candidate will focus on the
synthesis of the envisaged hydrophilic conjugated polymers, coupled with in-depth
material characterization to obtain structure-property relationships. Next, the
novel materials will be evaluated for neuromorphics and hydrogen generation.
The project will be
conducted as part of an interdisciplinary and multicultural team of highly
skilled scientists who work toward next-generation, sustainable, optoelectronic
devices based on alternative (solution-processable) semiconductors. The
research will be performed in the newly built ‘Science Tower’, the imo-imomec
Physics/Engineering building located on the campus of Hasselt University in
Diepenbeek (Belgium), and (possibly) the Energyville facilities in Genk. These
facilities contain state-of-the-art laboratories and equipment for both the
materials and device aspects of this Ph.D. project.
[1] Lee et al., ACS Nano 2025, 19, 5938 – DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c17565.
[2]
Gkoupidenis et al., Nat. Rev. Mater. 2024, 9, 134 – DOI: 10.1038/s41578-023-00622-5.
[3] Kosco et al., Adv. Mater. 2022, 34, 2105007 – DOI:
10.1002/adma.202105007. [4] Tan et al., ACS Energy Lett. 2021, 6, 3450 – DOI:
10.1021/acsenergylett.1c01625. [5] Bynens et al.,
manuscript submitted. [6] Bynens et al., Adv. Funct. Mater. 2025, 2423913 –
DOI: 1.1002/adfm.202423913. [7] Makhinia et al., Adv. Funct. Mater. 2024,
2314857 – DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202314857.
Required background: Chemistry, Materials Science or Equivalent
Type of work: 90% experimental, 10% literature
Supervisor: Wouter Maes
Co-supervisor: Koen Vandewal
Daily advisor: Laurence Lutsen
The reference code for this position is 2026-139. Mention this reference code on your application form.