High-performance Ultrafast Fibre Lasers for Biomedical Applications

Supervisory Team:   Dr Lin Xu, Dr Yongmin Jung 

Project Description

Ultrafast lasers providing femtosecond pulses are enabling a rapidly increasing range of applications in science and industry, including physics, chemistry, medicine, biology, and materials processing. A large part of this relies on the transition from bulky, expensive, and maintenance-intensive Ti:sapphire lasers to fiber lasers. Ultrafast fibre lasers are superior in format and convenience, offering great advantages in terms of high efficiency, good compactness, low cost, and free of maintenance, which has become one of the main hot topics in laser science. 

This project will focus on investigation of advanced mode-locked techniques to realize high-performance ultrafast fibre lasers. Novel pulse compressing and power scaling methods will be studied to achieve high-peak-power short pulses at wavelengths of 1µm and 2µm based on ytterbium and thulium fibres, respectively. Multiphoton microscopy imaging for biological tissues will be explored by using the high-performance ultrafast fibre lasers. As a part of the £5M EPSRC Programme Grant (EP/T020997/1) and a collaborative £1.6M EPSRC Prosperity Partnership Grant (EP/V038036/1), we will target both high-performance ultrafast fibre laser development and state-of-the-art nonlinear microscopy bioimaging demonstration. 

In this project the work undertaken by the student will develop good skills in both experiments and simulations. The project provides collaborative links to work closely with bio-photonic scientists and industrial engineers. The finer details of the project can be aligned to suit the preferences of the successful candidate. You will emerge as a high-achieving young scientist ready to embark on a strong career in this rapidly growing field. For candidates with industrial career aspirations, there are real opportunities to work closely with M Squared Lasers and AstraZeneca, enabling experience to be gained of working with industry. 

If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact Lin Xu, Pulsed Fibre Laser Research Group, Email: l.xu@soton.ac.uk 

Entry Requirements

A very good undergraduate degree (at least a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent). 

Closing Date

Applications are accepted throughout the year. The start date will typically be late September, but other dates are possible. 

Funding

For UK students, tuition fees and a stipend at the UKRI rate plus £2,000 ORC enhancement tax-free per annum for up to 3.5 years (totalling around £21,000 for 2024/25, rising annually). EU and Horizon Europe students are eligible for scholarships. CSC students are eligible for fee waivers. Funding for other international applicants is very limited and highly competitive. Overseas students who have secured or are seeking external funding are welcome to apply. 

How To Apply

Apply online: Search for a Postgraduate Programme of Study (soton.ac.uk). Select programme type (Research), Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, next page select “PhD ORC”. In Section 2 of the application form you should insert the name of the supervisor. 

Applications should include:

Curriculum Vitae

Two reference letters

Degree Transcripts/Certificates to date 

For further information please contact: feps-pgr-apply@soton.ac.uk