On-chip near-zero-index photonics

One Ph.D. studentship (UK nationals only) is available at the ASN-Lab in the context of the School of Engineering & Physical Sciences of Heriot-Watt University, in Edinburgh (UK). The related research project will be mostly focused on the fabrication and characterization of integrated plasmonic components for application in Quantum Optics. The successful candidate will be provided with funding to pay tuition fees and an adequate tax-free stipend for 3 years.

The project

On-chip near-zero-index photonics: Plasmonics and Metamaterial-based technologies enable deep subwavelength confinement and full control over the interaction between light and matter. These being the two fundamental attributes at the base of modern Nanophotonics.

The proposed project aims at solving many of the “intrinsic” limitations of nanocomponents, namely large ohmic losses, poor tunability of the optical properties, and CMOS incompatibility. This will be achieved by developing novel all-dielectric devices and structured materials. The quantum features of the fabricated systems will be then tested in the index-near-zero regime where both nonlinearities and quantum coherence are predicted to be enhanced. The transient behavior under optical excitation will also be investigated in detail.

Requirements

We are looking for a talented, proactive, and strongly motivated individual to work on ground-breaking science. A suitable applicant must have a first class degree in physics or other relevant subject in the physical sciences or engineering. Experience with CST microwave studio, COMSOL Multiphysics and math tools such as Matlab will be a plus.

Job description

The selected student will be based at the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences of Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. However, he/she is expected to occasionally travel for conferences and/or collaborations in different location outside the country. The successful candidate will master numerous fundamental aspects at the base of the fabrication of integrated photonic devices and acquire hands-on experience on advanced facilities already available on campus. The very applicative nature of the proposed project will luckily lead to different industrial collaborations.

For inquiries please contact Dr. Marcello Ferrera