Current PhD Opportunities
Our PhDs are organised by our research groups. For more information on each of these groups, please visit the Research section.
Observational Astrophysics
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Supervisor
Professor Isobel Hook
Description
Dark energy is often invoked as the cause of the accelerating expansion of the universe, but its nature remains unknown. New telescopes and instruments will soon detect vast numbers of Type Ia supernovae (SNe) that can be used as cosmological distance indicators to address this problem. We expect the new facilities, which include Rubin Observatory, ESA's Euclid mission, 4MOST (the 4meter Multi-Object Spectrograph Telescope) and the Roman Space Telescope, to detect tens of thousands of new supernovae and their host galaxies via a range of imaging and spectroscopic observations. This PhD project aims to use a combination of the new data to study the environments of the supernovae within their host galaxies. It is known that host galaxy environments are connected to subtle differences in the peak brightness of Type Ia SNe; the project goal is to better understand these correlations in order to advance the use of Type Ia supernovae as distance indicators for cosmology. The project will start by collecting and combining relevant measurements from the new datasets. This information will then be used to study correlations between SN Ia brightness and host galaxy properties, both globally and locally near the SN positions. The student will work with collaborators in major survey projects to incorporate the results into a cosmological analysis and hence ultimately improve constraints on the nature of Dark Energy. Please contact Prof Isobel Hook for further information.
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Supervisor
Dr John Stott
Description
As the Universe ages, galaxies find themselves drawn together into filaments, groups and clusters. Galaxies entering these dense environments can experience processes which ultimately lead to a dramatic change in their appearance and internal properties. This project will discover how galaxies are transformed (`quenched’) from blue star-forming spiral discs (like our own Milky Way) into passive red elliptical galaxies, through interactions with their environment.
This PhD project will be a detailed study of galaxy transformation with environment, comparing those in massive galaxy clusters to the low density "field" environment. You will use spectroscopy and imaging from Hubble Space Telescope, Very Large Telescope, Subaru telescope, WEAVE/William Herschel Telescope, James Webb Space Telescope and the revolutionary Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). The results of this project will be physically interpreted through comparison with the outputs from state-of-the-art cosmological simulations of galaxy formation.
This PhD project represents just one component of the research performed by the wider Astrophysics group at Lancaster University.
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Supervisor
Dr Julie Wardlow
Description
Luminous submillimetre-selected galaxies (SMGs) and dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) are distant galaxies that are undergoing immense bursts of star formation, with typical star-formation rates of hundreds to thousands of times that of our Milky Way. These extreme systems likely represent a key phase in the formation of massive local elliptical galaxies and even 20 years after their discovery they continue to challenge theories of galaxy evolution.
This PhD project aims to reveal both the small-scale and large-scale environments of SMGs. Using data from facilities including Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) and ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) the project will examine whether the extreme star formation in SMGs is triggered by mergers and interactions with nearby companions. We will also study whether SMGs reside in protoclusters, which is expected for the progenitors of local massive elliptical galaxies. The results of these observational analyses will be used to test theories of the formation and evolution of submillimetre galaxies, and probe whether they are caused by galaxy-galaxy mergers as some simulations suggest.
Please contact Dr Julie WardlowDr Julie Wardlow for further information. This PhD project represents just one component of the research performed by the wider Astrophysics group at Lancaster University. Our PhD projects are offered on a competitive basis and are subject to availability of funding. For more general information about PhD study in Physics at Lancaster please contact our postgraduate admissions staff at py-pgadmiss@lancaster.ac.uk.
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Theoretical Particle Cosmology
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Supervisor
Professor Konstantinos Dimopoulos
Description
Cosmic Inflation in the early Universe Cosmic Inflation is a period of superluminal expansion of space just after the Big Bang. It is fixing the initial conditions of the Universe history, in that it makes the Universe large and uniform. Additionally, inflation generates quantum-mechanically the controlled violation of uniformity necessary for the build-up of structures such as galaxies and galactic clusters. Inflation is under new light due to the recent cosmological data, such as the Planck CMB observations. Several families of inflationary models are now excluded, while new research on the favoured models overlaps with concerns over the stability of the electroweak vacuum (Higgs inflation) and the UV completion of gravity (R^2 inflation).
The discovery of gravitational waves has ignited new interest in detecting primordial gravitational waves, quantum generated during inflation, which are a smoking gun for inflation theory, and motivates forthcoming observations (e.g. the Einstein Telescope, LISA). Observations of primordial gravitational waves may reveal the history of the early Universe, especially if there are periods when the Universe is dominated by a stiff fluid, which enhance the primordial gravitational radiation. Such a period is a natural ingredient of quintessential inflation scenarios.
Quintessential Inflation and Dark Energy
Observations suggest that the Universe at present is engaging anew in a period of late time inflation, determined by a mysterious substance called dark energy, which makes up about 70% of the density budget of the Universe today. Dark energy can be modelled similarly to primordial inflation, through a substance called quintessence. Quintessential inflation is the effort to economically treat dark energy and primordial inflation in a common theoretical framework. As such, quintessential inflation connects not only with primordial inflation data but also with imminent future dark energy observations (e.g. EUCLID), which can provide information on early Universe physics at very high energies, well beyond the reach of Earth based experiments. Moreover, quintessential inflation can exploit the famous scale mystery, whereby the scale of electroweak physics, which is explored in collider experiments such as the LHC, is roughly the geometric mean of the Planck energy scale, which is associated with gravity, and the dark energy scale. This implies that observations in the early and late Universe can be used to shed some light on particle physics phenomenology.
Primordial Black Holes
Primordial Black Holes are a natural outcome of many inflationary scenarios, as they can be formed by rare spikes in the spectrum of primordial density perturbations, generated by inflation. Primordial Black Holes can be the Dark Matter in the Universe, which makes up about 25% of the Universe budget at present. They could also seed the supermassive black holes which reside at the centres of galaxies and are responsible for Active Galactic Nuclei. Their formation depends not only on the details of inflation but also on the conditions in the post-inflation Universe. If they are small enough, they are expected to evaporate through the emission of Hawking radiation, which could heat the Universe after inflation but might also have many other effects on the CMB radiation. After the direct observations of binary black hole mergers, there is intense interest in exploring the cosmology of Primordial Black Holes.
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Space and Planetary Physics
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Supervisor
Dr Licia Ray
Description: Energetic electrons precipitating in Jupiter’s atmosphere generate some of the brightest aurora in the solar system, yet much is unknown the region in which they are accelerated. Recent data from the Juno mission has provided unprecedented knowledge of the high-latitude auroral region, yet data coverage is spatially and temporally limited by the single spacecraft. This PhD project aims to explore the behaviour of Jupiter’s acceleration region a 1D spatial, 2D phase space numerical Vlasov simulations.
The student will work with a time-dependent Vlasov code of Jupiter’s auroral acceleration region. They will investigate how the magnitude of field-aligned potential drops varies with initial density profiles, relating the outputs to Juno plasma data and auroral observations.
Students interested in this project should apply via the Lancaster University admissions system.
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Supervisor
Dr Licia Ray and/or Dr Sarah Badman
Description: Jupiter’s magnetosphere is the largest structure in our solar system, inflated by plasma from the moon Io. Iogenic plasma pervades the system and is coupled to Jupiter’s atmosphere via the planetary magnetic field. Recent modelling work has shown that the connection between these two regions is local time dependent, with plasma decoupled from the atmosphere at distances as small as 30 planetary radii on the nightside of the system. This PhD project will refine existing models and look for evidence of decoupling in Juno data.
The student will update the existing Jenkins et al. model to include magneto-sonic effects. They will also explore relevant Juno datasets, such as MAG and UVS, for signatures of decoupling such as magnetic field rotations and discontinuities and auroral intensity variations. We encourage interested students to be creative and consider how recent insight from Solar Orbiter and Parker Solar Probe discoveries can be adapted to the jovian system.
Students interested in this project should apply via the Lancaster University admissions system.
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Supervisor
Dr Maria Walch
Description
Earth’s magnetic environment, the magnetosphere is driven by the solar wind. This results in plasma convection around the whole of the magnetosphere and ionosphere, the atmosphere’s ionised top layer. We have observed this plasma convection in the ionosphere and magnetosphere for decades using spacecraft and ground-based systems like radars. We know that magnetic reconnection in the nightside magnetosphere results in auroral brightening. These brightenings are sometimes abrupt and fast growing, with specific auroral features that we group to call substorms (Akasofu, 1964). Substorms are one of the “magnetospheric modes”, the way the magnetosphere responds to solar wind driving (e.g. Pulkkinen et al., 2010). Substorms are the most frequently occurring magnetospheric mode and often precede a steady magnetospheric convection event (Walach et al., 2015). On the large, global scale, steady magnetospheric convection events and substorms start out the same but something happens during the evolution of a steady magnetospheric convection event that makes it different to substorms (Walach et al., 2017).
In recent years, we have deployed instrumentation that can measure magntosphere-ionosphere interactions at improved temporal and spatial cadence. This PhD project will aim to understand what these differences are using a large array of measurements from space and on the ground. You will investigate where in space and time differences between substorms and steady magnetospheric convection events occur using historical data. You will then investigate types of these events further and test your findings using newer, high resolution data. For this investigation, you will use new instrumentation that can measure meso-scale features (~10s-100s km scale sizes) in plasma convection, auroras and plasma densities.
A minimum of a 2:1 UK honours degree or equivalent is a requirement. It would be beneficial to have a mathematics/computer science background with an interest in space physics, or a physics background with an interest in programming. Prior programming knowledge is necessary, alongside a passion for research, and an inquisitive attitude.
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Please contact Maria Walach (m.walach@lancater.ac.uk) for further information on the project.
References:
Akasofu, S. I. (1964). The development of the auroral substorm. Planetary and Space Science, 12(4), 273-282.
Pulkkinen, T. I., Palmroth, M., Koskinen, H. E., Laitinen, T. V., Goodrich, C. C., Merkin, V. G., & Lyon, J. G. (2010). Magnetospheric modes and solar wind energy coupling efficiency. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 115(A3).
Walach, M. T., & Milan, S. E. (2015). Are steady magnetospheric convection events prolonged substorms?. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 120(3), 1751-1758.
Walach, M. T., Milan, S. E., Murphy, K. R., Carter, J. A., Hubert, B. A., & Grocott, A. (2017). Comparative study of large‐scale auroral signatures of substorms, steady magnetospheric convection events, and sawtooth events. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 122(6), 6357-6373.
Experimental Particle Physics
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Supervisor
Dr James Ferrando
Description
The Z boson is a key piece of the Standard Model. It was first observed in the 1980s at CERN via its decays to two charged leptons. Many of its properties were thoroughly explored at the Large Electron Positron Collider (LEP). Now at the LHC hundreds of millions of Z-bosons have been produced and their well-known mass is exploited to calibrate our detector. Nonetheless some properties of the Z boson remain relatively unexplored.
Within the Standard Model it is expected that the Z boson should decay to two leptons associated with a vector meson around once in every million decays. The CMS collaboration made the first observation of such processes in 2018, measuring the fraction of Z-bosons decaying to Psi mesons associated with two charged leptons as approximately 0.0000008.
For this project it is envisaged to use data recorded by the ATLAS detector to search for decays of the Z boson to two charged leptons in association with vector mesons, such as the rho and upsilon mesons.
These measurements will be compared to the related and well known decays to two charged leptons associated with a photon. The project will probe Quantum chromodynamics in a theoretically challenging regime and has the potential to constrain new physics beyond the Standard model that would cause anomalous couplings between Z bosons and photons.
Students interested in this PhD project should apply via the Lancaster University admission system. Applicants are normally expected to have the equivalent of a first (1) or upper second (2.1) degree class in Physics or Astrophysics. The Lancaster School of Physics and Astronomy holds an Athena SWAN silver award and JUNO Champion status and is strongly committed to fostering inclusion and diversity within its community.
Our PhD projects are offered on a competitive basis and are subject to availability of funding. For full consideration for any possible funding, please submit applications by 31st January 2027.
Accelerator Physics
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Supervisor
Dr Rostislav Mikhaylovskiy
Description
The Lancaster University is pleased to offer a PhD studentship supported by Green Future Fellowship project: Terahertz magnetic recording for green data storage technology. The PhD position is available for admission in October 2027. The studentship is fully funded for UK/EU/International students for 4 years. Applicants should have a Master's degree in Physics before the programme starts.
The rapid move to wireless devices and the proliferation of cloud-based technologies call for denser, faster and more energy efficient data processing and storage. However, the heat produced by modern data centres has already become a serious limitation to further increase their performance. At present, the data industry lacks a solution for this problem, which in future may contribute greatly to the global warming and energy crisis. This Fellowship aims to pave a way towards a memory device characterised by very low energy consumption and switching times of one trillionth of a second. Very short pulses of electro-magnetic radiation at terahertz frequency (i.e. thousand times faster than that in current data communication and processing standards) are among the shortest stimuli available. These pulses are made from light particles, photons, with their energies naturally matching those of elementary quantum magnets, “spins”, which are used to store information in the magnetic memory. Hence, such terahertz photons can selectively excite spins on their own energy scale without releasing any significant heating into the surrounding medium. Furthermore, the terahertz excitation of the spins is expected to be strong enough to induce switching of the spins’ orientations, representing an elementary act of writing a bit of information within a magnetic data storage device.
This predominantly experimental PhD project will explore both fast and efficient control of the magnetic order with an ambition to develop the terahertz magnetic recording with the speed and heat dissipations far beyond the state of the art, laying the fundament for future green computing. This project at the interface between magnetism and photonics offers training in ultrafast optics, terahertz and magneto-optical spectroscopies as well as in physics of magnetically ordered materials. The successful candidate will be trained and supported in other academic skills such as the preparation of high-impact journal publications, and presenting your work at international meetings and conferences. In addition, they will have the opportunity to join in local and national outreach and engagement activities. There will be opportunities for participating in technology transfer and commercialisation, international travel, and engagement with major magnetic recording industries such as Seagate Technology. The successful candidate will contribute to solving the existential challenge to the humankind: excessive energy consumption by data-intensive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things and cloud computing.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all backgrounds and sections of society. The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
About Green Future Fellowship programme:
https://raeng.org.uk/green-future-fellowships
https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/physics/about-us/news/green-future-fellowship-for-lancaster-physicist
Key publications:
[1] R. A. Leenders, O. Y. Kovalenko, Y. Saito, N. R. Vovk, A. V. Kimel, and R. V. Mikhaylovskiy. “THz-driven spin dynamics in orthoferrites with Kramers and Non-Kramers rare-earth ions.” Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 246703 (2025). https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/ldnx-67qz
[2] R. A. Leenders, D. Afanasiev, A. V. Kimel and R. V. Mikhaylovskiy. Canted spin order as a platform for ultrafast conversion of magnons. Nature 630, 335 (2024). https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07448-3
[3] S. Schlauderer, C. Lange, S. Baierl, T. Ebnet, C. P. Schmid, D. C. Valovcin, A. K. Zvezdin, A. V. Kimel, R. V. Mikhaylovskiy and R. Huber. Temporal and spectral fingerprints of ultrafast all-coherent spin switching. Nature 569, 383 (2019). https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1174-7
[4]. S. Baierl, M. Hohenleutner, T. Kampfrath, A. K. Zvezdin, A. V. Kimel, R. Huber, and R. V. Mikhaylovskiy. Nonlinear spin control by terahertz driven anisotropy fields. Nature Photonics 10, 715 (2016). https://www.nature.com/articles/nphoton.2016.181
Further info
If this opportunity interests you and you'd like to know more—or if you're unsure whether your experience is the right fit—we encourage you to contact the supervisor directly: Dr Rostislav Mikhaylovskiy r.mikhaylovskiy@lancaster.ac.uk He will gladly discuss any technical questions about the studentship or the working environment within his research team.
Low Temperature Physics
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Supervisor
Prof. Viktor Tsepelin
Description
Quantum turbulence presents a unique area of study in contemporary physics, providing valuable insight into the dynamics of fluids near absolute zero. Unlike classical turbulence, which is highly complex, turbulence in superfluid helium-4 (He4) and helium-3 (He3) is characterised by distinct, identical, and quantised vortex lines. By examining these quantum fluids, we can better understand the fundamental mechanisms of turbulence—a phenomenon relevant to systems ranging from conventional fluid dynamics to astrophysical processes such as the behaviour of neutron stars.
To investigate these vortex dynamics, our laboratory utilises nano-electromechanical systems (NEMS). The microscopic scale of these devices provides exceptional mechanical sensitivity, enabling the detection of forces and interactions involving individual quantum vortices with unprecedented precision. This research is conducted within our Ultra-Low Temperature (ULT) facility. Our group has an established history of cooling matter to extreme limits and currently holds the record for the lowest temperatures achieved continuously in a laboratory environment.
As a doctoral candidate, you will undertake an experimental programme to manipulate and measure quantum turbulence at ultra-low temperatures. You will use NEMS resonators to interact with both the superfluid vortex tangle and individual vortices, obtaining data on vortex nucleation, reconnection, and decay. In addition to your experimental work, there is an opportunity to complement these physical measurements with numerical simulations. By modelling the interactions between the quantised vortices and our nanoscale structures, you will help to develop a robust framework to support and interpret the experimental results.
We welcome applications from dedicated graduates in physics or allied disciplines who possess an inquisitive mindset, resilience, and a genuine enthusiasm for experimental research. Throughout your doctoral studies, you will acquire substantial expertise in ultra-low temperature techniques, non-linear oscillators and the effective dissemination of scientific findings. Moreover, we are dedicated to your broader career progression; by providing experience in rigorous data evaluation and computational modelling, we aim to establish you as a proficient, independent researcher, well-equipped for future roles within academia or industry.
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Supervisor
Dr Federico Fedele
Description:
Quantum technologies and artificial intelligence are revolutionising the modern academic and industrial landscape. Yet, as quantum computers and AI models become increasingly powerful, many fundamental, and technologically relevant, questions remain unanswered. What is the fundamental thermodynamic cost of information processing beyond information erasure? What thermodynamic laws govern learning in physical machines? Can we develop novel computing paradigms that, inspired by natural processes, harness thermodynamic dissipation to process information more efficiently?
To address these questions, we work with quantum-dot arrays defined in semiconductor heterostructures based on silicon and germanium, as well as with carbon-nanotube resonators. Quantum-dot arrays can operate as networks of single-electron transistors whose functionality can be locally reconfigured. At the same time, sensitive charge-detection techniques allow individual electron trajectories to be monitored, providing direct access to thermodynamic quantities such as dissipated heat and entropy production. These properties make quantum-dot arrays ideal platforms for investigating the fundamental thermodynamic costs of computation and developing novel computing paradigms such as thermodynamic computing.
We are looking for curious and motivated graduates in physics or related disciplines who enjoy experimental challenges and are driven by the prospect of making new discoveries and/or developing new technologies.
As a student working on this project, you will gain hands-on experience in preparing semiconductor quantum devices, characterising them at low temperatures using a dilution refrigerator, and tuning and operating them both manually and with the assistance of machine-learning techniques developed by QuantrolOx, our industrial collaborator. You will work closely with theorists and experimentalists at Lancaster University and other UK and international universities, while also gaining opportunities to engage with companies across the quantum technology sector, including a three-month industrial placement at QuantrolOx.
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Related publications
W. Wadhia et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 200407 (2025).
F. Fedele et al., Nat. Commun. 16, 11454 (2025).
J. Dunlop et al., Phys. Rev. A 112, L010601 (2025).
F. Vigneau et al., Appl. Phys. Rev. 10, 021305 (2023).
For further information, please contact Dr Federico Fedele.
Supervisor
Dr Rostislav Mikhaylovskiy & Dr Sergey Kafanov
Description
The Challenge: Quantum Control at the Extreme
This PhD project offers a unique opportunity to explore the frontiers of light-matter interaction in superfluid Helium-4 at temperatures around 1 K and pressures up to 25 bar. Using Impulsive Stimulated Raman Scattering (ISRS), you will driver and study pairs of rotons—excitations with high, nearly opposite momenta—to unlock fundamentally new quantum phenomena.
Key Scientific Goals
- Create a Novel State of Matter: Attempt to generate and characterize a transient Bose–Einstein condensate of rotons, including exotic states bound to quantized vortices.
- Demonstrate Phonon Amplification (Saser - an acoustic analogue of laser): Investigate whether roton-pair annihilation can amplify coherent ~0.15 THz phonons, opening the door to directional quantum acoustic emission.
What You Will Gain
As a PhD researcher on this project, you will gain high-value hands-on experience at the intersection of optics and cryogenics:- Advanced Experimental Techniques: Master ultrafast laser spectroscopy, pump-probe optics, and state-of-the-art low-temperature cryogenics.
- World-Class Environment: Work within Lancaster University's world-leading quantum fluids and low-temperature physics research groups.
- Broad Impact: Contribute to cutting-edge research with applications across quantum technologies, coherent acoustics, and condensed matter physics.
Candidate Profile
We are looking for an enthusiastic candidate with (or expecting) a 1st or 2:1 honours degree (or equivalent) in Physics, Applied Physics, or a closely related discipline. Experience or interest in lasers, optics, or low-temperature physics is highly desirable.How to Apply
Interested candidates are encouraged to contact either:
Dr Sergey Kafanov (sergey.kafanov@lancaster.ac.uk)
Dr Rostislav Mikhaylovskiy (r.mikhaylovskiy@lancaster.ac.uk)
Dr Oleksander Kovalenko (o.kovalenko@lancaster.ac.uk)
for informal inquiries before submitting an application.Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion:
Lancaster University is deeply committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and communities.Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Supervisor
Dr Dmitry Zmeev
Description
Recently, we have developed a new type of levitating probes: superconducting spheres whose motion can be controlled with high precision.
These probes open up several pathways for exploring a variety of fundamental and applied problems in physics.
Firstly, the exceptional coherence time of the levitated oscillators, greater than 24 hours, combined with an ultracold sub-millikelvin environment creates a unique platform for probing the boundary between quantum and classical physics. This allows us to experimentally address one of the most profound questions in modern physics: “How does the quantum description of reality transition into the classical world?”
Secondly, the probes can be controllably moved over large distances and at high velocities, enabling the study of dynamic processes in quantum fluids. This capability opens new avenues for investigating the formation and evolution of topological defects, such as quantum vortices, and the emergence of quantum turbulence in both 2D and 3D fermionic and bosonic superfluids. These phenomena are central to understanding superfluidity and non-equilibrium quantum systems.
Thirdly, a probe of an arbitrary shape moving in a low-viscosity fluid at a high speed presents an opportunity to study highly turbulent flows relevant to airplanes and cars on a moderate scale and much-reduced costs compared to wind tunnels. This capability also presents an opportunity to answer the question “Is flight possible in a superfluid?”.
Scientific Environment
We perform experiments on superfluids and other materials with applications in areas such as nanoelectronics, cosmology and turbulence.
The group has a strong international reputation for performing state-of-the-art experiments at the lowest achievable temperatures. Our custom-made dilution refrigerators, built in-house, achieve world-record low temperatures.
We are well known for providing these sub-millikelvin low temperature environments with advanced in-house cryogenic engineering, and for our accompanying expertise in ultra-sensitive measurement techniques and the development of specialised instrumentation.
Creating, controlling and exploiting the ultra-low temperature environment has proven crucial for the research and development of quantum-enhanced devices. Our platform technology provides the extreme cold and isolation necessary to probe the subtle quantum behaviours that are otherwise hidden by thermal fluctuations or external disturbance.
We have a broad research portfolio in low temperature physics and specialise in quantum fluids and solids research.
How to apply
We will consider applications from candidates with an excellent academic record in Physics, Engineering, or a closely related subject at the MSc. level or equivalent.
Please contact D Zmeev to discuss the opportunities
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Supervisor
Professor Edward Laird
Description
As we make moving objects that are smaller and smaller, eventually we start to see the effects of quantum mechanics. We are pursuing the limits of this approach, by making tiny mechanical resonators. Our devices of choice are carbon nanotubes (which vibrate like tiny guitar strings) and graphene sheets (which vibrate like tiny drums). We can detect miniscule vibrations and use them to learn about how quantum effects, such as electron tunnelling, affect their behaviour.
We are particularly interested in studying quantum non-linear behaviour. To do this, we use the technique of optomechanics, in which a mechanical resonator is measured by observing its effect on an electrical cavity. We seek to detect a predicted effect called quadratic optomechanical coupling, which is needed for mechanical quantum computing but has so far been out of reach. Carbon nanotubes and graphene are the most promising materials for these experiments, because their very low mass makes quantum effects particularly pronounced.
You will fabricate suitable devices using our cleanroom and measure them in our dilution refrigerators using our advanced suite of electronic instruments. We seek highly motivated graduates in physics or related fields with curiosity, grit, and a passion for making new discoveries through experiment.
As part of this project, you will receive a thorough training, supported by state-of-the art equipment, in quantum electronics, low-temperature physics, nanofabrication, and scientific communication.
Further information: The quantum electronic sensors group
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Supervisors
Dr Michael Thompson, Professor Jonathan Prance Professor Yuri Pashkin
Description
Superconducting circuits based on Josephson junctions (JJs) are the cornerstone of quantum and classical cryogenic electronics and are an active topic of technological development. Conventional junctions rely on electric current or magnetic-flux control, however Junctions formed with graphene can have their critical current tuned using a local gate, which can be more practical and can provide new functionality.
The SuperICQ consortium is a collaboration between Lancaster University, Chalmers (Sweden), Aalto (Finland) and VTT (Finland), and is focussed on developing graphene-based JJs on a 200 mm wafer platform for truly scalable superconducting JJ integrated circuits. We will be developing quantum-limited parametric amplifiers, on-chip filters, ultra-sensitive microwave bolometers, voltage-tuneable resonators, and multiplexed control and readout modules for scalable interfacing of superconducting qubits. The project’s goal is to demonstrate a novel path toward ultra-low-power electronics for scalable control, readout, and interfacing of superconducting quantum computers and advance toward future quantum systems-on-a-chip.
As a student working within this project, you will make use of Lancaster’s cleanroom for fabrication and the IsoLab facility for device characterisation. IsoLab is equipped with a dilution refrigerator capable of cooling devices down to 10 mK, configured with a complete qubit characterisation suite, and is housed inside an electromagnetically shielded room. The filtered mains circuits and dedicated ground nest make this facility the ideal location for testing low-noise cryogenic electronics.
Projects Available:
- Frequency tunable quantum-limited microwave amplifiers
- Cryogenic switches and multiplexers
- Low-noise amplifiers with superconducting junctions
- The Josephson effect and current-phase relations in hybrid junctions
- Nonlinear and parametric effects in hybrid systems
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Supervisor: Prof. Jonathan Prance (j.prance@lancaster.ac.uk)
The ability to cool materials to millikelvin temperatures has been the foundation of many breakthroughs in condensed matter physics. At this frontier, quantum behaviour can be studied by making devices smaller and colder, increasing coherence across the system. The goal of this project is to apply a new technique – on-chip demagnetisation refrigeration – to reach temperatures below 1 millikelvin in a range of electronic devices and materials.
In the sub-millikelvin regime, it becomes increasingly difficult to measure and define the temperature of a material or device. The thermal coupling between various sub-systems can be extremely small; for example, the electrons in the metal wires contacting a chip can be at a different temperature to the electrons in the chip, the phonons in the chip, and the apparatus that you are using to cool it. This situation calls for a variety of thermometry techniques, each suited to measuring the temperature of a different physical system. The thermometers must also have extremely low heat dissipation and excellent isolation from the room temperature environment. This project will also include the development of new and existing thermometry techniques that are suitable for sub-millikelvin temperatures.
Devices will be produced in the Lancaster Quantum Technology Centre cleanroom, and by our collaborators. Experiments will be conducted using the cutting-edge facilities of the Ultralow Temperature Physics group and IsoLab at Lancaster University.
Candidates would benefit from an interest in and knowledge of some of these areas:
- electrical measurements of quantum devices, e.g. semiconductor quantum dots, superconducting qubits, 2D-material-based devices,
- cryogenic techniques,
- nanofabrication,
- data acquisition and measurement automation.
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027
Relevant publications:
Ridgard et al., Journal of Applied Physics 137, 245901 (2025)
Autti et al., Physical Review Letters 131, 077001 (2023)
Samani et al., Physical Review Research 4, 033225 (2022)
Chawner et al., Physical Review Applied 15, 034044 (2021)
Jones et al., Journal of Low Temperature Physics 201, p772 (2020
Quantum Nanotechnology
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Supervisor
Professor Manus Hayne
Project
It is obvious that physical scaling of the transistors underpinning digital electronics has ultimate limits. As these have been approached, increasing the size of the chip had been used to maintain Moore’s law [1]. However, this is bounded by wafer size, and has expensive yield and geometry issues. Furthermore, power constraints have restricted clock speeds for years, and there is concern about the huge amounts of electricity that computing, especially datacentres, consumes [2]. Capacity cannot exponentially increase indefinitely, but radical new approaches are nevertheless required for information and communication technologies of the future.
The PhD project will further develop a patent-pending alternative approach to digital logic [3] that abandons the CMOS paradigm underpinning computing. Practical implementation of digital logic requires pairs of devices that display complementary, or opposite, behaviour, i.e., the same input will turn one device on and its complementary partner off. This is currently achieved by pairs of nMOS and pMOS (MOS = metal oxide semiconductor) field-effect transistors, hence CMOS, where C stands for complementary. In our concept, logical complementarity, and hence function, is achieved by a single device where an electron reservoir is sandwiched between two normally-off channels. Application of a positive gate voltage to the top of the device will pull the electrons to the top channel, turning it on, whilst the bottom channel remains off. Similarly, application of a negative gate voltage to the top of the device will push the electrons to the bottom channel, turning it on, whilst the top channel remains off. This device has a number of intrinsic advantages over CMOS, it is twice as compact, highly symmetric and expected to have lower dissipation.
The feasibility of the concept has been demonstrated via simulations and prototype devices in existing PhD projects. The scope of the new work involves next steps such as fabrication and testing of more complex logic gates and circuits, scaling of devices, low-temperature testing and integration with ULTRARAM™ [4].
This PhD is offered in collaboration with Quinas Technology.
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
[1] ‘Moore’s law’, Wikipedia [Link].
[2] ‘How to stop data centres from gobbling up the world’s electricity’, N. Jones, Nature 561, 163-166 (2018) [Link].
[3] ‘Logic gate’, M. Hayne and J.J. Hall, patent pending (2022) [Link].
[4] ‘ULTRARAM: a low-energy, high-endurance, compound-semiconductor memory on silicon’, P. D. Hodgson et al., Adv. Electron. Mater. 8, 2101103 (2022) [Link]
Supervisor
Professor Manus Hayne
Project description
Optical fibres are the backbone of the global communications infrastructure that underpins the data transmission society depends on, but optical fibres have preferred wavelength ranges, the telecoms O and C bands, at ~1310 and ~1550 nm, respectively. This requirement severely limits the choice of compound semiconductors that can be used, i.e., those with suitable band gaps, so conventional telecoms emitters (lasers) are based on InP and close alloy variants. At shorter wavelengths, e.g., ~850 nm used for short distance communication (datacoms), where optical-fibre absorption losses are higher, GaAs-based devices are preferred. A small amount of In added to GaAs to form InGaAs allows emission to wavelengths as long as 1000 nm, but GaAs-based devices have significant benefits. GaAs wafers are larger, more robust and cheaper that InP, which is commercially beneficial. There is also an important technical advantage. GaAs and AlAs have almost identical lattice constants but a significant refractive index contrast, which means that they can be used in alternating layers to build distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) based on interference effects. Pairs of DBRs are used to form the optical cavity that is the basis of cheap and efficient vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), which are ubiquitous in datacoms, and also used in a range of other applications such as laser printers, computer mice, bar code readers and smart device facial recognition. The key issue is that extending the advantages of GaAs-based devices to telecoms wavelengths has long proven very challenging.
We are developing a new family GaAs-based photon sources that operate at telecoms wavelength, based on emission from GaSb quantum rings (QRs) in GaAs. QR emission at room temperature is naturally in the (shorter end of the) telecoms band at room temperature, but it is an unusual choice because GaSb in GaAs is a so-called type-II system, meaning that electrons and holes are physically separated in the GaAs and GaSb respectively, with poor wave function overlap and intrinsically weak radiative recombination: they don’t shine brightly. However, we have shown that embedding the QRs in an optical cavity formed by a pair of DBRs strongly enhances the radiative recombination at the resonant wavelength of the cavity, allowing the development of telecoms wavelength QR VCSELs [1] and single-photon LEDS (SPLEDs), the latter of which is intended for use in quantum key distribution (QKD).
This PhD will be dedicated to the further development of the design, fabrication and testing of QR SPLEDs and VCSELs. It will involve improving output efficiency and purity (SPLEDs) and extending the emission wavelength from ~1310 nm to ~1550 nm. Much of the research will be performed in-house at Lancaster, but some aspects of device fabrication and testing may be undertaken in collaboration with partner institutions.
This PhD is offered in collaboration with Photarix, a new, high-profile spinout from Physics at Lancaster University.
Funding for UK students is available on a competitive basis for online applications received before the end of January 2027.
[1] S. O. Jones et al., ‘GaSb quantum-rings for vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers emitting at telecommunications and mobile sensing wavelengths’, SPIE OPTO, 2024, San Francisco, California, US, Proc SPIE 12904, Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers XXVIII; 129040J (2024).
[2] G. Acar et al., ‘Towards GaSb/GaAs quantum-ring single-photon LEDs: recent progress and prospects’, SPIE OPTO, 2024, San Francisco, California, US, Proc SPIE 12906, Light-Emitting Devices, Materials, and Applications XXVIII; 1290609 (2024).
Supervisor
Dr Andrew Marshall
Description
Applications are invited for a research PhD in the School of Physics and Astronomy and Quantum Technology Centre at Lancaster University, UK. The project will focus on the study and development of novel type II superlattice (T2SL) infrared photodetectors aligned with the technology interests of Leonardo UK. This is part of a successful and long-standing collaboration, which has already produced focal plane chips with
good imaging performance in the midwave infrared (see images).
The successful applicant will build on the group’s existing expertise in the growth, fabrication and characterisation of InAs/InAsSb T2SLs. They will gain state of the art experience in the growth of III-V quantum structures by molecular beam epitaxy and the cleanroom fabrication of commercially relevant photodetectors and focal plane arrays. Through iterative modelling, growth, fabrication and characterisation, they will build detailed understanding in the design and optimisation of T2SLs for LWIR imaging.
This PhD project will be supported Leonardo UK a major UK technology company and globally leading producer of infrared sensors and cameras. Senior engineers at Leonardo will provide supervisory input and an application focus for the project. Leonardo’s involvement will provide a pathway to application of the project’s findings, making the student’s work highly relevant to future technologies. The experience of working closely with an industrial partner will also give the successful applicant excellent professional development and enhance their career prospects.
The PhD candidate will join Dr Marshall’s thriving research group with fellow students and researchers sharing their knowledge in related fields. The Lancaster School of Physics and Astronomy has a world-leading research profile and longstanding record of ranking highly in UK research assessments.
Enquiries should be directed to Dr Andrew Marshall a.r.marshall@lancaster.ac.uk .
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Supervisor
Dr Samuel Jarvis
Description
Project summary
Graphene nanoribbons offer an exciting route to electronic devices whose properties are designed through the arrangement of individual atoms. In this experimental PhD, you will explore how to grow these remarkable materials from molecular building blocks, image their atomic structure and develop them towards a new generation of transistors on silicon-based platforms. The project brings together quantum physics, atomic-resolution microscopy and nanoscale fabrication, with the ambition of creating smaller, more energy-efficient electronic devices.
Background
Graphene nanoribbons are narrow strips of carbon whose electronic behaviour depends strongly on their width and the precise structure of their edges. Building them from carefully designed molecules allows exceptional control over these features. However, growing the right ribbon in the right place remains a major challenge. Established synthesis methods often rely on catalytic metal surfaces, requiring the ribbons to be transferred onto insulating substrates before they can be incorporated into devices. Growing them directly on silicon-compatible surfaces would open new possibilities for integrating molecular-scale structures into electronics.
Our approach uses some of the smallest possible metal catalysts: clusters containing only a few atoms. Recent advances in our group have established methods for depositing these clusters on surfaces and shown that they promote key reactions needed for nanoribbon formation. This PhD will build on that foundation to investigate how individual catalysts enable growth and how we can use them to create longer, more precisely controlled ribbons.
Project outline
You will use scanning tunnelling microscopy and non-contact atomic force microscopy to investigate catalysts, molecular building blocks and growing nanoribbons at successive stages of reaction. These experiments will reveal how atomic structures change as bonds form, helping you understand what promotes successful growth and what produces defects. Combining these images with X-ray spectroscopy and theoretical insight, you will develop growth strategies for silicon-compatible surfaces, including silicon dioxide on silicon. Our ultimate aim is to fabricate transistors in which graphene nanoribbons grown directly on silicon-based substrates form the conducting channel. You will explore how to connect the ribbons to source and drain electrodes and use a gate voltage to control current flow, investigating how ribbon structure, defects and interactions with the substrate affect transistor performance.
You will work alongside PhD students and researchers exploring materials atom by atom, in a group whose research has featured at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition. Based in Lancaster’s George Pickett IsoLab, purpose-built for exceptionally sensitive measurements, you will receive practical training in advanced microscopy, ultrahigh-vacuum methods, spectroscopy and data analysis, with opportunities to develop cleanroom fabrication and device measurement skills through the Quantum Technology Centre. Our collaborations with universities, industry and Diamond Light Source will introduce you to researchers with different expertise and approaches to solving problems. We will support you to develop your own ideas, publish your findings and present your work at international conferences. Training will build on the experience you bring; previous experience of these specialist techniques is not required.
For an informal discussion about the project and life in the group, please contact Dr Samuel Jarvis.
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Supervisor
Dr Samuel Jarvis
Description
Project summary – Molecules that switch and remember offer exciting possibilities for energy-efficient electronics. In this experimental PhD, you will assemble carefully designed molecules into functional materials with potential applications in memory devices, with the ambition of reducing the energy demands of computing and AI. Using advanced microscopy, you will investigate these materials with single-molecule resolution and discover how their structure influences their electrical behaviour. The project brings together molecular electronics, materials chemistry and quantum physics.
Background – We are facing an urgent global energy challenge. The International Energy Agency projects that data centre electricity use will almost double from 485 TWh in 2025 to 950 TWh by 2030, roughly equivalent to Japan’s total annual electricity consumption, while demand from AI-focused data centres will triple. Meeting this challenge requires technologies that can deliver greater computing power while consuming far less energy. Molecular electronics offers an exciting possibility: using carefully designed molecules as the active components of a new generation of electronic devices. A major source of energy consumption in conventional computers is moving data between memory and processors. Molecular memristors—devices that change their electrical resistance and retain a memory of their previous state—could help overcome this limitation by enabling computation where information is stored. Developing these materials could underpin low-power, brain-inspired computing and help make AI more sustainable.
You will begin with promising porphyrin- and thiophene-based molecules whose electronic properties can be tailored through chemical design. These molecules can also exploit quantum interference, using the wave-like behaviour of electrons to enhance or suppress current. The challenge is to translate these properties into materials that switch reliably and remember their electrical state.
Project outline – You will prepare molecular layers on surfaces and investigate how their organisation and electronic properties change with molecular design and preparation conditions. Ultrahigh-vacuum scanning tunnelling microscopy (UHV-STM) in Lancaster’s George Pickett IsoLab will allow you to explore these materials molecule by molecule, revealing arrangements and local electronic behaviour that are hidden in measurements averaged over a whole device. Combining this insight with atomic force microscopy, X-ray spectroscopy and electrical measurements, you will investigate how molecular packing, charge state and contact with electrodes influence switching and memory. You will explore the roles of quantum interference and chemical changes in controlling conductance, and test how these relate to switching voltage, retention and reproducibility. Working with synthetic chemists and theorists, your findings will guide the development of molecular materials for reliable, low-energy memory devices.
The project builds on Lancaster’s role in the £7 million QMol programme, connecting molecular synthesis, theory, materials characterisation and device research across Lancaster, Oxford, Imperial College London, Liverpool and STFC. You will work alongside PhD students and researchers with complementary expertise, receiving practical training in molecular assembly, advanced microscopy, spectroscopy, electrical characterisation and data analysis. We will support you to develop your own ideas, publish your findings and present your work at international conferences. The project will suit students drawn to physics, chemistry or materials science who enjoy practical experiments and want to understand how molecular behaviour can create new technologies. Training will build on the experience you bring; previous experience of molecular electronics or the specialist techniques is not required.
For an informal discussion about the project and life in the group, please contact Dr Samuel Jarvis.
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Supervisor
Professsor Edward Laird
Description
Atomic clocks are the most precise scientific instruments ever made, and are key to advanced technologies for navigation, communication, and radar. The most accurate atomic clocks cost millions of pounds and take up entire rooms, but some of the fastest development is at the other extreme: miniature atomic clocks for portable electronics. The need for these clocks has never been greater: a temporary loss of the time standard distributed by GPS, which could happen following a solar storm or deliberate jamming, is estimated as over a billion pounds per day.
We are developing a new type of clock that could fit on a chip. Present-day atomic clocks are based on atomic vapours confined in a vacuum chamber. Our new approach is to use electron and nuclear spins in endohedral fullerene molecules – nature’s atom traps – whose energy levels offer an exquisitely stable frequency reference. To make this novel approach work, we must overcome a range of physics and engineering challenges, including detecting spin resonance from a small number of spins, understanding the physics that determines the strength and sharpness of the signal, and miniaturizing the control electronics. The reward will be a completely new technology with a wide range of civilian and military uses.
We are looking for a candidate who has a strong interest in applying quantum physics in new technology and is motivated to develop the new and demanding electronic measurement techniques that will be necessary. Our project is in close collaboration with a local technology company, Teleplan Forsberg. You learn important and marketable skills in quantum electronics, radio-frequency engineering, and miniaturisation.
Further information:
“Spin resonance clock transition of the endohedral fullerene 15N@C60”
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Quantum Theory
Quantum Theory PhDs accordion
Supervisor
Professor Henning Schomerus
Description
Quantum systems can display robust features related to topological properties. These attain precise values that can only change in phase transitions where states change their topological properties. While the scope of these effects is well understood for electronic and superconducting systems, a much richer range is encountered for open quantum systems. In these systems particles can be created and annihilated, which results in loss, gain, and nonlinearity. Work of the supervisor has demonstrated that topological physics then acquires a much broader scope, followed by experimental demonstrations on a range of physical platforms. In recent years, the study of these systems has become a diverse and active field, resulting in a substantial body of literature on theoretical properties and models, and the identification of novel effects, such as directional amplification and sensing in quantum-limited devices.
This project aims to uncover the full physical scope of many of these discoveries, with emphasis on effects that directly unfold in the time domain, as well as effects that occur at the critical phase transitions. Key themes are the dynamical signatures of spectral singularities, dynamical quantum phase transitions, quantum-limited noise, and measurement dynamics. The project tackles these questions generally and practically by developing consistent dynamical descriptions that allow to derive and analyse effective models while respecting fundamental physical constraints. The development of this framework will be guided by considering concrete quantum-optical, photonic, and mechanical settings. The project develops analytical and numerical skills in quantum mechanics and dynamics, topology and symmetry, and evaluation of theoretical model systems.
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Supervisor
Professor Henning Schomerus
Description
The quantum Fisher information (QFI) describes how parameters are encoded in quantum states, and is a central object at the foundation of quantum metrology. This project aims at developing systematic structural insights into the QFI in complex quantum systems, characterized by interactions and nonlinear underlying classical dynamics. The main goal is to provide a unified picture based on three key aspects - the system-specific dynamical information captured by semiclassical descriptions, the universal aspects gathered by random-matrix theory, and the topological and geometric structure imposed by the fundamental nature of quantum measurements as well as constraints imposed by symmetries. The developments will be exemplified in specific physical settings, ranging from fundamental investigations of quantum noise and observability limits of quantum effects to practical applications in sensing and interferometry. The project develops analytical and numerical skills in quantum mechanics and dynamics, deep insights into fundamental aspects of metrology and sensing, as well as experience in devising and evaluating theoretical models and transferring fundamental insights into specific physical settings.
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Supervisor
Professor Janne Ruostekoski
Description
We invite applications for a PhD project theoretically exploring the quantum and collective optical response of atomic media and other structured light–matter systems.
One of the success stories of quantum physics is how individual quantum particles have been controlled and manipulated by light. This forms the underpinning science for the emerging quantum technologies However, the realisation of a fully controllable, strongly interacting and coherent quantum system, consisting of many particles, is an outstanding challenge. A new frontier of quantum physics has recently emerged utilising photons coupled collectively to quantum atomic gases, such as Bose-Einstein condensates and atoms trapped in optical lattice potentials. These cold atomic gases cooperatively coupled with light provide a rich strongly interacting quantum many-body system. Long-range interactions between atoms occur through exchange of photons.
The research will focus on microscopic and first-principles modelling of light scattering in atomic lattices, with potential applications ranging from negative refraction and epsilon-near-zero behaviour to quantum control of light–matter interactions. The work will combine theoretical and computational techniques to investigate how macroscopic optical phenomena emerge from microscopic quantum or classical scatterers, contributing to new regimes of synthetic atomic materials and quantum technologies.
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027.
Supervisor
Dr Alessandro Romito
Description
Measuring a quantum system changes it. In monitored many-body systems, measurements compete with the natural dynamics and give rise to a rich variety of non-equilibrium phase transitions. Some appear in the average (Lindbladian) dynamics, such as absorbing-state and dark-state transitions. Others, like measurement-induced entanglement transitions, are invisible in averages and show up only in individual measurement records, often exponentially rare ones.
This project will add feedback to the picture: using measurement outcomes to steer the system in real time. Feedback may make hidden phases accessible, stabilise new ones, and generate dynamics with memory, so that the system no longer evolves in a simple, memoryless (Markovian) way. The project will explore monitored quantum systems with feedback, aiming to identify feedback-induced phase transitions and to understand the new non-linear and non-Markovian dynamics that emerge.
The project develops analytical skills in open quantum systems and many-body physics, and numerical skills including stochastic and tensor-network methods.
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027
Supervisor
Dr Alessandro Romito
Description
Superconductors are at the heart of quantum technologies, from superconducting qubits to ultra-sensitive detectors, and managing heat in these devices is a growing challenge. A temperature difference can drive an electric current (thermoelectricity), opening routes to on-chip cooling, heat management and thermal sensing. In superconductors, however, this effect is normally strongly suppressed: at low temperature the energy gap blocks the particle–hole asymmetry that thermoelectricity needs.
Recent work shows that this suppression can be lifted. External periodic driving can strongly enhance thermoelectric response in nanostructures. Unconventional superconducting correlations, such as triplet pairing in proximitised quantum Hall edges, can produce a sizeable thermoelectric effect even below the superconducting gap. This project will explore how driving, unconventional pairing and topology can activate and control thermoelectricity in hybrid superconducting nanostructures. It may extend to the role of Majorana zero modes and to minimal quantum thermal machines.
The project develops analytical and numerical skills in quantum transport, superconductivity and topological matter, including Floquet scattering theory.
Funding is available on a competitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit your application by 31st January 2027