optics PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

University of Sydney School of Chemistry

Chiral Nano-optics

We are looking for a highly motivated, passionate and competitive candidate for a fully-funded PhD position in chiral nano-optics. Read more

Supervisor: Dr G Lakhwani

Year round applications PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

University of Southampton Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Silicon Photonics for Space Optics Technologies

Supervisory Team: Dr Milos Nedeljkovic and Professor David Thomson . Project description. Space is a new but inevitable frontier for Silicon Photonics technologies. Read more

Supervisor: Dr M Nedeljkovic

Year round applications PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

University of Kent School of Physics and Astronomy

PhD Machine Learning for Medical Imaging

Research Group: Applied Optics

We are offering a fully funded PhD studentship in the application of machine learning to medical imaging, especially imaging of cancer. Read more

Supervisors: Prof A Podoleanu, Prof P de Wilde

30 April 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

University of Southampton Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

New Optics Beyond Hertzian Waves: Anapoles and Flying Donuts

Supervisory Team: Nikitas Papasimakis, Nikolay Zheludev. Project description. Read more

Supervisor: Dr N Papasimakis

Year round applications PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Heriot-Watt University School of Engineering & Physical Sciences

Nonlinear optics in time-varying dielectric media

This theoretical Project aims to study the generation of a new type of light waves emitted by materials the refractive index of which varies periodically and non-periodically in time. Read more

Supervisor: Dr F Biancalana

Year round applications PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

University of Southampton Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Chip-based photonic devices for quantum technology

Supervisory Team: Dr Peter Horak, Dr James Gates. Project description. We are looking for a PhD student to join our interdisciplinary team of students, postdocs, and senior researchers developing chip-based, microscale optics for advancing quantum technologies. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

University of Bradford Faculty of Engineering & Digital Technologies

Intelligent Techniques for Reliability Prediction and Improvement of Free-Space Optics-based Future Satellite Communication Systems

Research Group: Bradford-Renduchintala Centre for Space AI

Satellite communications play a pivotal role in our modern world, driving global efforts towards the development of next-generation satellite communication systems. Read more

Supervisors: Dr V Mai, Dr CD Dao

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

University of Exeter College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences

Quantum Enhanced Single-Molecule Biosensing: Harnessing Entangled Photons with Whispering Gallery Mode Resonators

Prof Frank Vollmer, Dr Charles Downing, University of Exeter. External collaborator. Prof Antonio Vidiella-Barranco, University of Campinas, Brazil. Read more

Supervisor: Prof F Vollmer

6 May 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

King’s College London Department of Physics

Polychromatic optical singularities

Starting from the early 1990s, a quiet revolution has been taking place in optics, coming from a growing realization that one can get a huge amount of information about the propagation of a beam of light by understanding the nature and position of the optical singularities in the beam. Read more

Supervisor: Dr EP Pisanty

1 May 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Ultrahigh resolution endoscopy for cancer diagnosis - (ENG 1686)

Supervisor: Dr S La Cavera

Vision. We are seeking a PhD student that is motivated to engineer a new optical diagnostic technology that will ease the burden of diagnosing cancer in the world. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

UNSW Sydney School of Physics

On chip microwave quantum optics with Josephson photonics

The ability to generate and detect a single photon, a single quanta of radiation, is a key requirement of many quantum technologies. Read more

Supervisor: Dr M Cassidy

30 May 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

University of Southampton Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

CDT-QTE: Quantum Control with Quantum Fields

Supervisory Team: Dr Elinor Twyeffort. Project description: This project is part of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Quantum Technology Engineering at the University of Southampton. Read more

Supervisor: Dr E K Twyeffort

31 August 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Super-optical resolution imaging using a phonon probe microscope - (ENG 1758)

Supervisor: Dr F Perez-Cota

This exciting opportunity is based within the Optics and Photonics Research Group at the Faculty of Engineering (FoE), University of Nottingham which conducts cutting-edge research into the development of imaging technology for biomedical applications. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

3-year PhD studentship: 3D printing of low dimensional materials for sensing - (ENG 1669)

Supervisor: Dr I Centre for Additive Manufacture

Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship (3 years) within the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Nottingham. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

University of Southampton Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Accelerating AI with Low Latency Hollow Core Fibres

PhD Opportunity. Accelerating AI with Low Latency Hollow Core Fibres. Read more

Supervisor: Dr G Mahdiraji

Year round applications PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

University of Southampton Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

High-performance Computer Simulation of Laser-driven X-ray Microscopy

Supervisory Team: Dr Peter Horak, Dr Bill Brocklesby . Project Description. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

PhD - Ultra-thin opto-acoustic fibre optic probe for cancer characterisation.

1 June 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Aim. Develop an ultra-thin, bio-compatible, fibre optic ultrasound instrument and a model to predict the mechanical properties of soft matter. Read more

Supervisor: Dr R Smith

Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light PhD Opportunities

PhD Students (f/m/d) for super-resolution microscopy-based investigations of the glycocalyx

The Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light research covers a wide range of topics, including nonlinear optics, quantum optics, nanophotonics, photonic crystal fibres, optomechanics, quantum technologies, biophysics, and links between physics and medicine. Read more

Supervisor: Dr LM Möckl

Year round applications PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Max Planck School of Photonics

Discover the Max Planck School of Photonics - scholarships available

The Max Planck School of Photonics (MPSP) is a top tier interdisciplinary graduate school in Germany that provides an integrated MSc and PhD program (or PhD only) in Photonics for excellent graduates from all over the world. Read more

Funded PhD Programme (Students Worldwide) Germany PhD Programme

University of Adelaide School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Nonlinear optical devices using wide bandgap semiconductor materials

High quality light sources in the visible and ultraviolet spectral region are highly desirable for applications such as exoplanet detection, atomic clocks… Read more

Supervisor: Dr A Boes

Year round applications PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Newcastle University Faculty of Medical Sciences

PhD Studentship - Developing a Novel Imaging Flow Cytometer for Label-Free Characterisation of Human White Blood Cells in Health and Disease

Award Summary. 100% of home tuition fees paid and an annual stipend (living expenses) of £18,622. Overview. Read more

Supervisor: Prof A Filby

3 June 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Heriot-Watt University School of Engineering & Physical Sciences

Doctor of Engineering (EngD) - Ophthalmic imaging with time and spectral resolution (Occuity Ltd and University of Strathclyde)

Research Group: CDT in Applied Photonics

The project aims to develop a data processing analysis pipeline for retinal imaging ophthalmoscopes with spectral and time-resolved measurement capabilities, to detect signatures of severe diseases from ophthalmic data. Read more

Supervisors: Prof D Reid, Dr D Li

31 May 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Heriot-Watt University School of Engineering & Physical Sciences

Doctor of Engineering (EngD) - Remote, range-resolved ultra-violet Raman spectroscopy for safety in hydrogen fuel and nuclear industries (Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics and University of Strathclyde)

Research Group: CDT in Applied Photonics

The detection and monitoring of substances at range is extremely important to several industrial production and safety processes. Read more

Supervisors: Prof D Reid, Dr D Li

31 May 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Heriot-Watt University School of Engineering & Physical Sciences

Doctor of Engineering (EngD) - Photonic enablers in new generation for ultra-wide field retinal imaging (Optos and University of Dundee)

Research Group: CDT in Applied Photonics

This doctoral research project aims to revolutionize ultrawidefield retinal imaging systems through the integration of cutting-edge ultrafast beam steering methods. Read more

Supervisors: Prof D Reid, Dr N Krstajic

31 May 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Heriot-Watt University School of Engineering & Physical Sciences

Doctor of Engineering (EngD) - Novel laser designs to exploit low-cost-per-Watt pumping of Ti:sapphire for application in sensing, imaging, and precise timing technologies (Fraunhofer and University of Strathclyde)

Research Group: CDT in Applied Photonics

This studentship will build on the synergies between the parallel programmes at Fh-CAP and the IoP. Read more

Supervisors: Prof D Reid, Prof A Kemp

31 May 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Heriot-Watt University School of Engineering & Physical Sciences

Doctor of Engineering (EngD) - Breaking boundaries in retinal imaging: harnessing computational prowess for dynamic 3D reconstructions and pinpoint accuracy with full-range OCT and advanced refraction compensation (Optos and University of Edinburgh)

Research Group: CDT in Applied Photonics

Embarking on the forefront of retinal imaging, our project pioneers a revolutionary 3D tomography reconstruction in the retina, aiming to mitigate deformations induced by refraction in the anterior segment and vitreous. Read more

Supervisors: Prof D Reid, Prof M Davies

31 May 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

University of Southampton Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

CDT-QTE: Optical micro-resonator design for enhanced quantum processing

Supervisory Team: Dr Peter Horak, Dr James Gates. Project description: This project is part of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Quantum Technology Engineering at the University of Southampton. Read more

31 August 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

University of Southampton Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

CDT-QTE: Integrated photonics for ion-trap quantum computing

Supervisory Team: Dr Peter Horak, Dr James Gates. Project description: This project is part of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Quantum Technology Engineering at the University of Southampton. Read more

31 August 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

University of Southampton Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Ocean Diagnostics: Development of a detection system for ocean biology monitoring using integrated silicon nitride fluorescence spectroscopy

Supervisory Team: Thalia Dominguez Bucio, Frederic Gardes, Rand Ismaeel, Matthew Mowlem . Project description. Read more

Supervisor: Dr T Dominguez Bucio

31 August 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)