Spectrally Pure Topological Microcombs (Ref: AQ/PH/2026-02)

About the project

About the Project This PhD project is part of a funded collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), designed for a highly motivated and innovative early-career researcher to build strong skills in experimental and theoretical photonics and optics. The goal is to develop extremely low-noise optical sources (microcombs) for precision timing applications. Leveraging recent advances in topological states and nonlinear optics, the system will generate ultrastable combs in a compact form. These objectives align with the Quantum National Strategy by building practical, metrology-ready microcombs, essential for the development of portable quantum timing devices. The Emergent Photonics Research Centre is a 700 m² university facility dedicated to complexity in photonics, spanning ultrafast photonics, optical frequency combs in microresonators, AI for photonics, and terahertz technologies. The Centre hosts a multi-million-pound portfolio of equipment and research grants from funders including the ERC, EPSRC, DSTL, Innovate UK, and The Leverhulme Trust, with several early-career fellowships and PhD studentships. During the course of the studentship, the student would be expected to complete two six-month placements at NPL. This research aligns with the UK Quantum Missions—targeting ultraprecise clock distribution (QT Mission 4: positioning, navigation, and timing; QT Mission 5: network synchronisation)—and is funded by the project UKRI Industrial Doctoral Landscape Awards (IDLA) Partnership: Spectrally Pure Topological Microcombs . Related projects include: UK Hub for Quantum-Enabled Position, Navigation and Timing (QEPNT) – Glasgow-led. EPSRC Programme Grant – Chip-Scale Atomic Systems for a Quantum Navigator. STFC-NSERC UK-Canada MICROQ – a Loughborough–INRS initiative on microcombs for quantum networking. The NPL Quantum Programme - Supporting the UK through test and evaluation. You will join Prof Alessia Pasquazi’s (Loughborough) and Dr Jacob Tunesi’s (NPL) teams, contributing to leading-author publications and international presentations. Loughborough University champions inclusivity—see our policies on flexible working, parental leave, and equality charters. Name of primary supervisor Prof Alessia Pasquazi A.Pasquazi@lboro.ac.uk https://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/physics/staff/alessia-pasquazi/ Name of secondary supervisor: Dr Antonio Cutrona https://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/physics/staff/antonio-cutrona/ Name of external supervisor: Dr Jacob Tunesi (NPL) Entry requirements: Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent). We welcome applications from exceptional students with STEM backgrounds (physics, engineering, applied mathematics, advanced mechanics) intersecting with photonics. English language requirements: Applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements. Further details are available on the International website ( http://www.lboro.ac.uk/international/applicants/english/ ). Funding information: The UKRI/NPL studentship is for 4 years and provides a tax-free stipend of £25,555 per annum (consisting of £21,805 UKRI funding plus £3,750 industry top-up) plus tuition fees at UK or International rate. Funding for conference travel, lab materials, and a placement at an industry partner is also available. International tuition fees are not covered by the studentship. The international fee for 2026/27 is £29,500 and is subject to annual inflationary increases . Bench fees required: No Closing date of advert: 16th October 2026 Start date: February 2027, July 2027, October 2027 Full-time/part-time availability: Full-time 4 years, Part-time 8 years Who is eligible to apply?: Both UK and International How to apply: All applications should be made online . Under Campus, please select ‘Loughborough’ and select Programme ‘Physics’. Please quote the advertised reference number AQ/PH/2026-02 in your application. To avoid delays in processing your application, please ensure that you submit the minimum supporting documents . The following selection criteria will be used by academic schools to help them make a decision on your application. Project search terms: artificial intelligence, computational physics, electrical engineering, experimental physics, optical physics, quantum mechanics, Microcombs, Optics, Nonlinear Optics, Integrated Photonics, Quantum Technologies Email Address Sci: sci-pgr@lboro.ac.uk

Research areas