PhD fellowship in Quantum Photonics

The Niels Bohr Institute invites applicants for a PhD fellowship in nanomechanical quantum photonic devices for single-photon quantum communication. The project is part of the research project “NANOMEQ”, which is financed by Horizon2020 ERC starting grant.

Start date is (expected to be) July 1st 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The project The goal of the project is to develop a platform for photonic quantum information processing based on nano-opto-electro-mechanical systems (NOEMS) 1. NBI has developed state-of-the-art deterministic single-photon sources 2 using semiconductor quantum dots integrated in photonic nanostructures. To fully harness the potential of integrated photonic quantum technologies, it is necessary to scale it up, i.e. to perform operations on many photonic quantum bits (or ‘qubits') simultaneously to generate and manipulate entangled photons. The overarching goal is to demonstrate the seamless integration of single-photon sources with the quantum gates required for building truly scalable quantum photonic micro-processors. In this project we will pursue a novel approach to control light-matter interaction and quantum gates based exclusively on electro- and opto-mechanical interactions. The emphasis of this project will be in the design and fabrication of nanophotonic devices for scaling single-photon sources 3, with a focus on applications within quantum communication 4.

The PhD student's tasks will include:

Learn and understand solid-state quantum emitters and the fundamentals of quantum optics (MSc and PhD level courses are offered at NBI).

Acquire the fabrication skills required to build nano-mechanical devices and single-photon sources in gallium arsenide (GaAs).

Perform optical characterization of nano-mechanical devices and photonic integrated circuits at cryogenic temperature.

Characterize the single-photon sources in our optical laboratories.

Perform numerical simulations (finite difference time domain or finite elements) of the devices.

1 L. Midolo et al, “Nano-opto-electro-mechanical systems,” Nat. Nanotechnology 13 , 11-18 (2018).

2 R. Uppu et al, “On-chip deterministic operation of quantum dots in dual- mode waveguides for a plug-and-play single-photon source,” Nat. Commun. 11 , 3782 (2020).

3 C. Papon et al., "Independent operation of two waveguide-integrated single-photon sources," arXiv:2210.09826 (2022).

4 M. Zahidy et al., “Quantum Key Distribution using deterministic single- photon sources over a field-installed fibre link,” arXiv:2301.09399 (2023) .

Who are we looking for? We are looking for candidates within the field(s) of Applied Physics, Optical or Electrical Engineering, or similar. Applicants should have:

Backround in optics, solid-state physics or optoelectronics, including experimental skills.

Basic knowledge of quantum physics and numerical methods for phsyics.

Interest in doing nanofabrication (previous experience working in cleanrooms is a plus) and experimental work.

Ability to work independently and in collaboration with other scientists and researchers.

Our group and research- and what do we offer? The quantum photonics group is developing a new set of nano-scale devices for controlling and manipulating light-matter interaction in a quantum photonic integrated circuit. The position will be part of the Center for Hybrid Quantum Neworks (Hy-Q, https: // hy-q.nbi.ku.dk/). The center is a collaboration between the quantum nanophotonics group of Prof. Peter Lodahl, Assoc. Prof. Leonardo Midolo, and the groups of Prof. Anders Sørensen (www. tqo.dk) and Prof. Albert Schliesser (www. nbi.dk/~aschlies/research.html). In total the center employs approximately 50 scientists working on quantum networks.

The group is a part of the Niels Bohr Institute, Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. We are located in Copenhagen.

We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include modern laboratories at the Niels Bohr Instiute, and cleanroom facility at the H.C. Ørsted building.

Principal supervisor is Associate Prof. Leonardo Midolo, Niels Bohr Institute, [email protected]

The PhD programme You can undertake the PhD programme as a three year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme (5+3 scheme), if you already have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master's degree.

Getting into a position on the regular PhD programme

Qualifications needed for the regular programme To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master's degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g. physics or optical engineering. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.

Terms of employment in the regular programme Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years.

Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.

The terms of employment and salary are in accordance to the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State (AC). The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Responsibilities and tasks in both PhD programmes

Carry through an independent research project under supervision

Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE

Participate in active research environments, including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad

Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities

Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals

Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project

We are looking for the following qualifications:

Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project

Relevant publications

Relevant work experience

Other relevant professional activities

Curious mind-set with a strong interest in nanophotonics

Good language skills

Application and Assessment Procedurw Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include :

Motivation letter of application (max. one page)

Your motivation for applying for the specific PhD project

Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position

Original diplomas for Bachelor of Science or Master of Science and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in another language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted.

Publication list (if possible)

Reference letters (if available)

Application deadline: The deadline for applications is 26 (day) 03 (months) 2023 (year), 23:59 GMT +1 .

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process After deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment. The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified and, if so, for which of the two models. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at https: // employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in week 17 and 18.

Questions For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor.

General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School's website: https: // www. science.ku.dk/phd/.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.