PhD Studentship in the Development of a modular and compact source of Bose-Einstein condensates (2021)

What you get

• Fully-paid tuition fees for three and a half years.
• A tax-free bursary for living costs for three and a half years. From October 2021/22 this is expected to be £15560 per year
• A support grant for three and a half years of £1,650 per year for travel and conferences.
• If you are not a UK national, nor an EU national with UK settled/pre-settled status, you will need to apply for a student study visa before admission

Type of award

Postgraduate Research

PhD project

Our Research Group

Our team uses neutral atomic ensembles for studying a variety of aspects of quantum physics and quantum technology, across a series of experiments in our laboratories at the University of Sussex.  The research ranges from more applied investigations utilising the sensitivity of atomic systems for magnetic field measurements (of both microscopy of surfaces and materials, as well as the magnetic signals from the brain) to more fundamental studies of complex quantum phenomena in ultracold gases both in and out of equilibrium.

Compact Cold Atom Sources

Samples of ultracold atoms and quantum matter offer an unprecedented level of sensitivity and control. They have been demonstrated to make excellent sensors of their environment, including atom interferometers for inertial, gravitational, electric, and magnetic fields, as well as in timing and atomic clock applications - outperforming their classical counterparts in many cases. Although research on ultracold atom physics began with the advent of laser cooling several decades ago, the field has now reached such a level of maturity that there is a large focus on building systems aimed more towards applications [1,2], even bringing such systems outside the laboratory. For all these quantum technology applications, the starting point is to collect atoms in a trap and pre-cool them using a combination of electromagnetic fields.

The Project

The aim of the project is to design and realise a compact source of Bose-Einstein condensates, which is sufficiently modular to be able to act as a versatile starting point for a range of research experiments or quantum sensors. The project will involve integrating together a variety of existing state-of-the-art laser cooling and atomic physics techniques, such as diffraction grating magneto-optical traps, miniature vacuum cells, microfabricated atom chips, and printed circuit boards, into a single system capable of producing a sample of atoms at sub-microkelvin temperatures with a repetition rate on the order of 1 Hz.

This project will involve a combination of experimental, theoretical, and numerical work, and so in addition to a good Honours or Master’s degree, the candidate should have experience in (and enjoy!) experimental physics or engineering, or a background in atomic and quantum physics. From this project, the student will learn a wide range of experimental skills, including optics and lasers, 3D mechanical CAD design, electronics, ultrahigh vacuum, numerical modelling techniques, and gain a deeper understanding of atomic physics and quantum technology.

Eligibility

Applicants must hold, or expect to hold, at least a UK upper second class degree (or non-UK equivalent qualification) in Physics, or a closely-related area, or else a lower second class degree followed by a relevant Master's degree.

Most studentships are open to students from the UK, EU, or International.  A few may have more limited criteria, depending on the funder.  Research council awards are open to all students and for September 2021 admission a full fee waiver is available for students of any nationality. We hope to have up to 12 studentships for September 2021 admission.

This award is open to UK and International students.

Deadline

15 September 2021 0:00

How to apply

Apply through the University of Sussex on-line system. 

https://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/phd/apply/log-into-account

Select the PhD in Physics with an entry date of September 2021.

 In the Finance & Fees section, state that you wish to be considered for studentship no. QSD/2021/01

We advise early application as the position will be filled as soon as a suitable applicant can be found.

Due to the high volume of applications received, you may only hear from us if your application is successful.

Contact us

If you have practical questions about the progress of your on-line application or your eligibility, contact Emma Ransley at mps-pgrsupport@sussex.ac.uk

For academic questions about the project, contact Dr Fedja Orucevic, f.orucevic@sussex.ac.uk