Advanced Research Center for Nanolithography (ARCNL) 
Amsterdam, Netherlands Sintesi dell’opportunità
The Advanced Research Center for Nanolithography (ARCNL) in Amsterdam is offering a full‑time scientific internship for MSc students from EU universities. The role involves precision tribology experiments, sliding diamond‑coated spheres against silicon nitride in a vacuum, to study how stroke length affects diamond wear. Students will use a high‑precision tribometer and atomic force microscopy to measure nanometer‑scale wear, contributing to knowledge of diamond coatings for semiconductor applications. The internship lasts the duration of the contract, with 40 hours per week, and requires strong experimental and communication skills. Contact Bart Weber (b.weber@arcnl.nl) for application details.
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Descrizione del progetto
Work Activities
In this project, you will test this idea by performing precision sliding experiments between diamond-coated spheres and silicon nitride surfaces (see reference below). By changing the stroke length of the sliding motion while keeping the total sliding distance the same, you will control how frequently the contact is renewed. If contact renewal indeed accelerates wear, shorter strokes should cause the diamond surface to degrade faster.
You will carry out experiments using a high-precision tribometer and analyze the diamond surface before and after sliding with atomic force microscopy, allowing you to measure nanometer-scale wear. The experiments will be performed in a controlled vacuum environment that resembles technologically relevant conditions.
This project combines hands-on experiments, surface analysis, and nanoscale physics, and will contribute to understanding how diamond coatings perform in demanding technological applications.
For more background information check out our recent manuscript:
Leriche et al. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 17, 55511–55520 (2025)
Qualifications
The project needs to be part of your MSc program at an EU university. You enjoy performing experiments and analysis to stepwise build a deeper understanding of complex physical mechanisms. You are good at communicating and explaining the results of your work. Experimental (and modeling) experience in the field of tribology would be advantageous, but is not a necessity.
Work environment
ARCNL performs fundamental research, focusing on the physics and chemistry involved in current and future key technologies in nanolithography, primarily for the semiconductor industry. While the academic setting and research style are geared towards establishing scientific excellence, the topics in ARCNL’s research program are intimately connected with the interests of the industrial partner ASML. The institute is located at Amsterdam Science Park and currently employs about 100 persons of which 65 are ambitious (young) researchers from all over the globe. arcnl.nl
Working conditions
An internship agreement will be made before the start of the project.
More information?
For further information about the position, please contact Bart Weber: b.weber@arcnl.nl.
Application
You can respond to this vacancy online via the button below.
Online screening may be part of the selection.