Join a transformative research project to overcome the challenges of miniaturising quantum sensors by integrating atomic systems with photonic integrated circuits (PICs). This PhD position aligns with the UK National Quantum Technology Program, contributing to the Quantum Enabled Position, Navigation, and Timing (QEPNT) hub. The QEPNT Hub brings together leading academic partners from Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt, Imperial, Loughborough, Queen’s Belfast, and Strathclyde, alongside NPL and over 30 UK companies, creating a vibrant ecosystem of innovation and collaboration. 

Why This Research Matters 

The UK government’s Blackett review revealed the nation’s critical reliance on global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) for essential services, including electricity distribution, telecommunications, financial systems, and transportation. Disruption of GNSS signals, whether through jamming or spoofing, could result in a £1Bn/day economic impact. 

In response, the UK has established a Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Task Force and added PNT vulnerabilities to its national risk register. A key recommendation is that critical national infrastructure should have technology capable of providing holdover time in the event of GNSS signal loss. 

Current technology, such as atomic clocks, are too bulky, expensive, and fragile to be used for these applications. Developing next-generation chip-scale atomic clocks with integrated photonic circuits with significantly improved performance that meet UK national objectives is the goal of the PhD. 

Research Objectives: 

• Device Modelling:  Design silicon-based waveguide components for integrating atomic systems. Receive training on the leading commercial electromagnetic solvers leveraging innovative methods such as inverse photonic design optimisation to achieve compact, high-performance devices. 
• Advanced Fabrication: Gain hands-on training in the state-of-the-art James Watt Nanofabrication Centre. This facility houses over £40M of equipment, such as electron-beam lithography, and operates pseudo-industrially. 
• Experimental Characterisation: Training and access to specialised laboratories that contain over £4M of equipment for characterising atomic and photonic integrated circuit devices, ensuring they meet key performance metrics for real-world applications.