Impact PhD Studentship: Development of inductive microwave nanoSQUIDs for Quantum Technology Applications

Impact PhD Studentship: Development of inductive microwave nanoSQUIDs for Quantum Technology Applications (UK/EU Students Only)

A 3-year, fully-funded PhD studentship is available at the London Centre for Nanotechnology (LCN) and the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at University College London (UCL), in conjunction with the UK’s National Physical Laboratory (NPL) based in Teddington. The aim of the project is to build on a successful collaboration between Dr Edward Romans at UCL and Professor Ling Hao at NPL in the design, fabrication and application of nanoscale superconducting quantum interference devices (nanoSQUIDs) as ultrasensitive magnetic flux sensors.

Quantum Technologies are developing rapidly internationally, driven by QIP requirements, but also for quantum sensing and communications. NanoSQUIDs have a unique role in these developments: they have already achieved a sensitivity capable of detecting a single electronic spin flip given sufficient measurement time. However further research is required to enable new integratable and scalable quantum circuits to be realised. We propose extending the existing NPL/UCL collaboration by introducing a novel approach for nanoSQUID measurement involving microwave inductive interrogation methods. This will greatly improve the device performance, and especially allow much faster single spin readout with lower back-action to meet the requirements of future QIP applications.

The student will be based in the LCN – a purpose-built building on UCL’s Bloomsbury site in central London which houses state-of-the-art nano-fabrication, ultralow temperature characterisation and computational facilities. The project will involve close collaboration with the Quantum Metrology Group at NPL, and the student will spend significant time working at NPL during the project. NPL is the UK’s National Measurement Institute and a world-leading centre of excellence in developing and applying the most accurate measurement standards.

The studentship will be available from October 2016 for 3 years. The award will cover tuition fees and a tax-free maintenance stipend (including London weighting) which is currently £16,296 per annum. Candidates should have received, or expect to receive, at least a 2:1, or equivalent, in their first degree in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science or similar, and they should be eligible for UK/EU fee status.

To apply please send a CV with the contact details of at least two referees to Dr Edward Romans (e.romans ‘at’ ucl.ac.uk) who will also be happy to answer any questions about the studentship.