Atomically thin 2D materials provide a wide range of building blocks with unique electronic and optical properties. Remarkably, the atomic sheets can be stacked together without restriction to form semiconductor heterostructures with unprecedented properties. Typically, 2D heterostructures are formed by manually stacking each layer in a tedious and low-yield process. Much faster yet precise and reproducible methods for isolating, identifying, and stacking of 2D sheets are essential. The project will develop a robotic platform of all assembly steps with efficient computer-vision, machine intelligence algorithms, and in-situ metrology techniques for quality control. Success will unlock the potential to build more reproducible and complex quantum materials for research and unlock the yield rates necessary for industrial uptake.
Suitable applicants will have a 1st class undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a physics or engineering course. This PhD project offers an opportunity to gain a wide spectrum of expertise in semiconductor devices, optical spectroscopy, robotics, and machine learning. We offer a world-class laboratory and a strong network of international collaborators
The research project is based within the thriving Quantum Photonics Laboratory which is engaged in research covering solid-state photonics, coherent light-matter interaction, and strongly correlated particles using quantum materials and devices. The group consists of about 20 members and has well-equipped laboratories for quantum optics and high-resolution laser spectroscopy of quantum nanostructures as well as newly refurbished cleanroom facilities for the fabrication of two-dimensional devices. It collaborates with a number of research groups both academic and industrial, within Heriot-Watt, the UK, and internationally. Heriot‑Watt is based on a modern campus on the outskirts of Edinburgh (Scotland, UK), with excellent transport links to the centre of one of Europe’s most exciting cities.
Please contact Prof. Brian Gerardot for further details.
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