Positions in Amsterdam
The Amsterdam team has two open ESR (PhD) projects.
ESR1 - Position filled - Compact atomic sources and beams for steady-state superradiant lasers
Steady-state atomic beam sources are crucial to realizing superradiant clocks and beneficial for quantum sensing with ultracold atoms in general. We have developed a continuous beam of ultracold atoms of unprecedented brightness and phase-space density and can create steady-state samples close to quantum degeneracy (the phase-space density is 1). This continuous source of atoms is one of the foundations of our attempts to develop continuous superradiant clocks within iqClock. The source we have developped so far is rather large and needs to be shrunk in size and complexity to enable more researchers to use them and to bring them out of the lab into the field. We are developing new concepts for generating ultra-cold strontium beams based on compact ovens, 2D MOTs, Grating MOTs and desorption cells. The starting point of ESR1's project will be to develop and compare a range of different technology approaches and to build and characterize the best approach. The ESR will then use the knowledge gained to advance our attempts to build continuous superradiant lasers and possibly even an atom laser. Another aspect of ESR1's work will be to develop advanced laser sources.
ESR2 - Precision laser stabilization and locking
The core of ESR2's project is to develop an ultrastable laser and use it for research. ERS2 will build an ultrastable, high-finesse cavity and lock a laser to it such that it has a linewidth well below 1 Hz. Light will be sent from this laser through phase-stabilized fiber links to the superradiant clock we develop within iqClock and serve to characterize its precision. These characterizations will be used to identify precision limiting effects and to improve the clock. A further research opportunity is to use this laser for internal state control in our programmable quantum simulator. Another aspect of ESR2's work will be the development of a scalable and simple system to lock all lasers required to operate a superradiant clock.
ESR3 - Position filled - High finesse cavities for strong atom-light interaction
High-finesse cavities loaded with ultra-cold atoms are a key to future applications harnessing strong atom-light interactions. These include superradiant optical clocks, sensors, quantum memories, quantum simulation and quantum information processing. As part of our goal of making a steady-state superradiant optical clock we are developing high finesse UHV vacuum cavities that can be loaded with ultracold strontium atoms. For steady-state operation we need to continuously and efficiently load atoms from the ultra-cold strontium beam developed by ESR1 into the cavity. Furthermore the atoms in the cavity need to be held tightly by a magic wavelength lattice, which doesn't shift the Sr clock frequency. ESR3 will work closely with the iqClock team on all these topics.
For more information please contact Florian Schreck. Our group webpage is www.strontiumBEC.com and on it you will find further projects, which also have open PhD positions. To apply for one of the ESR positions, go to the vacancies on the UvA website. Candidates will be selected every two months and a new vacancy offer will be posted in case unfilled positions remain.
ESR1 - Position filled - Compact atomic sources and beams for steady-state superradiant lasers
Steady-state atomic beam sources are crucial to realizing superradiant clocks and beneficial for quantum sensing with ultracold atoms in general. We have developed a continuous beam of ultracold atoms of unprecedented brightness and phase-space density and can create steady-state samples close to quantum degeneracy (the phase-space density is 1). This continuous source of atoms is one of the foundations of our attempts to develop continuous superradiant clocks within iqClock. The source we have developped so far is rather large and needs to be shrunk in size and complexity to enable more researchers to use them and to bring them out of the lab into the field. We are developing new concepts for generating ultra-cold strontium beams based on compact ovens, 2D MOTs, Grating MOTs and desorption cells. The starting point of ESR1's project will be to develop and compare a range of different technology approaches and to build and characterize the best approach. The ESR will then use the knowledge gained to advance our attempts to build continuous superradiant lasers and possibly even an atom laser. Another aspect of ESR1's work will be to develop advanced laser sources.
ESR2 - Precision laser stabilization and locking
The core of ESR2's project is to develop an ultrastable laser and use it for research. ERS2 will build an ultrastable, high-finesse cavity and lock a laser to it such that it has a linewidth well below 1 Hz. Light will be sent from this laser through phase-stabilized fiber links to the superradiant clock we develop within iqClock and serve to characterize its precision. These characterizations will be used to identify precision limiting effects and to improve the clock. A further research opportunity is to use this laser for internal state control in our programmable quantum simulator. Another aspect of ESR2's work will be the development of a scalable and simple system to lock all lasers required to operate a superradiant clock.
ESR3 - Position filled - High finesse cavities for strong atom-light interaction
High-finesse cavities loaded with ultra-cold atoms are a key to future applications harnessing strong atom-light interactions. These include superradiant optical clocks, sensors, quantum memories, quantum simulation and quantum information processing. As part of our goal of making a steady-state superradiant optical clock we are developing high finesse UHV vacuum cavities that can be loaded with ultracold strontium atoms. For steady-state operation we need to continuously and efficiently load atoms from the ultra-cold strontium beam developed by ESR1 into the cavity. Furthermore the atoms in the cavity need to be held tightly by a magic wavelength lattice, which doesn't shift the Sr clock frequency. ESR3 will work closely with the iqClock team on all these topics.
For more information please contact Florian Schreck. Our group webpage is www.strontiumBEC.com and on it you will find further projects, which also have open PhD positions. To apply for one of the ESR positions, go to the vacancies on the UvA website. Candidates will be selected every two months and a new vacancy offer will be posted in case unfilled positions remain.