PhD in RF-Acoustics

We have a potential PhD opportunity associated our recently awarded EPSRC project GLIMMER which aims to rethink radio frequency systems from the ground up by applying ideas from integrated photonics to high frequency (GHz) acoustic waves. Guiding sound in (acoustic) index confined waveguides on the surface of a chip reduces the foot-print of traditional acoustic wave components like filters, resonators and delay lines by two orders of magnitude (analogous to moving from optical fibers to silicon photonics) paving the way for monolithic integration with active devices. We will use gallium nitride as the material platform to develop and implement these ideas.

This PhD will suit students from Electrical Engineering or Physics with a background in RF or Microwave Engineering who would like to expand their research horizons to RF-Acoustic device design. The PhD will require the use of a range of circuit simulators such as COMSOL and CST and the use of wafer probe characterisation techniques. The work also provides students with extensive opportunities to engage with industry through our project partners at IQE, TI and Qorvo.

The work will be carried out in the group of the project Co-I, Professor Cryan in collaboration with the project PI, Porfessor Krishna Balram, and the student will be a part of the wider photonics and quantum research group at Bristol. Our labs in Bristol are well equipped to carry out this work including a 50GHz Vector Network Analyzer and wafer probe station. The Bristol cleanroom has been recently upgraded and features state of the art nanofabrication tools (including a Raith Voyager system for electron beam lithography).

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