PhD student position in Resources in superconducting bosonic quantum computing architectures

Project description
The Wallenberg Center for Quantum Technologies (WACQT) is a 12-year 1.5 billion-SEK initiative started in 2018 with the purpose of advancing Swedish academia and industry to the forefront of quantum technology, and to build a Swedish quantum computer. WACQT provides a collaborative and stimulating research environment, involving several Swedish universities, industrial partners and experimental efforts on quantum computing hardware . The candidate will have the opportunity to participate in the graduate school and access common courses and activities for academic and industrial Ph.D. students, as well as equality, diversity and inclusion activities, like mentorship programs. The candidate will have the opportunity to collaborate with the experimental team studying quantum coomputation with microwave cavities.

The WACQT team at Chalmers currently has about 80 members (faculty, permanent research staff, postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, and undergraduate students) and is expanding. WACQT is committed to promoting career development, diversity, and gender equality through networking and supporting activities.

The department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2) is host to the state-of-the-art Nanotechnology Laboratory cleanroom, the largest such facility in Northern Europe, and our measurement lab at QTL is well equipped with cryogenic and microwave electronic equipment. We are in a position to build and operate large-scale quantum processors. In our division, the Applied Quantum Physics Laboratory (AQPL) , the research covers a broad spectrum, from quantum information processing with superconducting circuits, transport phenomena in graphene and molecular nanostructures, to unconventional and topological superconductors. We work in close collaboration with experimental groups such as the Quantum Technology Laboratory (QTL) and the department of Computer Science and Engineering.

Research Topic
Quantum computers, i.e. devices in which quantum information can be encoded, processed and read out, are expected to solve certain computational tasks faster than classical computers. This property is referred to as quantum advantage. Despite the optimism towards the possible forthcoming achievements in quantum technologies, and encouraging proof of principle experiments, conclusive demonstrations of quantum advantage are still sought for.

The Continuous-Variable (CV) approach uses bosonic fields instead than two-level systems for encoding quantum information, and is emerging as a promising approach. While qubits are encoded on two-level quantum systems, the CV approach relies on modes associated with quantized variables with a continuous spectrum: for instance, the position and momentum of a particle, or the amplitude (q) and phase (p) quadratures of the quantized electromagnetic field. Up to one-million optical modes have been entangled in CV, which represents a striking progress with respect to DV systems, where only (roughly) hundreds of qubits can be entangled nowadays. Beyond the quantum optical realm, CV implementations are studied in trapped ions, opto-mechanics, or with microwaves cavities coupled to superconducting devices.

The goal of this PhD project in theoretical quantum information with bosonic (continuous-variable) systems is to explore new ways to quantify the resourcefulness of bosonic states and operations, in regard to their capability to provide quantum advantage for computation. Several measures allowing to quantify the amount of resourcefulness exist. Many of them were inspired by quantum optics for the choice of the experimentally accessible operations. With this PhD work, we wish to connect to the current experimental capabilities in microwave devices, and to provide new measures of resourcefulness that are rather inspired by microwave experimental capabilities.

For this project, we seek for a motivated student with interests and possibly expertises in theoretical quantum physics and in particular quantum optics. The PhD will be theoretical, and it will require good analytical and mathematical skills. It will be carried at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, where regular exchanges with experimentalists working on microwave cavities (Simone Gasparinetti, Axel Eriksson) are in order, as well as with the CV modeling team (Tahereh Abad). Further collaborations will involve internationally the groups of Ulysse Chabaud (Paris) and Alessandro Ferraro (Milan).

Major responsibilities
The main responsibilities of a PhD student at Chalmers consist in pursuing doctoral studies by conducting research within their project, in collaboration and independently, leading to results that they will publish in journals and present at meeting and conferences. The PhD studies will require good mathematical and analytical skills. The studies also include coursework in the field and common core courses on generic and transferable skills. The position generally also includes the possibility to teach on the undergraduate level or other duties corresponding to up to 20 percent of working hours.

Qualifications
Required qualifications:
- M.Sc. corresponding to at least 240 higher education credits in Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or equivalent at the start of employment.
- Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English. If Swedish is not your native language, Chalmers offers Swedish courses
- Ability to program in high-level languages such as Python or C

Desired qualifications:
- Background or expertise in theoretical quantum physics and in particular quantum optics
- Experience from working on quantum computing or quantum information
- A taste for analytical calculations and mathematical derivations

We value a collaborative attitude and an interest in working both in teams and independently. Motivation, cooperation, and a problem-solving analytical ability are important personal qualities for this position.

Contract terms
Full-time temporary employment. The position is limited to a maximum of five years.

We offer
Chalmers offers a cultivating and inspiring working environment in the coastal city of Gothenburg .
Read more about working at Chalmers  and our benefits  for employees.

Chalmers aims to actively improve our gender balance. We work broadly with equality projects, for example the GENIE Initiative on gender equality for excellence . Equality and diversity are substantial foundations in all activities at Chalmers.

Application procedure
The application should be marked with reference number REF 2023-0710 and written in English. The application should be sent electronically and be attached as PDF-files, as below. Maximum size for each file is 40 MB. Please note that the system does not support Zip files.

CV:(Please name the document: CV, Family name, reference number)
• CV
• Other, for example previous employments or leadership qualifications and positions of trust.
• Two references that we can contact.

Personal letter:(Please name the document as: Personal letter, Family name, ref.number)
1-3 pages where you:
• Introduce yourself
• Describe your previous experience of relevance for the position (e.g. education, thesis work and, if applicable, any other research activities)
• Describe your future goals and future research focus

Other documents:
• Copies of bachelor and/or master’s thesis.
• Attested copies and transcripts of completed education, grades and other certificates, e.g. TOEFL test results.

Please use the button at the foot of the page to reach the application form. 

Application deadline: March 10, 2024

For questions, please contact:
Giulia Ferrini
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +46 (0)709492347

*** Chalmers declines to consider all offers of further announcement publishing or other types of support for the recruiting process in connection with this position. *** 

URL to this page
https://www.chalmers.se/en/about-chalmers/work-with-us/vacancies/?rmpage=job&rmjob=12390&rmlang=UK