Polaritonics

An international research activity of state-of-the-art experimental laboratories
and theoretical modelling

We are continuously looking for highly motivated individuals at all levels of the academic rank. Follow us on twitter @lagoudakis_p for more up-to-date information about on-going research projects and current vacancies.

The members of the partnership are continuously looking for new Master students, PhDs and postdoctoral researchers. Experimental projects are supervised by Prof. Lagoudakis in Skoltech. 

Positions available at Skoltech


Post doctoral position in Polaritonics

Recently, we proposed polariton lattices as a new platform for analogue simulation. Polariton lattices benefit by the continuous optical readout of the phase, energy, momentum and spin of the individual polariton vertices, the strong inter-particle interactions −mediated through the exciton component−, room temperature operation −with appropriate choice of materials−, and even the potential for electrical injection utilizing well-developed semiconductor technologies. 

In this project, we will investigate experimentally the quantum speed-up of polariton simulators in realising the ground state of the XY Hamiltonian. Whereas for a classical simulator the time it takes to find the global minimum of the cost function of the problem increases exponentially with the number of degrees of freedom of the system, in a quantum simulator there is a polynomial increase of the time. Unravelling the mechanism of quantum speed-up is at the core of the fundamental physics underpinning polariton simulators. 

We seek candidates with a knowledge of and keen interest in fundamental physics, optics, quantum, laser and semiconductor physics, and expertise in experimental photonics, and advanced spectroscopies.

The researcher will join a strong international team of students, postdoctoral and academic staff working together on many aspects of cutting-edge research in polaritonics and quantum simulation. 

This project involves close collaboration and therefore international travel at IBM Zurich, and MIT-Skoltech

Fixed-term: The funds for this posts are available for 12 months in the first instance. Salary range from 150k-250k Rub subject to experience.

Interested candidates should contact Prof Pavlos Lagoudakis


Available PhD project: 

Applications are invited from Russian and foreign nationals for a PhD studentship in the field of Quantum Polaritonics at the Hybrid Photonics Labs, part of the Skoltech Center for Photonics and Quantum Materials.

Recently, we proposed polariton graphs as a new platform for analogue simulation. Polariton graphs benefit by the continuous optical readout of the phase, energy, momentum and spin of the individual polariton vertices, the strong inter-particle interactions −mediated through the exciton component−, room temperature operation −with appropriate choice of materials−, and even the potential for electrical injection utilizing well-developed semiconductor technologies. 

Inverse scattering problems, namely reconstructing the shape of objects from their scattered intensity distributions occur in many fields of science and technology, such as tomographic imaging (MRI, CT scan), seismology, single shot X-ray scattering and imaging. Solving the inverse scattering problem, in cases where all the phase information is lost, is generally very difficult. This difficulty is alleviated by resorting to some a priori knowledge such as the boundaries within which the object lies (compact support), sparsity or other spatial features. Under such “restrictions”, it is possible to reconstruct the object using iterative algorithms, such as the well-known Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm. Unfortunately, the algorithms are time consuming and do not always converge to the right solution even with advanced computational resources. In this project, we will design and realise a polariton simulator to address inverse scattering problems with the aim to demonstrate solutions within the coherence lifetime of the polariton condensates (10ths of picoseconds; 6-9 orders of magnitude faster than current supercomputers). 

We seek candidates with a knowledge of and keen interest in fundamental physics and optics, and a desire to develop skills in experimental photonics, inverse problems, quantum, laser and semiconductor physics.

The student will join a strong international team of students, postdoctoral and academic staff working together on many aspects of cutting-edge research in polaritonics, laser physics and quantum simulation. 

This PhD project involves close collaboration and therefore international travel at  Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Southampton and the Weizmann Institute of Science.

PhD particulars: Yearly application period in winter-spring, stipend (₽80-100k)

The award will provide a tax-free highly competitive stipend that will cover living expense (₽80k topped up to ₽100k for exceptional candidates). 

Fixed-term: The funds for these posts are available for 3.5 years in the first instance. 

The successful candidate should have a good first degree and/or a Masters in Physics, Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Material Science or a related area.

Progression is based on annual reports and oral examination. The final PhD award is based on the PhD thesis and viva examination.  

Interested candidates should contact Prof Pavlos Lagoudakis

Positions available at the University of Southampton


Post doctoral positions in Polaritonics

Recently, we proposed polariton lattices as a new platform for analogue simulation. Polariton lattices benefit by the continuous optical readout of the phase, energy, momentum and spin of the individual polariton vertices, the strong inter-particle interactions −mediated through the exciton component−, room temperature operation −with appropriate choice of materials−, and even the potential for electrical injection utilizing well-developed semiconductor technologies. 

Inverse scattering problems, namely reconstructing the shape of objects from their scattered intensity distributions occur in many fields of science and technology, such as tomographic imaging (MRI, CT scan), seismology, single shot X-ray scattering and imaging. Solving the inverse scattering problem, in cases where all the phase information is lost, is generally very difficult. This difficulty is alleviated by resorting to some a priori knowledge such as the boundaries within which the object lies (compact support), sparsity or other spatial features. Under such “restrictions”, it is possible to reconstruct the object using iterative algorithms, such as the well-known Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm. Unfortunately, the algorithms are time consuming and do not always converge to the right solution even with advanced computational resources. In this project, we will design and realise a polariton simulator to address inverse scattering problems with the aim to demonstrate solutions within the coherence lifetime of the polariton condensates (10ths of picoseconds; 6-9 orders of magnitude faster than current supercomputers). 

We seek candidates with knowledge of and keen interest in fundamental physics, optics, inverse problems, quantum, laser and semiconductor physics, and expertise in experimental photonics, and advanced spectroscopies.

The researcher will join a strong international team of students, postdoctoral and academic staff working together on many aspects of cutting-edge research in polaritonics and quantum simulation.

This project involves close collaboration and therefore international travel at  the Weizmann Institute of Science, and MIT-Skoltech.

Fixed-term: The funds for this posts are available for 24 months in the first instance. Salary range from £29-37k subject to experience.

Interested candidates should contact Prof Pavlos Lagoudakis


Post doctoral position in Polaritonics

Recently, we proposed polariton lattices as a new platform for analogue simulation. Polariton lattices benefit by the continuous optical readout of the phase, energy, momentum and spin of the individual polariton vertices, the strong inter-particle interactions −mediated through the exciton component−, room temperature operation −with appropriate choice of materials−, and even the potential for electrical injection utilizing well-developed semiconductor technologies. 

In this project, we will study theoretically the quantum speed-up of polariton simulators in realising the ground state of the XY Hamiltonian. Whereas for a classical simulator the time it takes to find the global minimum of the cost function of the problem increases exponentially with the number of degrees of freedom of the system, in a quantum simulator there is a polynomial increase of the time. Unravelling the mechanism of quantum speed-up is at the core of the fundamental physics underpinning polariton simulators. 

We seek candidates with a knowledge of and keen interest in fundamental physics and optics, quantum, laser and semiconductor physics, and expertise in numerical simulations and modelling of the dynamics of Bose Einstein condensates using the Ginzburg-Landau or Gross-Pitaevski equations.

The researcher will join a strong international team of students, postdoctoral and academic staff working together on many aspects of cutting-edge research in polaritonics and quantum simulation. 

This project involves close collaboration and therefore international travel at ITMO, and MIT-Skoltech

Fixed-term: The funds for this posts are available for 24 months in the first instance. Salary range from £29-37k subject to experience.

Interested candidates should contact Prof Pavlos Lagoudakis


Post doctoral position in Polaritonics

Recently, we proposed polariton lattices as a new platform for analogue simulation. Polariton lattices benefit by the continuous optical readout of the phase, energy, momentum and spin of the individual polariton vertices, the strong inter-particle interactions −mediated through the exciton component−, room temperature operation −with appropriate choice of materials−, and even the potential for electrical injection utilizing well-developed semiconductor technologies. 

In this project, we will investigate experimentally the quantum speed-up of polariton simulators in realising the ground state of the XY Hamiltonian. Whereas for a classical simulator the time it takes to find the global minimum of the cost function of the problem increases exponentially with the number of degrees of freedom of the system, in a quantum simulator there is a polynomial increase of the time. Unravelling the mechanism of quantum speed-up is at the core of the fundamental physics underpinning polariton simulators. 

We seek candidates with a knowledge of and keen interest in fundamental physics, optics, quantum, laser and semiconductor physics, and expertise in experimental photonics, and advanced spectroscopies.

The researcher will join a strong international team of students, postdoctoral and academic staff working together on many aspects of cutting-edge research in polaritonics and quantum simulation. 

This project involves close collaboration and therefore international travel at IBM Zurich, and MIT-Skoltech

Fixed-term: The funds for this posts are available for 12 months in the first instance. Salary range from £29-37k subject to experience.

Interested candidates should contact Prof Pavlos Lagoudakis


Available PhD project: 

Applications are invited from EU/UK nationals for a PhD studentship in the field of Quantum Polaritonics at the Dept of Physics & Astronomy, University of Southampton, which hosts the UK's flagship EPSRC research programme on polaritonics.  

Recently, we proposed polariton graphs as a new platform for analogue simulation. Polariton graphs benefit by the continuous optical readout of the phase, energy, momentum and spin of the individual polariton vertices, the strong inter-particle interactions −mediated through the exciton component−, room temperature operation −with appropriate choice of materials−, and even the potential for electrical injection utilizing well-developed semiconductor technologies. 

In this project, we will study the quantum speed-up of polariton simulators in realising the ground state of the XY Hamiltonian. Whereas for a classical simulator the time it takes to find the global minimum of the cost function of the problem increases exponentially with the number of degrees of freedom of the system, in a quantum simulator there is a polynomial increase of the time. Unravelling the mechanism of quantum speed-up is at the core of the fundamental physics underpinning polariton simulators. 

We seek candidates with a knowledge of and keen interest in fundamental physics and optics, and a desire to develop skills in experimental photonics, advanced spectroscopies, condensed matter theory, quantum, laser and semiconductor physics.

The student will join a strong international team of students, postdoctoral and academic staff working together on many aspects of cutting-edge research in polaritonics and quantum simulation. 

This PhD project involves close collaboration and therefore international travel at IBM Zurich, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and MIT-Skoltech

PhD particulars: stipend (£15-20k)

The PhD programme associated with these studentships could start as early as in January 2019. The award will provide a tax-free stipend that will cover tuition fees (at the UK/EU rate) and living expense (at the RCUK rate, £14,553 per year for 2017/18 topped up to £20k for exceptional candidates). The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Fixed-term: The funds for these posts are available for 3.5 years in the first instance. The student must complete the programme in 42 months.

The successful candidate should have a good first degree and/or a Masters in Physics, Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Material Science or a related area.

Progression is based on annual reports and oral examination. The final PhD award is based on the PhD thesis and viva examination.  

Interested candidates should contact Prof Pavlos Lagoudakis