A PhD studentship in Physics or Engineering Science at the Quantum Modelling Team at Tyndall National Institute in Ireland is available. We are seeking a highly-motivated candidate to join SFI Frontiers of the Future project Orbitron in the Quantum Modelling Team.

This is a new project started in June 2020 and it is an exciting opportunity for a successful PhD candidate.

Orbitron aims to radically extend the functionality and performance of materials compatible with mass production technologies into the field of spin-optronics. This project will design novel materials with enhanced joint optical and spintronic properties. These are required to improve the bandwidth, speed and energy efficiency of telecom networks. These properties are also required in energy efficient logic gates based on spin rather than charge and magnetic field sensors. They also provide stable quantum bits in quantum computers.

Today, the manipulation of bits in electronics is performed using the charge of electrons. Another electronic property of the electron, its spin, offers exciting possibilities. Compared to charge, manipulating a spin requires infinitesimal amounts of energy. Opto-electronics based on spin, or spin optoelectronics, would enable a new generation of green ultra-fast opto-electronics that use very little power and multiplies the bandwidth of telecommunications. The aim of this proposal is to enhance the spin-optoelectronics of materials compatible with today’s electronics to realise the dream of green, ultra-fast information devices.

In Orbitron you will use quantum mechanics and first-principles electronic structure methods to investigate the fundamental spin-scattering processes that limit or enable germanium-based spin-optronics.

The project is under the supervision of Dr. Felipe Murphy-Armando at the Quantum Modelling Team in the Materials Theory Group at Tyndall. You will closely collaborate with leading experimentalists Dr. Fabio Pezzoli in Milano Bicocca in Italy and Dr. Moritz Brehm in Johannes Kepler University in Austria to jointly characterise and realise a group-IV spin-based light emitting device.

Each studentship is fully funded for 4 years and will offer you the opportunity to:

• Apply quantum mechanics to a real world problem
• Complete a cutting edge research project in the theory of materials for spintronics
• Collaborate with our international collaborators and their research teams
• Access Tyndall’s world-class research facilities
• Publish in leading journals and present at top international conferences
• Complete advanced training courses, e.g. parallel computing
• Develop translational skills, e.g. project management, communication & dissemination and entrepreneurial skills
• Connect with our global network of 30 industry and more than 100 academic partners
• Join a diverse community of young researchers from across the world and participate in one of our vibrant student chapters

We are looking for a highly-motivated, curious and result-driven team player with: 

• a background in physics, electronic engineering or mathematics;
• practical skills in programming (e.g. C, Python, Mathematica), UNIX/LINUX and preferably parallel computing; 
• ability to work independently and productively
• effective communication skills in both spoken and written English.

The successful candidate will receive an annual student stipend of €18,500. Registration fees are also funded by the project.

The studentship will be based at Tyndall National Institute, University College Cork, Republic of Ireland.

Application Instructions

If you are interested in helping us achieve our ambition, kindly send your CV and motivation letter to [email protected]

Please visit https://www.tyndall.ie/postgraduate-study-at-tyndall-careers to get information about postgraduate studies at Tyndall and Cork.

Postgraduate applicants whose first language is not English must provide evidence of English language proficiency as per UCC regulations (https://www.ucc.ie/en/study/comparison/english/postgraduate/). Certificates should be valid (usually less than 2 years old) and should be uploaded with their application. In special circumstances the panel may consider a prior degree in English (e.g. Master thesis written in English) as evidence of English language proficiency.

Please note that an appointment to posts advertised will be dependent on University approval, together with the terms of the employment control framework for the higher education sector.

Tyndall National Institute at University College, Cork is an Equal Opportunities Employer