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
The projects will be supervised by senior group members, Prof Nikolay Zheludev FRS, Prof Kevin MacDonald, Dr Eric Plum, Dr Nikitas Papasimakis and Dr Dongyang Wang. (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 surpass the Abbe–Rayleigh diffraction limit. This project will develop and demonstrate new concepts and methodologies by which sub-nanometric (i.e. atomic scale) resolution can be achieved - leveraging recent advances in the topology of light fields at subwavelength scales, metamaterials, and artificial intelligence to engineer the flow of information (≠ flow of light energy) in optical systems.
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Nanomaterials Engineering with AI
Focused ion beam (FIB) milling is a key enabling technology in many areas of fundamental and applied research, and high-tech (electronics and photonics) industrial applications. This project aims to improve the efficacy, efficiency and reproducibility of FIB nanofabrication processes for advanced photonic materials and devices, and in turn their optical performance and energy efficiency, through the application of deep learning.
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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. This project will explore the physics of optically-driven transitions to the time crystal state in nanostructured materials, and potential applications to ”timetronics” - a new data processing technology harnessing the unique functionalities of time crystals.
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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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Topological Metamaterials for Light Control
Topological photonics is a rising field of research that combines geometric ideas with optical physics. The topological states are robust against sharp corners, defects, and disorders. They then make excellent solutions for building low-loss optical devices in on-chip systems. This project will explore the engineering of topological states based on metamaterials or nanostructures, aiming to deliver recipes for building topological devices.
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Metasurfaces with Extreme Light Manipulation Capabilities for Intelligent Sensing
Optical metasurfaces with extreme light manipulation capabilities will be developed by employing deep learning-based design methodologies alongside advanced nanofabrication techniques pioneered by our teams at Southampton. These cutting-edge devices will be applied to intelligent sensing applications in complex environments, including those in biomedical fields and consumer electronics.