The University of Bath is inviting applications for the following PhD project commencing in October 2023 in the Department of Physics.
Eligible applicants will be considered for a fully-funded studentship – for more information, see the Funding Notes section below.
Supervisory Team:
- Lead supervisor: Prof Dmitry Skryabin (Department of Physics, University of Bath)
- Co-supervisor: Dr Andriy Gorbach (Department of Physics, University of Bath)
- Co-supervisor: Dr Alex Davis (University of Bath)
- Co-supervisor: Prof Peter Smowton (Cardiff University)
- Co-supervisor: Dr Jonathan Silver (National Physical Laboratory, subject to formal agreement)
Overview of the Research:
This is a collaborative project between the University of Bath, Cardiff University and the National Physical Laboratory (subject to formal agreement) to develop photonic devices for applications in optical information processing and frequency standards.
Optical frequency combs consisting of hundreds and thousands of equally spaced narrow resonance lines were demonstrated in the 1990s, and their discovery was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2005. In the past decade, this research field has witnessed outstanding progress through the development of microresonator technology and observation and exploitation of the microresonator frequency combs - microcombs. For light, microresonators act as miniature racetracks, with photons zipping around the circle in loops. The infinite path length and a small footprint are the key advantages of the on-chip frequency conversion. Microcombs are emerging as a disruptive technology for realizing precision metrology, spectroscopy, and optical processing of information realizable in the small-footprint and chip-scale platforms. One of many striking application examples comes from astronomical research, where combs were used to search for exoplanets.
This project aims to develop theoretically and validate experimentally several new concepts in the microresonator frequency combs. One problem to be addressed is pumping the comb sources with energy. Currently, a typical microcomb setup involves a small-footprint microresonator pumped by a bulky laser source. We will aim to design, model, fabricate and test the systems where the lasing action happens within the microresonator or on the same photonic chip. The second set of problems will extend a range of the material platforms to the ones with a stronger nonlinear optical response. In particular, we plan to study the second-order optical nonlinearities in aluminium nitride and lithium niobate.
The breadth of training offered by the project supervisory team provides a full range of skills required for a career in academia or the hi-tech industry in the UK and abroad. Theory and numerical modelling research will be carried out in Bath. The microresonator samples will be fabricated in the Cardiff-based Institute of Compound Semiconductors. Characterisation of frequency combs will be implemented in the National Physical Laboratory and the University of Bath.
Project keywords: photonics, optics, theory, numerical modelling, nanofabrication.
Candidate Requirements:
Applicants should hold, or expect to receive, a First Class or good Upper Second Class UK Honours degree (or the equivalent) in Physics or a closely related subject. A master’s level qualification or early stage researcher experience would be an advantage.
Applicants should be willing to work as a part of a multi-institutional team of theorists and experimental scientists. Prior experience in scientific computations is particularly welcomed.
Non-UK applicants must meet our English language entry requirement.
Enquiries and Applications:
Applicants are encouraged to contact Prof Dmitry Skryabin on email address [Email Address Removed] before applying to find out more about the project and to discuss their suitability for the role.
Formal applications should be made via the University of Bath’s online application form for a PhD in Physics.
More information about applying for a PhD at Bath may be found on our website.
Note: Applications may close earlier than the advertised deadline if a suitable candidate is found. We therefore recommend that you contact the lead supervisor prior to applying and submit your formal application as early as possible.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:
We value a diverse research environment and aim to be an inclusive university, where difference is celebrated and respected. We welcome and encourage applications from under-represented groups.
If you have circumstances that you feel we should be aware of that have affected your educational attainment, then please feel free to tell us about it in your application form. The best way to do this is a short paragraph at the end of your personal statement.
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