Highly Integrated Coherent optical fibre Communications, supported by EFFECT Photonics

Applications are invited for a three-and-a-half year Postgraduate studentship, supported by the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences and EFFECT Photonics, to be undertaken within the Optical Fibre Communications Research Group of AiPT at Aston University. The successful applicant will join an established experimental group working on future high speed, high capacity optical fibre communication systems, to work on research projects co-defined by EFFECT Photonics related to the development of a new generation of optical transceivers for vital short-reach applications, such as 5G, mobile fronthaul, and data centre interconnects. 

The position is available to start in October 2022.

Background to the Project

The optical fibre communications research group at AiPT has a long history of innovations in nonlinear photonics and long-established relationships with leading companies in the optical networking industry. These PhD studentships are directly funded by EFFECT Photonics within the framework of a project entitled “Highly Integrated Coherent optical fibre Communications” which aims to explore the future roadmap of EFFECT Photonics’s System-on-Chip technology as applied to a new generation of highly compact, power efficient and agile optical transceivers. 

The successful applicant will join a research team comprising Prof Wladek Forysiak, Dr Ian Phillips, and Dr Stelios Sygletos, within an optical fibre communications group of over 20 researchers, and will benefit from full scale experimental facilities including access to multi-100Gb/s optical transmission test-beds, state-of-the-art high speed electronic test equipment, and dedicated computational facilities. The project will investigate the performance of a new generation of digital coherent transceivers in development by EFFECT Photonics, and will enable the student to gain highly sought after skills in optical communications, high speed electronics, digital signal processing, and machine learning. This 3.5 year studentship is funded and co-directed by EFFECT Photonics, and the student will enjoy opportunities to develop close working relationships and gain valuable industrial experience with the company during extended visits to their engineering sites in the UK and The Netherlands.   

Person Specification

The successful applicant should have been awarded, or expect to achieve, a Masters degree in a relevant subject with a 60% or higher weighted average, and/or a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree (or an equivalent qualification from an overseas institution) in physics, applied physics, or electronic/electrical engineering. Preferred skill requirements include knowledge/experience of optical fibre communications, photonics, and/or mathematical modelling of physical systems, including digital signal processing and machine learning. 

We would particularly like to encourage applications from women seeking to progress their academic careers. Aston University is committed to the principles of the Athena SWAN Charter, recognised recently by a prestigious Silver Award to EPS, and we pride ourselves on our vibrant, friendly and supportive working environment and family atmosphere.

Submitting an application

Details of how to submit your application, and the necessary supporting documents can be found here. 

For informal enquiries about this project please contact Professor Wladek Forysiak by email at [Email Address Removed].

If you require further information about the application process, please contact the Postgraduate Admissions team at [Email Address Removed]