Quantiki

Since 1990, the volt has been defined using superconducting devices called Josephson junctions. The DC voltage across a Josephson junction is related only via fundamental constants to the frequency of an applied microwave signal. As existing microwave sources have frequency stability well below one part-per-billion (ppb), so is the precision of the Josephson voltage standard.

Solid-state spins in an optical cavity

The ultimate goal is to create spin-spin entanglements at useful rates. A number of challenges have to be overcome. The materials processing must be improved in order to create optically-coherent NV centres in thin diamond-membranes. Quantum optics-based techniques must be used to quantify the properties of the photons: their purity and indistinguishability. Spin manipulation must be combined with the cavity setup. Techniques must be established to tune remote NV centres into resonance with each other. The project will offer experience in all these fields, along with possibilities to explore the application of the same cavity structure to other solid-state systems, for instance semiconductor quantum dots.

Hybrid quantum networks with atomic memories and quantum dot single-photon sources

The goal of this project is to interface the two systems through an optical fiber link that was recently installed in Basel. Several improvements will be implemented to achieve low-noise operation: controlling the charge state of the dot and enhancing the photon collection efficiency with an optical cavity, as well as controlling the spin state of the atoms to suppress four-wave mixing noise by selection rules. After demonstrating storage and retrieval of quantum dot single photons in the atomic memory, we intend to perform basic quantum networking tasks such as entangling two remote atomic memories.

Experimental Quantum Simulations based on Trapped Ions (& Atoms)

Direct experimental access to the most intriguing and puzzling quantum phenomena is extremely difficult and their numerical simulation on conventional computers can easily become computationally intractable. However, one might gain deeper insight into complex quantum dynamics via experimentally simulating and modelling the quantum behaviour of interest in a second quantum system. There, the significant parameters and interactions are precisely controlled and underlying quantum effects can be detected sufficiently well, thus, their relevance might be revealed. Trapped atomic ions have been shown to be a unique platform for quantum control, evidenced by the most precise operations of quantum information processing and their performance as best atomic clocks. Still, scaling is the major challenge – i.e. the endeavour to control increasingly large systems of particles at the quantum level will be one of the driving forces for physical sciences in the coming decades. We aim to control charged atoms at the highest level possible to further scale many-body (model) systems ion by ion. This approach is, in a way, the ultimate form of engineering - in radio-frequency traps, as well as in all-optical traps, when combined with ultracold atoms.

Wave packet interference experiments for the investigation of ultrafast dynamics and decoherence effects on the attosecond time scale

Supervisor: Prof. Frank Stienkemeier

Eligibility criteria and requirements
The applicant should be a highly motivated early stage researcher with a Master degree in Physics. A solid background in the atomic, molecular and optical physics as well as experience in laser and vacuum technology is needed.

QUSTEC programme follows MSCA eligibility criteria: Required level of experience is ‘Early Stage Researcher’ according to the definition in the work programme of the 2018-2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions: Applicants must, at the date of the respective call deadline of QUSTEC, be in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers and have not yet been awarded a doctoral degree. Mobility criterion: The applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the future host organisation for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the call deadline of QUSTEC. Short stays such as holidays are not taken into account. For refugees under the Geneva Convention, the refugee procedure (i.e. before refugee status is conferred) will not be counted as a period of residence/activity in the country of the host organisation.

Understanding and engineering microscopic sources of noise in solid-state quantum devices

PhD supervisors : Dr Clemens Müller and Dr Andreas Fuhrer

Eligibility criteria and requirements
The candidate should have a solid background in quantum mechanics, quantum optics and quantum information theory, ideally with previous experience in the theory of open quantum system. The candidate must be curious to learn and expand her/his expertise on quantum circuit design, condensed matter physics, materials science, surface chemistry, and experimental data analysis. Excellent coding skills and a working knowledge of Mathematica and Python are expected.

QUSTEC programme follows MSCA eligibility criteria: Required level of experience is ‘Early Stage Researcher’ according to the definition in the work programme of the 2018-2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions: Applicants must, at the date of the respective call deadline of QUSTEC, be in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers and have not yet been awarded a doctoral degree. Mobility criterion: The applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the future host organisation for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the call deadline of QUSTEC. Short stays such as holidays are not taken into account. For refugees under the Geneva Convention, the refugee procedure (i.e. before refugee status is conferred) will not be counted as a period of residence/activity in the country of the host organisation.

Your Tasks

• Developing quantum machine learning algorithms
• Investigating error mitigation for NISQ devices
• Participating in cooperation projects with industry and research
• Managing project assignments and/or supervising students
• Disseminating research results in scientific publications, lectures and by attending outreach activities aimed at the general public (e.g., events, trade fairs, etc.)

What we expect from you

We are currently hiring for five roles at Nu Quantum. These are :

- QRNG Experimental Scientist
- QRNG Theoretical Scientist
- Quantum Optics Scientist
- Quantum Detector Scientist
- Project Manager

Our roles are based in Cambridge, United Kingdom.

We are offering both a fully funded three-year postdoctoral position (E13) and a PhD position (E13 3/4) to highly motivated and well-qualified researchers who intend to conduct research in the field of quantum error correction and related fields. The scientific project will relate to the fundamentals of topological quantum error correcting codes as well as to near-term error mitigation in realistic quantum devices. The successful candidates will work as part of the research group led by Jens Eisert at the FU Berlin.