Research Assistant on Experimental control of Rydberg ions

Ref. No. SU FV-0874-24

at the Department of Physics . (Closing date: 7 April 2024).Prolonged application time – new closing date: 14 April 2024.

We offer a full-time paid summer internship for an undergraduate student in Trapped Ion Quantum Technologies Group. The student will participate in setting up a new experiment aimed at trapping Rydberg ions in cryogenic temperatures.

Rydberg ions are very promising for quantum information processing with long-lived qubits encoded into the states of valence electrons. The dipole-dipole interaction between Rydberg-excited ions facilitates fast two-qubit entangling gates. The experiment being developed introduces a cryogenic environment that reduces background thermal radiation interfering with the ions. This will prolong the lifetime of Rydberg states, allowing more complex quantum protocols to be realized.

The new ion trap will need to be placed within two nested vacuum chambers, and will be cooled by a two-stage helium cryocooler below 5K. To control the state of the ions' valence electrons, multiple lasers need to be stabilised and correctly shifted onto respective resonant frequencies, and then focused into the trap centre. Some of the laser beams will also require spatial steering using acousto-optical elements to address individual ions within the trap.

The summer internship project will take place in the Trapped Ion Quantum Technology group at Stockholm University headed by Prof. Markus Hennrich, and is financed by the Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg’s foundation (EDU-WACQT).

http://qtech.fysik.su.se/  and www.chalmers.se/en/centres/wacqt/education/summer-internship/ .

Main responsibilities
The specific tasks available will depend on the delivery of the respective components. The first task is to work on the vacuum apparatus, which involves baking, assembly, pumping, cooling, and testing of the assembly. Trapping electrodes also need to be fed by appropriately filtered DC and RF potentials. The second task involves locking lasers onto cavity resonators or other references, and building frequency-shifting lines using acousto-optical modulators. The third task is to employ acousto-optical deflectors to steer some laser beams, while maintaining good focusing at multiple wavelengths and minimal loss.

Qualification requirements

• Ongoing undergraduate studies in a field related to physics or optics, with expected graduation no sooner than the end of the internship
• Good English communication skills
• Interest in experimental work.

Terms of employment
The position is full-time, intended for 11 weeks between mid-June and the end of August. The time frame can be adjusted per the applicant's academic schedule.

Stockholm University strives to be a workplace free from discrimination and with equal opportunities for all.

Contact
Further information about the position can be obtained from Ivo Straka, telephone: +46 8 5537 8088, [email protected] .

Union representatives
Ingrid Lander (Saco-S), telephone: +46 708 16 26 64, [email protected] , Alejandra Pizarro Carrasco (Fackförbundet ST/Lärarförbundet), telephone: +46 8 16 34 89, [email protected] , and [email protected] (SEKO).

Application
Apply for the position at Stockholm University's recruitment system. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline.

Only include the cover letter and CV in your application containing:

• Your contact details and personal data
• Your education
• Your language skills
• Contact details for at least one reference.

Bring copies of grades and certificates if you are called to an interview.

The instructions for applicants are available at: How to apply for a position .

You are welcome to apply!

Stockholm University contributes to the development of sustainable democratic society through knowledge, enlightenment and the pursuit of truth.

URL to this page
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