Sub-micrometer spheres (SMS) from high-hardness materials like boron carbide are particularly tough to synthesize by conventional processes although they constitute an excellent additive for high-performance industrial lubricants. In your project, you will develop and optimize a continuous and scalable synthesis process for boron carbide SMS employing laser melting in liquids (LML) in a flat-jet flow-through reactor. This technique is based on the irradiation of dispersions of aggregated boron carbide nanoparticles with pulsed lasers and the inventor of this technique will serve as your international mentor. In this process, you will adjust laser fluence to control SMS size and elucidate and differentiate the influences of mass concentration, irradiated sample volume, repetition rate of the laser, and the flow rate on SMS productivity. You will characterize boron carbide SMS by UV-Vis spectroscopy, analytical sedimentation techniques, and scanning electron microscopy. As part of the position, an opportunity for further scientific qualification is offered.