\documentclass[a4paper,11pt]{dinbrief}

\usepackage{marvosym}
\usepackage{url,parskip}

\usepackage[english]{babel}

\RequirePackage{color,graphicx}
\usepackage[usenames,dvipsnames]{xcolor}
\usepackage[empty]{fullpage}

\usepackage{hyperref}
\definecolor{linkcolour}{rgb}{0,0.2,0.6}
\hypersetup{colorlinks,breaklinks, urlcolor=linkcolour, linkcolor=linkcolour}

\Absender{\small Frank Zirkelbach, Vorderer Lech 49, 86150 Augsburg, Germany\\}

%\backaddress{F. Zirkelbach, Vorderer Lech 49, 86150 Augsburg}


\phone{0821}{436915}

\signature{Frank Zirkelbach}

\subject{{\bf Application for the position as a postdoctoral scientist}}

\begin{document}

\begin{letter}{%
Prof. Karin Larsson\\
Department of Materials Chemistry\\
Uppsala University\\
\AA{}ngstr\"om Lab\\
Box 538\\
SE-751 21 Uppsala\\
Sweden}

\opening{Dear Prof. Larsson,}

I am writing to apply for the position as a postdoctoral scientist in the Department of Materials Chemistry at Uppsala University as declared in the advertisement, which was pointed to me by Dr. Matthias Schreck from the University of Augsburg, Germany.
I am currently doing my doctoral studies at the same research division in Augsburg.
Although the division concentrates on experimental physics, I have been given the opportunity to work on a rather theoretical field already with the beginning of my Diploma thesis.
The writing of my doctoral thesis has just been completed and the studies will hopefully come to an end soon, presumably with the viva voce in mid October.

During my research, I investigated defect structures in carbon implanted silicon by means of atomistic simulation studies employing both, first-principles and classical potential methods.
Next to interesting results concerning structures of isolated and combined defects as well as transitions between these configurations, conclusions on the not yet fully understood process of silicon carbide precipitation in silicon could be derived.

The project, financially supported by the Bavarian Research Foundation, officially headed by Prof. Stritzker (University of Augsburg) and supervised by Prof. Lindner (PD in Augsburg back then), involved research periods abroad, which I have gratefully taken advantage of within the Computational Materials Physics group of Prof. Nordlund at the University of Helsinki, Finland.
Being experts in the respective field, investigations involved molecular dynamics simulations employing an empirical potential to describe the silicon-carbon interaction.

In a further collaboration with the Theoretical Physics group of Prof. Schmidt and Dr. Rauls at the University of Paderborn, the studies were extended to include first-principles calculations based on the density functional theory.
Obtained results completed the investigations and, by considering and working around shortcomings of the classical approach, supported the ones gained from previous studies.

An overview of the whole work is, for instance, given in the latest publication as specified in the attached CV.

I am highly interested in the offered research project covering the simulation and modeling of battery materials with a focus on silicon based anode materials for various reasons.
Next to the familiarity as well as my interest in the materials system, I am pretty much convinced that battery technology constitutes a key factor to solve some of the many problems related to the ongoing energy revolution.
I would like to have the possibility to contribute.
Furthermore, I would like to continue and deepen my research activities in the field of computational materials science and the respective methods such as density functional theory and applications beyond.

Doing computational science at an experimental physics division starting with the the Diploma thesis, has, since then, demanded a high level of autonomy.
And still, a vivid interaction with experimental scientists was given, my supervisors being amongst them.

Please find attached my CV (including the list of publications) for your review.
For any further information please feel free to contact me.
I would be happy to send you the latest (not yet available) publication or the preliminary version of my thesis.

I would be very glad to hear from you.

\closing{Sincerely,}

\end{letter}

\end{document} 

