Current research degree projects

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Explore our current postgraduate research degree and PhD opportunities.

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91 research degree projects

Physics and astronomy | Engineering

Utilize Martian resources for future exploration: Develop a game-changing plasma-based ISRU system

This exciting PhD project offers a unique opportunity to develop a high-efficiency, all-in-one in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) system for future crewed Mars missions. Your research will explore the cutting-edge potential of non-thermal plasmas for two crucial objectives:Purifying Martian water: Removing biological and chemical contaminants from water extracted from the Martian surface, enabling its safe use for astronauts.Generating essential resources: Dissociating Martian CO2 to produce oxygen and rocket fuel, eliminating the need to transport these vital supplies from Earth.Water, oxygen, and fuel are the lifeblood of any Mars mission. Due to the immense distance and travel time, transporting these necessities is simply not feasible. Enter ISRU, the key to a sustainable and independent future on Mars. This project will be built upon the University of Southampton's proven expertise in plasma technology. Our innovative plasma micro-bubble water (PMW) reactor can already remove 99.8% of chemical contaminants and achieve an 8-log reduction in biological contaminants.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 December 2024
Photonics and optoelectronics

Mid-infrared hollow-core fibre and laser development for environmental monitoring, non-invasive surgery and advanced manufacturing

In this project we will develop hollow-core optical fibres (HCFs) for mid-infrared laser delivery. HCFs offer a radically new solution for laser delivery as they guide light in a gas-filled core, instead of the glass in conventional optical fibres. HCF-based mid-infrared laser delivery systems could open exciting possibilities for diverse applications, including advanced medicine, gas sensing to protect the environment and new materials processing.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 December 2024
Photonics and optoelectronics

Monolithic integration of III-V lasers on silicon

Applications are invited for multiple PhD studentships to be undertaken within the silicon photonics group at the University of Southampton. The successful applicants will join a world leading research group of more than 50 postgraduate students and researchers working on silicon photonics technologies and photonic interconnects technologies in close collaboration with academia (University of Cambridge, University College London and Cardiff University) and industrial partners. The work is linked to a 5-year multimillion pounds project funded by Industry and UKRI/EPSRC UK .  

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 December 2024
Photonics and optoelectronics

2-micron integrated photonics

Integrated photonics has come of age, enabled by nano-fabrication technologies. We seek a talented applicant to advance the development of novel on-chip sources in the 2-micron wavelength window, coupled with integrated modulation and detection schemes.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 December 2024
Photonics and optoelectronics

Wideband fiber optical parametric amplifiers for Space Division Multiplexing technology

Space Division Multiplexing (SDM) has recently emerged as a promising breakthrough technology to boost the data transmission speed of the Internet network to unprecedented levels. 

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 December 2024
Photonics and optoelectronics

Integrated Photonics for Quantum Technologies

Integrated photonics is key for the development of Quantum photonic integrated circuits (QPIC). Typical quantum systems are large and expensive, and thus cannot be easily scaled into products. QPICs provide a route for the realization of high performance, cost-effective and reliable quantum devices that will enable the application of quantum technologies in real-world settings. As such, QPIC technology has the potential to transform a variety of fields including information processing, communications, computation, sensing and metrology.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 December 2024
Photonics and optoelectronics

Silicon photonics for space optics technologies

Space is a new but inevitable frontier for Silicon Photonics technologies. The “New Space economy” has drastically lowered satellite launch costs such that constellations of communications satellites have become a reality, and small satellites for imaging, environmental monitoring, and global positioning are proliferating. The surge in satellite traffic will demand a corresponding surge in satellite data communications capacity.Satellite based free-space optical (FSO) communications links will come online over the next few years to complement existing radio frequency links, to enhance the bandwidth, power efficiency, and security of satellite communications. All of the “Prime” aerospace contractors are in the process of demonstrating initial FSO systems, using fibre and bulk optics components. Low size, weight, and power consumption are critical for all space technologies, and especially for small satellite payloads. With Silicon Photonics whole optical systems or subsystems can be integrated onto single chips, giving huge advantages in each of these metrics, and giving resilience to vibrations.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 December 2024
Photonics and optoelectronics

Novel phase change materials for neuromorphic applications

In collaboration with a large EU consortium, we work to create a reprogrammable neuromorphic photonic platform for a variety of applications from telecommunications to biosensing. While working with us, you will benefit from state-of-the-art cleanrooms with access to silicon and silicon nitride integrated photonics platforms. You will employ the latest generation of phase change materials to create highly efficient in-memory photonic functionality with novel materials that allow the upscaling of the technology.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 December 2024
Photonics and optoelectronics

Materials and devices for photonic co-processors

Materials and devices for photonic co-processors: Design and application of phase-change media for next-generation data processing.Modern society depends massively on the generation, processing and transmission of vast amounts of data: it is predicted that by 2025, 175 zettabytes (175 trillion gigabytes) of data will be generated around the globe. Processing such huge amounts of data demands ever increasing computational power, memory and communication bandwidth - demands that cannot be sustainably met by conventional digital electronic technologies. Indeed, CMOS-based von Neumann architectures are now approaching a widely accepted ‘efficiency-wall’ – a fundamental limit on the number of operations per unit energy, while the number of operations required continues to grow at unprecedented rates.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 December 2024
Electronics and computer science | Physics and astronomy | Chemistry | Engineering

Large area 2D semiconductor platforms

Revolutionising the semiconductor industry with next generation 2D materials and devices.Moore’s Law is currently being challenged with Nvidia CEO recently claiming it is over. The scaling of transistors cannot continue due to physical limitations of silicon posing a threat to the sustainable evolution of new technologies.

Funding: Fully funded (UK and international)

Closing date: 31 August 2025