The University of Exeter has a number of fully funded EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) Doctoral Landscape Award (EPSRC DLA) studentships for 2025/26 entry.

Students will be given sector-leading training and development with outstanding facilities and resources. The EPSRC studentships will be offered across the whole of EPSRC’s remit, with projects at the interface of disciplines and collaborations with users where appropriate. Studentships will be awarded to outstanding applicants, the distribution will be overseen by the University’s EPSRC Strategy Group in partnership with the Doctoral College.

Quantum theory PhD position in Exeter, United Kingdom

Project title: Quantum technologies for energy and information storage (theory)

Supervisor: Dr. Charles Downing

To apply: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/v8media/recruitmentsites/documents/Quantum_technologies_for_energy_and_information_storage_EPSRC_DLA_Project_September_2025_Entry.pdf

Application details: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/funding/award/?id=5480

Project details:

Quantum technologies rely to some extent on one or more of the wonders of quantum mechanics, including quantum entanglement, superposition, tunnelling and so on. Emerging quantum technologies will likely radically change the world, especially after breakthroughs in areas like quantum computing, cryptography and sensing. Recently, quantum devices for energy storage, so-called quantum batteries, have drawn significant attention thanks to their potential to outperform their classical counterparts [1]. Meanwhile, the first steps in the experimental development of quantum batteries have lent credence to the idea that such quantum storage devices can plausibly be integrated into wider quantum technologies [2, 3]. As such, quantum batteries are a key future quantum technology. We will design novel models of quantum batteries in an open quantum systems approach – paying close attention to the pernicious effects of dissipation. We will characterize their performance based upon the maximum amount of energy that they can store, the amount of useful work which can be performed, the charging and discharging times, the energy uncertainty and quantum speed of the battery. In particular, we are interested in the expressly quantum nature of the battery, and we will seek quantum advantages (including collective quantum effects and via quantum squeezing) in order to design an efficient battery which can outperform its classical counterparts. We will carry out a mix of pen-and-paper calculations and numerical simulations, including on QuTip.

[1] F. Campaioli et al., Rev. Mod. Phys. 96, 031001 (2024)

[2] J. Q. Quach et al., Sci. Adv. 8, eabk3160 (2022)

[3] C. K. Hu et al., Quantum Sci. Technol. 7, 045018 (2022)