Research Fellow in Rare-Earth-Doped Waveguide Fabrication, Spectroscopy and Lasers (012318)

Applications are invited for the position of Research Fellow at the Advanced Technology Institute. The position involves a range of activities to conduct research into the fabrication, demonstration, and characterization of rare-earth-doped dielectric, ultranarrow-linewidth distributed-feedback lasers on silicon. The project is funded by the on-going ERC Advanced Grant “Optical Ultra-Sensor” (OPUS).

The aim of the OPUS project is to develop and investigate ultranarrow-linewidth lasers in rare-earth-doped dielectric aluminum oxide layers on silicon wafers and to exploit these lasers to perform on-chip-integrated, intra-laser-cavity optical sensing with unprecedented sensitivity, e.g. intra-laser-cavity evanescent-field trapping and sensing of nano-sized bio-particles in optofluidic chips, intra-laser-cavity Raman spectroscopy, as well as intra-laser-cavity rare-earth-ion and energy-transfer spectroscopy approaching the single-ion level.

You will be expected to collate and report on the work in a way accessible to both academic and technical, and non-specialist audiences, with a view to develop the research towards the project goals. You are also expected to help support existing activities and PhD students working within the research group.

You will have a good honours degree in physics, chemistry, electrical engineering, optics, or photonics and a PhD in a relevant discipline ideally including previous experience of thin-film deposition or bulk growth of rare-earth-doped dielectric materials, materials characterization, rare-earth spectroscopy, and demonstration of rare-earth-doped lasers. Practical research expertise in a clean-room environment is desirable. This is a fixed term contract until 28 February 2021.

Informal academic inquiries may be made to Prof. Markus Pollnau at the Advanced Technology Institute, +44 (0)1483 682745. On their respective websites, further information can be found about the Advanced Technology Institute (https://www.surrey.ac.uk/advanced-technology-institute) and the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (https://www.surrey.ac.uk/department-electrical-electronic-engineering).

Please note, it is University Policy to offer a starting salary equivalent to Level 3.6 (£30,688) to successful applicants who have been awarded, but are yet to receive, their PhD certificate. Once the original PhD certificate has been submitted to the local HR Department, the salary will be increased to Level 4.1 (£31,604).

 

Closing Date: 19 Feb 2018
Category: Research & Teaching