PhD Studentship in the Development of a Bose-Einstein condensate magnetic microscope (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.

Magnetic microscopy with Bose-Einstein condensates

Neutral atoms can be cooled and trapped using a combination of static and oscillating electromagnetic fields. We produce Bose-Einstein condensates on atom chips and use them to microscopically probe the magnetic field close to surfaces with very high sensitivity [1].

Understanding atom-surface interactions like Casimir forces is of fundamental interest, and also highly relevant for the technological advance of surface microscopy. Using novel materials such as graphene will allow for a reduced separation between atoms and samples, thereby enhancing sensitivity to electrical currents flowing in samples.

The Project

The aim of the project is to improve the sensitivity of our magnetic microscope to electric currents in two dimensional (2D) samples. It involves experimental work on atom chip based ultracold atomic systems, study of atom-surface interactions, characterisation of the magnetic microscope, and measurement of current flow in samples based on new technologies such as 3D printed conductors or nanostructured materials.

The PhD student will play a central role in this investigation and will learn a wide array of tools in atomic physics, quantum technology and modelling. In addition to a good Honours or Masters degree, the candidate should have a background in Atomic and Quantum Physics and have excellent skills including programming and experimental physics.

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.

This award is open to UK and International students.

Deadline

10 September 2021 11:08

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/2021/03

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