Advanced image processing of 2D/3D Transmission Electron Microscopy images

Description of the subject

In the frame of the French EUR project SLEIGHT , we propose a post-doc position in the frame of the research program DiONisOS: Diffusion Of Nanoparticles On Surfaces associating 3 labs of the University of Lyon: MATEIS (INSA-Lyon/UCBL), LaHC (St-Etienne) and CREATIS (INSA-Lyon/UCBL).

The project deals with the characterization of the mobility of a population of nanoparticles (NPs) dispersed on a support, as in the very representative case of heterogeneous catalysis. When submitted to heat treatments under oxidizing or reducing conditions as generally required for conditioning such nanocatalysts, migration, coalescence or growth of NPs has to be avoided since larger sizes usually degrade the catalytic performances. It is today possible to perform such treatments in situ in a dedicated environmental Transmission Electron Microscope (ETEM ) under environmental, i.e. gas (air, oxygen or hydrogen) at high temperature and follow the evolution of the population of NPs in pseudo-real time (according to careful observations conditions limiting the undesirable electron beam effects). Such studies can thus be conducted at the nanometric level in the ETEM on systems such as Pd NPs supported on delta-alumina platelets. The post-doc will be in charge of developing original image processing methods to: (i) track accurately and quantitatively the population evolution from in situ sequences of images, i.e. 2D projections recorded in the ETEM (mostly, Scanning TEM micrographs) (ii) mix 2D with 3D information obtained from the analysis of the surface topography of the support as deduced from stereo-photogrammetry reconstruction using an advanced TEM equipped with a dedicated Secondary Electron detector. Although the subject is largely inter-disciplinary (electron microscopy, context of catalysis, thermodynamical processes, image processing) which will give the candidate the opportunity to participate to many steps of the project, his/her main tasks will be focused on image processing, including:

  •     machine learning, denoising and tracking approaches (e.g. multi-model particle filters)
  •     spatio-temporal filtering methods to prioritize information about the NPs history (big data related to events such as: trajectories, disappearance, coalescence/fusion, crossing,…).
  •     3D reconstruction

   

Practical information

  •  Post-doc position
  • Duration: 18 months starting between April, 1st 2019 and May 31st 2019
  • Net Salary/month: 2192 € (minor bonus possible depending upon the situation)
  • Location: Lab. LaHC , campus Carnot, University of St-Etienne. Frequent daily missions to Lyon (Villeurbanne, MATEIS /CREATIS , INSA de Lyon, about 1 and a half hour by public transportation, cost covered).
  • Supervisor: Prof. Christophe Ducottet, LaHC, St-Etienne. Co-supervisors: Dr. Thomas Grenier, CREATIS, Prof. Thierry Epicier, MATEIS
  • Recommended skills:
    • Required: PhD degree in Image processing or Computer Vision and strong programming skills in C++ and matlab or Python
    • Appreciated: any of the following: machine learning, Materials science background, knowledge (and/or practice) of electron microscopy (SEM and/or TEM)
       

Contact

Send an extended CV with research and programming experiences and a detailed list of publications (English) + motivation letter and possible referents to:

   ducottet@univ-st-etienne.fr, thierry.epicier@insa-lyon.fr, thomas.grenier@creatis.insa-lyon.fr