PhD Studentship: Optical Fibres 2.0: Hollow Core Microstructured Fibres

Location: Highfield Campus

Closing Date:  Monday 31 July 2017

Reference: 865017EH

Project title: Optical Fibres 2.0: Hollow Core Microstructured Fibres

Supervisor:Prof. Francesco Poletti

Co-supervisor(s):(project dependent) Prof David Richardson, Dr John Hayes, Dr Joris Lousteau, Dr Walter Belardi, Dr Eric Numkam, Dr Greg Jasion, Dr Natalie Wheeler.

Fibre optics has revolutionised telecommunications, enabled the widespread diffusion of the internet and profoundly impacted industrial manufacturing, metrology, medical endoscopy and structural sensing, to name but a few. In many applications however, fibres are now being operated very close to fundamental physical limits of the glass that forms their core. For optical fibres to keep up with the 40% annual growth in global data traffic and with the 60% annual raise in power emitted by lasers, a transformative new technological step is required. Air guiding hollow core fibres – for which the group has a world-leading reputation - can provide a natural solution to help increasing the information capacity and power delivery capability of optical fibres.

We are looking for several bright and motivated PhD students with a background in physics/engineering/material science and an interest in lasers, glass science and optics to embark on a very ambitious project, aiming to address these global challenges by developing the ‘ultimate’ hollow core optical fibre. We currently have several well-funded programmes and a number of PhD positions are available. By working alongside experienced researchers in a fast-paced and stimulating environment, students will have the opportunity to contribute to the development of a radically new form of optical fibre with the potential to guide light with record low loss at the speed of light in vacuum, and to transmit it undistorted, in a single transversal mode, at peak intensities that would destroy any conventional glass fibre. This could represent the future of data transmission and laser power delivery, and enable futuristic new applications in, for example, laser driven particle acceleration or ultraprecise long distance transfer of timing signals and optical frequencies.

PhD projects are available in the areas of:

• Electromagnetics and fluid dynamics modelling of this radically new form of fibre (e.g., towards loss reduction or to improve understanding of power handling thresholds);
• Novel fibre fabrication and characterization techniques to enable e.g. fibre guidance at a wider range of wavelengths, in various glasses and/or polymers compositions;
• Innovative glass preparation and novel preform fabrication methods;
• Application of these novel fibres in forward-looking datacoms networks, high power laser delivery for machining and scientific applications, and for biomedical and mid-infrared sensing (in collaboration with other academic groups worldwide and with industrial partners supporting the project, which include Nokia Bell Labs, the UK National Physical Laboratory and SPI lasers)

Fully funded places are available on this project for UK applicants. Students from overseas who have secured external funding are also welcome to apply. A visit to meet us is recommended and phone / Skype interviews are also possible.

Please contact Prof. Francesco Poletti (frap@orc.soton.ac.uk) and visit our group page: http://www.orc.soton.ac.uk/mof.html for more information.

Key facts

Entry requirements: first or upper second-class degree or equivalent in a related discipline, such as physics or engineering.

Closing date: 31 July 2017

Duration: typically three years (full-time)

Funding: full tuition plus, for UK students, an enhanced stipend of £18,000 tax-free per annum for up to 3.5 years. www.orc.southampton.ac.uk/phdprogram.html

Assessment: eight-and 16-month reports and viva voce; thesis examination.

Start date: typically October