The SoftiMAX beamline at MAX IV Laboratory is offering an 8-week summer student project focused on extending the lifetime of STXM zone plates through controlled in-house cleaning and process validation.

Background / motivation
In soft X-ray Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy (STXM), the zone plate is the main focusing optic and a critical, high-value component. During experiments the zone plate can be illuminated for days to weeks by intense soft X-rays (≈250–2500 eV) under vacuum (~10⁻⁵ mbar). In the presence of residual hydrocarbons this often leads to visible carbon contamination (also observed on other optical surfaces), degrading performance. Developing a gentle, repeatable cleaning process would directly benefit beamline operations and user experiments by keeping zone plates usable for longer.

Project goal
Design, implement, and characterize a gentle UV/ozone-based cleaning method in a controlled atmosphere, and establish a repeatable “dose vs. carbon removal” recipe using test samples. The work will include both hardware and measurement/validation.

What you will do

• Prepare and contaminate test substrates (Si₃N₄ chips) using an in-house carbon deposition system to create controlled “carbon layers”
• Build and instrument a small UV/ozone cleaning chamber (stainless/quartz, fume hood compatible), with basic sensing (e.g., ozone trend, humidity/temperature) and safe operating procedures
• Implement a simple controller/data logger (Arduino or Raspberry Pi) to run reproducible cleaning cycles (timing, purge steps, logging)
• Quantify cleaning performance and repeatability using optical inspection (optical microscope) and, where available, access to advanced characterization methods (potentially including STXM and/or AFM)
• Deliver a short operating procedure and recommended cleaning parameters suitable for routine beamline use, plus a brief report of results.

Who you are

• Background in Physics, Engineering, Electronics, Materials Science, or a related field
• Comfortable with hands-on lab work and basic instrumentation
• Experience (or strong interest) in programming microcontrollers / embedded systems (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Python, C/C++)
• Interest in microscopy, surface science, vacuum systems, optics, or beamline instrumentation is a plus
• Safety-minded and conscientious with experimental procedures.

What you get

• A practical R&D project with clear real-world impact on a national research facility
• Experience with soft X-ray microscopy instrumentation, vacuum/optics, and surface characterization
• A fun, hands-on build + measurement project with room for creativity and ownership

Practical details
Duration: ~8 weeks (summer 2026), flexible start date.
Location: MAX IV Laboratory, Lund.
Supervision: SoftiMAX beamline staff.

To apply, please send a short CV and a brief note (half a page is enough) describing your relevant experience and why you’re interested.