Master Thesis Work - Metalens tailored for Automotive exterior lighting application

Thesis Worker at Volvo Cars
Welcome to explore the world of Volvo Cars by writing your thesis with us! As a thesis worker in our organization you are supported by a supervisor who follows you during your project. All thesis projects are arranged in business critical areas and therefore you will be able to contribute to our company purpose – providing freedom to move in a safe, sustainable and personal way – from day one!

Looking for a masterpiece for your master thesis project? Innovation starts with being curious. At Volvo Cars, we believe that being curious and truly committed to understanding people is the key to future success. We are people who care about other people, working together to create new technologies and innovations for safe, sustainable and convenient mobility. Want to join us as a Master Thesis student?                                           
We are looking for driven and motivated students interested in pursuing their master thesis within Vehicle Tophat development during the spring term 2025.

Vehicle Tophat is one of six development units within Engineering (R&D) at Volvo Cars where the teams develop state-of-the-art Interior and Exterior. Vehicle Tophat aims to develop the most sustainable and safe Tophat solutions to provide freedom to move in a changing society. The customer value is optimized through attractive designs utilizing new technology trends. Speed to market is important in every aspect of what we do. And we attract and develop talents in a global competitive world, creating an open and transparent environment with a collaborative mindset. Within our team of over 800 engineers at Vehicle Tophat, we are offering a broad range of master thesis projects. 

About this opportunity - Background
Automotive exterior lighting is crucial for vehicle safety, visibility, and aesthetics. Traditional lens systems in automotive lighting are often bulky and complex, requiring multiple components to achieve desired optical properties and often comes with various aberrations. Metalenses, which are flat lenses made from nanostructured materials, offer a promising alternative due to their compact size, lightweight nature, and ability to manipulate light with high precision. This thesis aims to explore the feasibility of using metalens technology in automotive exterior lighting applications, potentially revolutionizing the design and functionality of vehicle lighting systems.

Objective
The primary objective of this thesis is to develop a proof of concept for a metalens system tailored for automotive exterior lighting applications. This includes designing, fabricating, and testing the metalens to evaluate its performance in terms of light distribution, efficiency, and durability. The study will also compare the metalens system with traditional lens systems to assess its advantages and potential challenges.

Scope of the thesis work

1. Literature Review:
   a. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Review existing research on metalens technology and its applications in optics. 
   b. ​​​​​​​Analyze the current state of automotive exterior lighting systems and their limitations.
2. Design and Simulation:
   a.    Design a metalens system suitable for automotive exterior lighting.
   b.    Use simulation software to model the optical performance of the metalens and predict its behavior under various conditions.
3. Fabrication (Requires access to university competence and lab):
   a.    Develop a fabrication process for the metalens, utilizing nanofabrication techniques.
   b.    Produce prototype metalenses for testing.
4. Experimental Evaluation (Requires access to university competence and lab):
   a.    Set up experimental tests to evaluate the optical performance of the metalens system.
   b.    Measure key parameters such as light distribution, intensity, and efficiency.
   c.    Assess the durability and environmental resistance of the metalens.
5. Comparison with Traditional Systems:
   a.    Compare the performance of the metalens system with traditional lens systems used in automotive lighting.
   b.    Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the metalens approach.
6. Feasibility Analysis:
   a.    Evaluate the feasibility of integrating metalens technology into commercial automotive lighting systems.
   b.    Consider factors such as cost, manufacturability, and scalability.
7. Recommendations:
   a.    Provide recommendations for further development and potential improvements of the metalens system.
   b.    Suggest future research directions, check potential for retrieving patent and potential applications beyond automotive lighting module lenses.
8. Conclusion:
   a.    Summarize the key findings and their implications for the future of automotive lighting technology.

What you will bring
We are looking for candidates with excellent academic records that want to contribute to novel technological innovation in the field of optics.

We expect you to be a master’s (MSc) degree student in the field of: Applied physics, Nano-optics, Quantum optics, Electromagnetism in optical materials, Solid/condensed matter physics, Optical nanomaterials, Nano-photonics, Nanotechnology, Optical metrology, Meta materials or in any nearby field.

General competence in geometrical optics, photonics and nano- as well as quantum science is required.

Knowledge in nanofabrication techniques, optics research, metamaterials, automotive experience and softwares such as, Zemax, Lumerical, optiSLang, Code V, LucidShape, Lighttools, Speos and access to university LAB areas and expertise is valuable.

Duration

Does this sound like your next challenge? Below are some practicalities you need to be aware of: 

• Tentative proposed thesis work period: 20th January 2025 to 27th of June 2025 (dates can be flexible with +/- 7 days)
• Academic credits: equivalent to 30 ECTS 
• Number of students: 2 students per project

Please submit both applicants’ Cover Letters and CVs as part of one application (Note: One candidate can create the profile on the career portal and submit a joint Cover Letter/CV on behalf of other candidate)
 

Welcome with your application by submitting your resume, cover letter (including which project(s) you would like to work and why) and grades/transcripts via the link below no later than 30th October 2024. We will be continuously reviewing the applications and selecting the candidates, so apply as early as you can!
 

Note that we do not accept any applications via e-mail. If you have any questions regarding the position, you are welcome to contact:
Manager, Ingela Björklund at ingela.bjorklund@volvocars.com
Supervisor, Henrik Mattsson at henrik.mattsson@volvocars.com
 

Volvo Cars - Driving change together
Volvo Cars’ success is the result of a collaborative, diverse, and inclusive working environment. Today, we are one of the most well-known and respected car brands, with around 43,000 employees across the globe. At Volvo Cars, your career is designed around your skills and aspirations, allowing you to reach your fullest potential.