PhD Opportunities
Work at the forefront of global photonics and advanced materials research:
We are seeking students with a good understanding of relevant physics and (nano)materials science, and a degree in a related discipline to work with us on a variety of inter-related projects under major nanophotonics research programmes funded (to a total ~£40M) by the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
You will join a strong international team of students, postdoctoral and academic staff working together on aspects of cutting-edge nanophotonics research – seeking to understand, control and utilize light and light-matter interactions at the sub-wavelengths scale. A remarkable range of new phenomena is found in this regime, with wide-ranging potential applications in, for example, telecommunications, metrology, sensing, defence, super-resolution imaging, and data storage.
Our projects are an opportunity to develop advanced skills in experimental photonics, computational electromagnetic modelling, nanofabrication, electron and optical microscopy, and applications of machine learning and AI. It is expected that students will publish a number of papers in leading academic journals and present their work at major international conferences as their research progresses.
Find out more about life as a postgraduate student at the Optoelectronics Research Centre, and the support available (including generous stipends for UK students) at www.southampton.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/photonics-optoelectronics
Projects will be supervised by a team of two senior academic/research staff within the group (see www.nanophotonics.org.uk/niz/people/).
Please direct informal enquiries to Prof. Zheludev and Dr. Plum including a copy of your CV.
Currently available PhD projects
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Picophotonics: The Science of Light-Matter Interactions at Sub-nanometre Scale
Optical imaging and metrology techniques now routinely break the classical diffraction limit on resolution. This project will reach further still – leveraging recent advances in the subwavelength structure of light fields, metamaterials, information theory and artificial intelligence to achieve sub-nanometric (atomic scale!) optical measurement precision.
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Intelligent Nanofabrication for Nanophotonics
Focused ion beam (FIB) milling is a key enabling technology in physical sciences research and industrial micro/nanotech manufacturing. This project will develop and apply deep learning techniques to accelerate and improve FIB nanofabrication processes for advanced photonic materials, in turn enhancing their optical performance and energy efficiency.
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Photonic Time Crystals and Timetronics
Time crystals are an eagerly sought phase of matter in which time-translation symmetry is broken. In this project, we explore the exciting physics of time crystals and the foundations of ‘timetronics’ - an information and data technology relying on the unique functionalities of this sophisticated yet esoteric state of matter.
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Spatiotemporal Light Fields
Recent discoveries of exotic forms of light, structured in space and in time, promise novel ways of transferring information, delivering energy, and even manipulating matter. The project will focus on the generation, light-matter interactions, and applications of spatiotemporally structured electromagnetic waves.
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Optoelectronic Topological Metasurfaces for Light Control
Recent developments in quantum materials and topological design principles are transforming the way we control the flow of light and charges. This project will develop nanostructured metasurfaces where optical and electronic functionalities build upon the fields’ vectorial nature and are codesigned, for a new generation of light-emitting and detecting optoelectronic (meta)devices.
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Engineering Coherence in Metamaterials and Metasurfaces
Systems where coherence establishes spontaneously, such as lasers, Bose-Einstein condensates, superradiant emitters and time crystals, are important for classical and quantum technologies. Photonic metamaterials/metasurfaces are ideal platforms to foster the emergence of coherent phenomena. This project will study how coupling between nanostructures can mediate coherence and enable future photonic devices.
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Quantum Nano-optical Metadevices
Controlling nanoscale light−matter interactions will be foundational for advanced quantum nanophotonic devices, including optically/electrically pumped light sources, switches, modulators, and photodetectors. In this project we will engineer coupling of quantum emitters (e.g. quantum dots, atomic defects in 2D materials, Moiré superlattices) to metasurfaces for future monolithic chips with indistinguishable emitters.
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Metasurface Technology for Next-Generation Automotive Sensing and 3D Facial Recognition
This PhD project will develop metasurface-engineered optical systems for next-generation automotive and biometric sensing. Building on recent funding from the EPSRC and the Leverhulme Trust, the project combines advanced nanofabrication, machine learning-driven optical design, and international collaboration with NTU Singapore and MIT to push metasurface technologies toward real-world commercialisation.