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Cold atoms for quantum technology

Qualifications	Duration	Start dates	Application period
PhD	Full-time: 3–4 years Part-time: 6–8 years	February and October	January to April

Qualifications
PhD

Duration
Full-time: 3–4 years
Part-time: 6–8 years

Start dates
February and October

Application period
January to April

Our research focuses on the study of interactions between cold Rydberg atoms. The main motivation is the understanding of interacting many-body dynamics and multi-particle entanglement. Strongly interacting cold atoms have applications in Quantum technologies, and we have ongoing projects on DQC1 – deterministic quantum computation with one clean qubit – (computation based on mixed-states) and we will soon start feasibility studies on the potential implementation of quantum enhanced sensing based on cold atoms in microscopic dipole traps.

Rydberg-Rydberg interactions can be also applied to the simulation of condensed matter systems where electron-phonon interactions are of particular importance. Such systems are not amenable to simulation by classical computers, but promising advances in cold-atoms quantum simulators may provide a pathway to better understanding of, for example, exotic superconductors in which the electron-phonon interaction plays a key role.

Entry requirements

Minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent). If you are not a UK citizen, you may need to prove your knowledge of English.

Potential research projects

We welcome enquiries from prospective students in the following areas:

Controlled Raman rotations on a mixed (or not) mesoscopic ensemble, using a scheme based on Rydberg-Rydberg interactions and electromagnetically induced transparency to demonstrate controlled rotation of the qubits in a partially mixed ensemble.