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Postgraduate research project

Silicon photonics for methane emissions reduction

Funding
Fully funded (UK only)
Type of degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Entry requirements
2:1 honours degree View full entry requirements
Faculty graduate school
Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Closing date

About the project

The aim of this project is to develop photonic integrated circuits for detecting methane. These sensors will operate at mid-infrared wavelengths where there is strong absorption of light by methane.

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas whose emissions have caused about 30% of global heating to date. At COP-26 a multinational alliance of 105 countries pledged to cut their methane emissions by 30% in the next decade. This is thought to be the most effective way to reduce near-term global warming.

Reducing natural gas leakage from fossil fuel production infrastructure is an important way to reduce methane emissions. To achieve this, low-cost technology to detect methane leaks is needed. 

As a researcher on this project, you will:

  • evaluate photonic circuit architectures for different sensing scenarios
  • design electro-optic devices and circuits through simulation
  • fabricate these sensors
  • measure their performance experimentally 
  • implement opto-electronic signal processing for extracting data from the sensors

You will join our research group based in the University's Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) and work in our cleanroom facilities and photonic device characterisation laboratories

This project is in cooperation with the £5.8 million project “MISSION” (Mid- Infrared Silicon Photonic Sensors for Healthcare and Environmental Monitoring). You will work with academic and industrial collaborators who are interested in gas sensing.

Project supervisors

Alongside Dr Nedeljkovic and Dr Mashanovich, you will be supervised by Professor Matthew Mowlem.
 

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