This is what you will do
With this project, you will join a team of experimental quantum physicists at the Van der Waals-Zeeman Institute of the University of Amsterdam. We are using ultracold atoms and trapped ions as a means to investigate and utilize fascinating phenomena in quantum physics. We are particularly interested in developing novel platforms for quantum information science, quantum many-body physics, quantum sensing, and optical atomic clocks.
When atoms are cooled to nanokelvin temperatures, their quantum-mechanical wave properties become evident. At densities where their de-Broglie wavelengths overlap, a quantum-degenerate gas is formed, either a Bose-Einstein condensate (for bosons) or a degenerate Fermi gas (for fermions). At the University of Amsterdam we are exploring a unique mixture of atomic species, namely Rb and Sr. The long-standing goal is to bring these species together and form RbSr molecules. A key milestone in this regard was the discovery and characterization of so-called Feshbach resonances in this mixture [Nat.Phys 14, 881 (2018)]. Since then, we have developed several key insights and new tools, see Rev.Sci.Instr. 94, 073202 (2023) and the recent PhD thesis of Premjith Thekkeppatt.
Your goals will be to explore the opportunities that we have identified in the RbSr mixture. We will employ the recently demonstrated stabilization of the 87Rb-87Sr (Bose-Fermi) resonantly interacting mixture under confinement in an optical lattice. We will study the effects of further reduction in dimensionality by additional optical trapping in the form of optical lattices and/or optical tweezers. We have developed a high-resolution multi-wavelength objective that will be used to achieve better sensitivity for both species. We aim to create weakly bound RbSr molecules through the use of confinement-induced resonance. From there, we will be able to create ground-state molecules by optical adiabatic state-transfer techniques. Another avenue we will explore is the physics of strongly interacting Bose-Fermi mixtures in our system.
This project is embedded in the ultracold atom part of the QDNL programme, and will allow you to learn about many interesting projects related to your PhD, in particular those of the strontium BEC group and of the hybrid atom-ion group. Your PhD project will profit from synergy with all these activities.
What we ask of you
- at least 8 months of master project in experimental ultracold atom or trapped ion group;
- good team working skills;
- good English skills;
- experience with at least a few of the following: experimental work with optics, lasers, electronics, experiment control software;
- some experience with data analysis;
- strong letter of recommendation from master project supervisor;
- Beneficial skill: programming, including some languages of the following list: C, C++, Python, Matlab, Mathematica. Programming skills will be used to build experiment control systems, data analysis systems, and to perform numerical simulations of experiments.
For MSCA PhD positions it is required that the applicant shall at the date of recruitment be in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers and have not been awarded a doctoral degree. The applicant must not have resided or carried out her/his main activity (e.g. work or studies) in the Netherlands for more than 12 months in the three years immediately prior the recruitment date.
This is what we offer you
A temporary contract for 38 hours per week for the duration of 4 years (the initial contract will be for a period of 18 months and after satisfactory evaluation it will be extended for a total duration of 4 years). The preferred starting date is 1 October 2025 or as soon as possible after that. This should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). We will draft an educational plan that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. We also expect you to assist in teaching undergraduates and master students.
