About the project
Join our dynamic research team to develop the photonic technology needed to scale neutral-atom quantum computers. In this PhD, you will design integrated photonic chips that generate, shape and steer the laser beams used to control arrays of individual atoms, combining cutting-edge photonics, quantum technology and computational modelling.
Neutral atoms trapped in optical tweezers are a promising platform for quantum computing, but scaling these systems to much larger numbers of atoms for more powerful quantum computers presents a major technological challenge: each atom must be precisely trapped, controlled and manipulated using laser light. Today, this relies largely on complex free-space optical systems involving lenses, mirrors and spatial light modulators, which become increasingly difficult to align and scale.
In this project, you will explore a different approach: putting the optical system onto a photonic chip. Instead of routing light through bulky free-space optics, integrated waveguides will deliver light to where it is needed, while structures such as Bragg gratings will shape and direct beams from the chip towards the atoms trapped in vacuum above its surface.
You will develop new photonic device concepts and use theoretical and numerical modelling to investigate capabilities including:
- generating large arrays of optical tweezers;
- optimising beam shape and polarisation for simultaneous control of many atoms;
- integrated switching of optical beams; and
- dynamic beam steering for addressing individual atoms.
You will work in a collaborative research environment and will have the opportunity to interact with experimental researchers at the University of Southampton and the QCi3 National Quantum Technology Hub, connecting your computational designs with the challenges of real quantum-computing hardware.
