Master Thesis - Computer Vision for Liquid Phase Transmission Electron Microscopy for Quantifying Nucleation and Growth
Forschungszentrum Jülich’s Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons (ER-C), specifically the Physics of Nanoscale Systems (ER-C-1), is a world-class research institute focused on understanding and engineering materials at the atomic scale. Using state-of-the-art electron microscopy and spectroscopy, the institute develops new experimental methods to reveal how nanoscale structures determine magnetic, electronic, catalytic, and soft-matter properties. Its research supports major challenges in energy conversion and storage, advanced materials, nanotechnology, and emerging life-science applications. ER-C-1 also operates as part of a national user facility, giving academic and industrial researchers access to cutting-edge instruments, expert support, and collaborative opportunities in an international environment—making it an outstanding place to carry out high-impact, interdisciplinary research.
Your Job
In this Master thesis project, you will perform electrochemical liquid phase transmission electron microscopy (EC-LPTEM) and develop automated, reproducible image/video analysis to quantify nucleation and early-stage growth phenomena.
Your main tasks include:
- Plan and perform liquid-phase TEM experiments using commercially available MEMS-based electrochemical holders, with training and support on-site.
- Visualize nucleation stages during electroplating of metals from aqueous electrolytes, capturing dynamics across relevant time and length scales.
- Develop computer-vision / image-processing workflows for TEM videos, e.g. preprocessing, segmentation, tracking, event detection, and robust quantification under low SNR and imaging artefacts.
- Extract quantitative nucleation metrics (e.g., nucleation density, rates, size distributions, onset times, spatial correlations) and link them to experimental conditions.
- Connect measured nucleation rates and growth behavior to electrochemical theory through model-aware analysis and careful validation.
- Document the full pipeline (code, parameters, versioning) to ensure results are repeatable and transferable across datasets and experiments.
Your Profile
- You are studying physics, material sciences, chemistry, or a related subject at a university and are looking for a topic for a master's thesis.
- You are interested in and ideally also have previous knowledge in the fields of computer vision, electron microscopy, solid state physics, and electrochemistry.
- You can work independently and reponsibly, show commitment, a high level of teamwork, and enjoyment of cooperative collaboration.
- Furthermore, you can quickly familiarize yourself with new methods and techniques.
- You are fluent in written and spoken English.
Our Benefits for You
- Meaningful Tasks: Your thesis deals with a future-oriented, socially relevant topic with direct practical relevance in an international environment
- Practical relevance: With us, you will gain valuable practical experience alongside your studies and actively participate in interdisciplinary projects
- Scientific environment: You can expect excellent scientific equipment, modern technologies, and qualified support from experienced colleagues
- Work-life balance: We offer flexible working hours to help you balance your professional and personal life. You also have the option of flexible working (in terms of location), which is generally possible after consultation and in line with upcoming tasks and (on-site) appointments
- Flexibility: Flexible working hours make it easier for you to balance work and study
- Perspective: If you have the appropriate qualifications and funding is available, the institute offers the opportunity to do your PhD after completing your master's thesis
- Fair remuneration: We will pay you a reasonable remuneration for your thesis
In addition to exciting tasks and a collegial working environment, we offer you much more: https://go.fzj.de/benefits
We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e.g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation / identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin. A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.
The following links provide further information on diversity and equal opportunities: https://go.fzj.de/equality and on specific support options: https://go.fzj.de/womens-job-journey
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