Surrey is funding 25 new PhD positions with full scholarships. Five scholarships will be awarded for start in Oct 2015 or Jan 2016, and applicants must choose from 11 possible projects.

The ATI is offering 5 of the 11 possible projects:

1. High-Frequency Electromagnetic Measurements and Modelling of Extreme Impedance Devices – Dr Peter Aaen
New measurement techniques are required for the characterization, modelling, and design of (i) power transistors to be used in next-generation mobile networks (5G), and (ii) nano and quantum devices that exploit high-frequency electromagnetic behaviour. While these fields seem disparate, they all require precise electromagnetic characterization of devices having extreme impedances. We will develop capabilities to characterize and model devices accurately, either in terms of their intrinsic physical behaviour or their designed device performance.

2. Two-dimensional layered materials for single photon sources – Prof Jeremy Allam
The remarkable behaviour of ‘two-dimensional’ electrons in graphene has led to many scientific and technological advances and to an explosion of research in other atomically-thin materials, such as molybdenum disulphide and similar transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs). TMDCs are semiconductors (unlike graphene), and they have been used to produce single photons, an essential tool for quantum information processing with light, quantum metrology and fundamental quantum mechanics. The goal of this project is to identify the best candidates for a useful TMDC single photon source.

3. The Metrology of nanoSQUID Sensors– Prof Richard Curry
The project will develop and investigate the performance of nanoSQUIDs (superconducting quantum interference devices) for use in quantum technologies as a sensor. Quantum sensors for the measurement of time- and spatially- resolved quantum behaviour offer novel capabilities way beyond the state-of-the-art. This project will take an existing prototype sensor and amplifier (based on a novel nano-design developed at NPL/Surrey) and research its application in sensing of the time evolution of nanoscale electronic spin systems based on magnetically doped semi- conductor nanocrystals

4. Topological-insulator surface states in hybrid superconducting quantum circuits – Dr Eran Ginossar
The search for universal physical effects, independent of the details and defects of the material, is a basic requirement for metrology. Fascinating from both fundamental and technological viewpoints, topological insulators (TI) are materials which promise to produce both this and the robust quantum coherence requirement for most quantum technological applications. We will theoretically analyse physical models to guide the development of nano-scale hybrid TI-superconducting devices towards new quantum metrology standards and new electronic states that will store quantum information.

5. Terahertz pulse generation for silicon based quantum technologies – Prof Ben Murdin
The phosphorus impurity atom trapped in a silicon crystal provides a very promising emergent quantum technology platform. It is envisaged that eventually arrays of P-atoms might form the registers of a quantum computer, or the pixels of a quantum imager, etc. Although superpositions of spin states controlled with microwave pulses are now well understood, superpositions of orbital transitions (a crucial requirement for entangling neighbouring Si:P atoms) can only be made with pulses in the THz spectrum. Here we will develop a simple table-top source of THz pulses, and use them to investigate entanglement.

For more details about each project please email the supervisor directly.

If you would like to apply for one or more of the above projects, you must email the supervisor(s) to discuss your application and arrange an interview. There is no disadvantage in applying for more than one project, but it would be helpful to know your preferences.

1. p.aaen@surrey.ac.uk
2. j.allam@surrey.ac.uk
3. r.j.curry@surrey.ac.uk
4. e.ginossar@surrey.ac.uk
5. b.murdin@surrey.ac.uk