PhD Scholarships in Nanoengineered 2D TMDs-based Quantum Light Sources for Optical Quantum Information Technology – DTU Electro

If you are establishing your career as a scientist and looking for an exciting research topic and professional team to fulfill your dreams and ambitions, it is right here in front of you. The Quantum Light Sources group at DTU Electro, Department of Electrical and Photonics Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark, is seeking several talented Ph.D. students. 

You will work in the field of nanofabrication and quantum optical characterization of quantum light sources of single, indistinguishable photons based on nanoengineered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). The position is offered with support from the European Research Council.

Novel sources of single photons are expected to play an essential role in various quantum information applications, such as secure communications, quantum computation, and metrology. These applications require deterministic on-demand emission as well as high efficiency, purity, and indistinguishability of the emitted photons. Moreover, a vision within scalable quantum information processing is to develop a fully integrated active photonic circuit on a single chip by implementing the main building blocks, e.g., single-photon sources, beamsplitters, and single-photon detectors. In particular, a novel nanoengineered TMD appears as a promising platform for developing on-chip, fully integrated photonic circuits for future quantum technologies.

Responsibilities and qualifications
You will participate in a project team with several Postdocs and PhD students, which will design and develop TMD-based single-photon sources and detectors meeting all the requirements of the quantum information applications. Your overall responsibility will be the experimental activities, including the nanofabrication and the quantum optical characterization of the fabricated devices using the state-of-the-art cleanroom as well as optical laboratory facilities. You will have an additional opportunity to contribute to research activities on the state-of-the-art quantum light sources based on III-V single quantum dots.

Our quantum optics laboratory is equipped with all necessary state-of-the-art equipment, including the optical closed-cycle cryostat with nanopositioners, tunable femtosecond laser system, spectrometer, and superconducting single-photon detectors, for quantum optical characterization. We will fabricate our photonic devices using our state-of-the-art cleanroom facilities as well as a home-built transfer stage equipped with imaging tools.

The experimental activity will take place in a close feedback loop with the theoretical activity to take into account the experimental results in subsequent design iterations. The entire project team will discuss promising opportunities for next-generation TMD-based photonic devices and designs.

Several PhD student positions are currently available within:

• Quantum optical characterization and deterministic fabrication of tunable single-photon sources with nanoengineered TMDs

The candidate is thus expected to:

• Take responsibility for the nanofabrication activities, including the exfoliation and the stacking of various 2D TMDs, by performing e-beam and UV photolithography, dry and wet-etching, SEM and AFM characterization.
• Implement the electrical contacts and carry out the electrical characterization.
• Perform spectroscopy and the optical imaging of various quantum emitters.
• Implement optical setups for optical device characterization at cryogenic temperature.
• Perform full quantum optical characterization of the fabricated devices: purity (Hanbury Brown-Twiss), efficiency, and indistinguishability (Hong-Ou-Mandel)
• Supervise experimental MSc and BSc students.
• Actively contribute to the development of novel single-photon sources.

You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree. You must describe your previous experience with quantum optics in the application. Previous experience with 2D TMD materials is advantageous but not required.

Applicable for all scholarships

Approval and Enrolment
The scholarships for the PhD degree are subject to academic approval, and the candidates will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study program, please see DTU's rules for the PhD education .

Assessment
The assessment of the applicants will be made by Assist. Prof. Battulga Munkhbat, Prof. Niels Gregersen, and Assist. Prof. Luca Vanucci.

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and appointment terms
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3 years. The position is full-time and open from September 1st., 2023, or as soon as possible thereafter.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here . 

Further information
Please contact Assistant Prof. Battulga Munkhbat ([email protected]  Tel: +45 5038 5428). (Applications submitted by email will not be considered; instead, you should use the online portal described below.)

You can read more about DTU Electro at www.electro.dtu.dk . 

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark . Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar “PhD relocation to Denmark and startup “Zoom” seminar ” for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU.

Application procedure 
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 15 June 2023 (Danish time). Your application must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply now", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Name and email address of at least one reference, e.g., your MSc project supervisor.
• Curriculum vitae.
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. You may apply prior to ob­tai­ning your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it. 

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates, irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion, or ethnic background, are encouraged to apply.

DTU Electro has 300 employees with competencies in electrical and photonics engineering. As one of Europe’s largest public research departments, DTU Electro covers a multitude of research disciplines within nanophotonics, lasers, quantum photonics, optical sensors, LEDs, photovoltaics, ultra-high speed optical transmission systems, bio-photonics, acoustics, power electronics, robotics, and autonomous systems.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.