Positions | x.chen's group

Available Positions

Job Vacancy

Research Associate in Optical Metasurfaces for Manipulating Optical Vortex Beams

The successful candidate will work on the creation and manipulation of complex structured beams with flat optics for the Leverhulme Trust project. Optical vortex beams (OVBs) have found many applications ranging from particle manipulation to quantum entanglement. However, there is a fundamental challenge in the design since only one topological charge is included in an OVB, which is unsuitable for applications where nonuniform OAM distributions are needed. Although there is a solution to solve this challenge, the optical system currently in use to generate and manipulate these beams is very bulky and complex. Driven by device miniaturization and system integration, there is a huge interest in developing ultrathin and lightweight planar optical devices with novel functionalities that cannot be obtained with conventional optical elements.

Recently, the emergent ultrathin optical devices consisting of planar nanostructures have shown much promise to tackle this challenge (e.g., Advanced Materials, 34, 2203044, 2022 and Nature Communications, 14, 3915, 2023). Optical metasurfaces are planar nanostructured interfaces and have recently attracted tremendous interest due to their unprecedented capability in the manipulation of the amplitude, phase, and polarization of light at a subwavelength scale. This project aims to create complex OVBs with compact optical metasurfaces, which will be achieved by developing novel ultrathin optical devices.

This project is a synergetic integration of fundamental science, nanostructure design, and prototype device development. The successful candidate will work directly with Dr Xianzhong Chen in this project. It is likely that one PhD candidate will also be recruited to work in an area of direct relevance to this project, with an opportunity for the post holder to gain supervisory experience of a PhD project.

Here is the link to the vacancy on jobs.ac: https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DEU063/research-associate-in-optical-metasurfaces-for-manipulating-optical-vortex-beams

Follow the link for a detailed description of the job at Heriot-Watt University: Research Associate - Heriot-Watt University Careers (oraclecloud.com)

Join Us

Self-motivated graduate students with excellent potential are welcome to join us for PhD study to tackle exciting new scientific and engineering challenges in nanophotonics research. Scholarships and help can be provided to experienced researchers.
Self-supported graduate students and visiting scholars with fellowships/scholarships are welcome.
Although postdoctoral position is not available at this moment, you are encouraged to contact us if you have suitable research background. We will contact you immediately once we have openings available.

Please contact Dr Chen via email (x.chen at hw.ac.uk) and enclose a CV, a brief summary of why you feel you are applicable and details of two professional references.

Currently Available Studentships

PhD project: Flat Optics for edge imaging and polarimetric imaging

Project Description

Recently, the emergent ultrathin optical devices consisting of planar nanostructures have shown much promise for unprecedented control of light propagation. Optical metasurfaces are planar nanostructured interfaces and have recently attracted tremendous interests due to their capability in the manipulation of the amplitude, phase and polarization of light at subwavelength scale. Flat optics has provided new opportunities for the development of ultrathin devices with unusual functionalities, which are ideal for device miniaturization and system integration.

This project will concentrate on the simultaneous control of phase and polarisation at subwavelength scales and develop novel devices for new applications (e.g., edge imaging, polarimetric imaging, optical tweezers). Advances in metasurfaces have led to various practical applications. Our recent work includes the realization of high-resolution grayscale image hidden in a laser beam, multichannel polarization-controllable superpositions of orbital angular momentum states, simultaneous control of holograms and twisted light beams, metasurface for optical rotation, helicity multiplexed broadband metasurface hologram, multifunction optical devices, metalens for creating 2D and 3D polarization structures, composite vortex beams grafted vortex beams.

We are looking for highly motivated candidates with a strong background in the following related areas: plasmonics, nanophotonics, metamaterials or closely related areas. Skills in using cleanroom and nanofabrication facility are desirable. Experience in CST microwave studio, COMSOL Multiphysics and math tools such as Matlab will be a plus. The research project is based within Heriot-Watt’s Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences (IPaQS), a thriving environment for PhD research, having a total of 160 academics, postdocs, PhD and EngD students working full-time in the general photonics field. Heriot-Watt is based on a modern campus on the outskirts of Edinburgh (Scotland, UK), with excellent transport links to the centre of one of Europe’s most exciting cities. This vacancy is open to individuals who qualify for home fee status as UK residents. Interested candidates can contact the group head, Dr Xianzhong Chen (x.chen@hw.ac.uk) to arrange an informal call to discuss the project in more detail.

Detailed information about the project and how to apply is available here.

Apply:

Formal applications must be made through the Heriot-Watt on-line application system

https://www.hw.ac.uk/study/apply/uk/postgraduate.htm

Supervisor: Dr Xianzhong Chen

Other Available Studentships

Your PhD study can be supported by the following studentships

1) Scottish Doctoral Training Centre in Condensed Matter: Fully funded PhD studentships are available in Condensed Matter research. For further information please visit http://cm-dtc.supa.ac.uk/

2) Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA) Prize Studentships: Outstanding students from any country is considered. Detailed information can found here: http://www.supa.ac.uk/

3) Partial Scholarships: The scholarships provide full fees and a contribution towards maintenance for up to three years. Please also visit http://www.postgraduate.hw.ac.uk/scholarships/ for information.

4) Fees Only Scholarships: These scholarships provide full fees for up to three years. Further information can also be found in http://www.postgraduate.hw.ac.uk/scholarships/