Experimental PhD position (m/f/d, E 13 TV-L) within Research Unit FOR 5413 / University of Tübingen

Cold Rydberg quantum spin systems in optical cavities

The many-body cavity QED group of the Center of Quantum Science at the University of Tübingen is seeking an ambitious PhD student with passion for quantum physics who will work on our cold Rydberg atom / optical cavity experiment.

The offered position will run for at least 3 years. The pay grade classification E13 refers to the German federal public service scale (TV-L). Review of the applications will begin on July 1st 2022. The position should start on October 1st 2022, but we offer some flexibility concerning the starting date. The University of Tübingen is an equal opportunity employer.

All members of the Research Unit are strongly committed to increasing the number of women in research and teaching and therefore strongly encourages women to apply. Applications from persons with disabilities will be given preference in the case of equal suitability.

Project details:

Rydberg atoms exhibit long-range interactions on the micrometer scale and are thus hot candidates for quantum computation and quantum simulation. Optical cavities can mediate interactions between atoms on even longer length scales that are only limited by the size of the cavity. Such infinite-range interactions can lead to massive collective effects of atoms in the cavity. The PhD project aims at realizing both types of interactions at the same time and investigating the influence of the interaction range on the spin dynamics and phase transitions of the atomic system. The PhD student will operate and extend our cold Rydberg / optical cavity experiment. This includes the setup of lasers, optics and electronics in our laser lab, CAD-based planning of new components, programming of the experiment control, data read-out and analysis. The experimental work goes hand-in-hand with developing a theoretical understanding of the physics of the spin-system.

Supervision and embedding:

The project is led by Prof. Dr. Sebastian Slama as head of the many-body cavity QED group at the University of Tübingen. In addition, the project is strongly linked to a theoretical project within the Research Unit (further infos below), led by Dr. Beatriz Olmos-Sanchez, on the theoretical aspects of the implemented long-range interacting spin system.

The PhD position will be embedded in the Research Unit FOR 5413 ‘Long-range interacting quantum spin systems out of equilibrium: Experiment, Theory and Mathematics’ which is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). The Research Unit addresses questions concerning many-body quantum systems with long-range interactions. Its ultimate goals are the understanding, realization and control of complex quantum matter possessing collectively enhanced yet robust properties with applications in emerging quantum technologies, such as metrology and sensing. It builds on the Center for Quantum Science at the University of Tübingen and seeks to establish a flourishing research environment that brings together an interdisciplinary group of scientists from experimental and theoretical physics as well as mathematics.

Skills / Qualifications

The PhD candidate has a master's degree in physics and has a profound knowledge of quantum optics, atomic physics, laser cooling and cold atoms. The topic of the experimental master project should be related to cold atoms. A strong ability to work experimentally is expected.

Application procedure

Send your application documents to Sebastian.slama@uni-tuebingen.de and include (1) a motivation letter, (2) your CV, (3) your transcript of records, and (4) your master’s thesis if possible. (5) Applicants should also arrange for at least one recommendation letter. We will invite suitable candidates to present themselves until the position is filled. Formal employment procedures will be carried out by the University’s Central Administration.