Magnetic sensing for new technologies (2019)

What you get

You will receive:

• fully funded tuition fees for 3 and a half years (at the UK/EU rate)
• a tax-free bursary for living costs for 3 and a half years. For 2018/19 this is £14,777 per year.
• funds for computing, books, open access publishing, attendance at conferences and workshops.

You may also supplement your income with paid teaching (with your supervisor’s agreement).

Type of award

Postgraduate Research

PhD project

Supervisor: Professor Peter Kruger and Dr Fedja Orucevic

A fully-funded 3-and-a-half year PhD position is available in the Quantum Sensors and Devices Group in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at the University of Sussex.

Having formed in 2016, we have five newly refurbished laboratories with prototyping facilities and a magnetically shielded room to develop precision magnetometry.

In collaboration with the Clinical Imaging Sciences Centre, we are investigating ways in which to use such sensors to perform magnetoencephalography (MEG) - a sophisticated tool that yields rich information on the spatial, spectral and temporal signatures of human brain function. It is possible to bring the sensors to within a few millimetres of the scalp (in contrast to several centimetres), thus promising increased sensitivity compared to traditional SQUID systems. Operation at room-temperature also alleviates the need for any cryogenic cooling, which typically requires liquid helium that is costly and in short supply.

From smartphone cameras to deep-space telescopes, being able to capture images now underpins a significant amount of our technology. This project aims to expand this technology to low-frequency magnetic fields by creating sensor arrays capable of producing magnetic images. Developing such a device will allow us to look at a range of interesting systems, such as electric vehicles, magnetic nanoparticles and at neuronal activity in the human brain. 

This fully funded project will develop quantum sensor arrays based on the Larmor spin precession of optically-pumped atoms in room-temperature alkali vapour cells, which are currently the most sensitive magnetometers in the world. Optically-pumped magnetometers (OPMs) are sensitive enough to measure fields that are around a billion times smaller than the earth’s magnetic field! They are viable alternatives to expensive superconducting detectors for bio-magnetism but without the complication of cryogenic cooling.

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. After an initial phase, they will work with the Quantum Systems and Devices group at the University of Sussex, including Dr Bason, Dr Oručević and Professor Krüger, as well as local neuroscientists and, where relevant, industry. Interested candidates are encouraged to contact any of these academics or email positions.qsd@sussex.ac.uk for more information.

A PhD studentship on this project would:

• Develop new atomic magnetometers in conjunction with members of the UK Quantum Hub in Sensors and Metrology.
• Help to develop computationally inverse methods capable of localising current dipoles in three dimensions.
• Publish and present research in high-quality international journals and conferences.
• Report orally and prepare papers reporting progress and delivery of project outcomes.
• Pro-actively contribute to the activities of the research group.

In addition to a good honours degree, the candidate should have a strong background in undergraduate experimental physics. This project would suit an applicant with:

• Knowledge of Atomic physics/Laser spectroscopy
• Excellent IT skills including programming

Further information about the group can be found at: https://www.sussexquantum.com/. Our group uses neutral atoms as precision sensors and combines a mix of fundamental and applied research. We aim to bring quantum technology out of the laboratory so that it can be harnessed by non-specialists. At the same time, we want to discover more about how the quantum world works. In particular, we use ultra-cold atomic gases to study complex many-body phenomena.

Eligibility

To be eligible, you must:

• be a UK/European Union (EU) student.
• have or expect to have a UK undergraduate/master’s degree, or equivalent, in Physics or equivalent 
• Meet the English langugage requirement as detailed here: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/phd/degrees/mathematics-phd 

Deadline

30 September 2019 0:00

How to apply

Apply through the postgraduate application system and select the full time PhD in Physics with a September 2019 start date

Applications will be considered until the position has been filled.

When you apply, you should include:

• the supervisor’s name (Professor Peter Kruger) in the ‘Suggested supervisor’ section
• Magnetic microscopy with Bose-Einstein condensates in the ‘Award detail’ section
• a research proposal/personal statement which describes your suitability for the project
• 2 academic references
• your transcripts from any previously obtained degrees. If you have not yet completed your undergraduate degree, you can provide an interim transcript or record of any marks obtained so far.

The position will be filled as soon as a suitable candidate is found so you are encouraged to apply as soon as you are able to. 

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

Contact us

Email the group at SussexPQR@sussex.ac.uk if you have a question about the project

Email mpsresearchsupport@sussex.ac.uk if you have a question about applying, funding or eligibility.