Personal Qualifications

We are looking for ambitious, creative and self-motivated people who enjoy working in a multidisciplinary and international team. 

Work's Description

Smart materials exhibit multifunctional properties, notably sensing and actuation capabilities. Key examples include shape memory alloys (SMAs), piezoelectrics, and multiferroic materials, which undergo significant, abrupt changes in their physical properties near phase transformations. Within the Smart Materials and Devices (SMD) research group, we leverage these attributes in the development of innovative actuator-sensor systems.

The objective of this project is to implement, and evaluate a novel thermo-magnetic actuation mechanism for tactile displays, potentially offering a more compact solution compared to previous approaches. This mechanism leverages the substantial temperature-dependent alteration of magnetization in a layer of magnetic shape memory alloy. This interdisciplinary endeavor spans materials science, mechanical engineering, and electronic engineering. During a direct interview, the focus of the project can be tailored to align with the applicant's interests and expertise.

Your Tasks:

•    Characterization of material properties (structure, mechanical, thermal, magnetic)
•    Modelling, design and simulation (FEM multiphysics, Lumped Element Modelling)
•    Rapid prototyping (Optical lithography, 3D Printing, Laser technology)
•    Characterization of demonstrator variants (thermo-mechanical, electrical properties)

To carry out the work, the IMT has extensive state-of-the-art equipment including a 600-m² clean room, rapid prototyping processes such as 3D printing and laser cutting, assembly and joining technology laboratories, as well as various metrological laboratories.

Contract's Duration: 4 - 6 Months   Starting date: by appointment

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Technical contact

M.Sc. Joel Joseph
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Institute of Microstructure Technology
P.O. Box 3640
76021 Karlsruhe
phone: +49 721 608-22767
e-mail: joel joseph∂kit edu