Research Associate in High‑Speed Organic Opto‑Electronics (HiSOPE)

Research Associate in High‑Speed Organic Opto‑Electronics (HiSOPE)

Heriot-Watt University

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Purpose of Role

Design, implement and characterise high‑speed electronic and RF front‑ends to drive OLEDs with high‑voltage nanosecond pulses, interface them with high‑bandwidth photodiode receive chains, and perform full EM and calibration workflows on bespoke PCB fixtures that validate link performance for optical interconnects / wireless light communications demonstrators within HiSOPE.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Conduct and disseminate original research aligned with the project and in collaboration with the team; work as part of the broader HiSOPE project to help organize events and/or support the work of the team as needed; contribute to outreach and impact engagement activities of the project
• Work closely with senior decision makers in the industry to enable a programme of work and the measurement of this; participate in, and develop, networks and collaborations both internally and externally to the Division/School/University
• Identify appropriate sources of funding and help prepare research proposals for funding bodies
• Demonstrate initiative in making routine decisions in order to manage and achieve project deliverables and deadlines
• Pulse driver & power delivery: Design high‑voltage, fast‑edge pulse drivers (ns to sub‑ns rise/fall where feasible) for OLED excitation, including device protection, impedance control and EMI mitigation; architect low‑inductance current paths, gate‑drive schemes (e.g., GaN/Si MOSFET drivers), and snubbers tailored to OLED stack constraints and test coupons used in HiSOPE
• RF/microwave PCB & interconnects: Layout controlled‑impedance CPW/microstrip transitions from drivers to OLED fixtures; model launch structures, vias, and ground‑reference strategies to >GHz bandwidths; co‑design bespoke PCB test fixtures for device‑under‑test (DUT) sockets, with 3D EM simulation (CST/ADS Momentum) to predict S‑parameters, radiation, resonances, and thermal aspects
• Receiver chain and calibration: Design transimpedance amplifiers (TIA) for fast, including stability/peaking control, input capacitance management, and ESD; implement on‑board calibration standards and perform LRM/TRL calibrations (VNA) from coax to CPW launches for de‑embedded S‑parameters
• Modelling, linearisation, and system integration: Extract behavioural models of the OLED electro‑optical transfer and PD/TIA chain (e.g., Volterra/memory polynomial, Wiener–Hammerstein) from measured data; apply digital pre‑distortion (DPD) to meet waveform fidelity and bandwidth targets; integrate electronic front‑ends with HiSOPE device stacks in collaboration with materials/device partners; contribute to optical interconnect and wireless light communication system demos
• Reporting: Maintain rigorous documentation; contribute to deliverables, publications and consortium reviews; present results at portfolio activities within EIC Responsible Electronics

Essential Criteria

Qualifications

• PhD (or close to completion) in Electrical/Electronics Engineering or related field, with a focus on high‑speed circuits/RF

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• Evidence of a developing publication record
• Experience or desire to work with those from other disciplines
• Evidence of excellent administrative and project management skills
• Evidence of self-motivation and the ability to work independently
• Evidence of excellent oral and written communication skills
• Excellent time management skills including the ability to prioritise workload
• Proven experience designing high‑voltage, fast‑rise pulse circuits and/or RF/microwave PCB layouts
• Hands‑on 3D EM simulation of PCB/fixture structures and correlation to measurements
• Strong background in photodiode front‑ends (TIAs), noise/stability analysis, and GHz‑class measurement techniques
• Practical experience with vector network analyzers and on‑PCB LRM/TRL calibration/de‑embedding
• Proven experience in behavioural modelling and DPD (MATLAB/Python)

Desirable Criteria

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• Evidence of success in attracting research grants/external funding and delivering on externally funded research projects
• Evidence or knowledge to support international activities
• Evidence of a basic knowledge of the Higher Education context and regulatory framework
• Familiarity with organic/OPTO device physics (OLED stacks, drive limits, degradation, optical modulation bandwidths
• Experience with high‑speed optical links or wireless light communication (LiFi/VLC) demonstrators