Opportunities

Supervisory Team: Prof Jayanta Kumar Sahu and Prof Johan Nilsson

Visible lasers are indispensable for applications such as display, underwater communication, microscopy, bio-photonics, optical storage, and materials processing. So far, the mainstream of high-power visible laser development has relied on frequency conversion techniques. However, often such systems are complex and require incorporation of bulk elements into the cavity, and thus are not suitable for robust, monolithic, devices. On the other hand, most rare earth (RE) ions exhibit absorption lines in the blue spectral region and fluorescence in the visible region. The progress in GaN-laser diodes (GaN-LD) covering wavelengths between 390 and 460 nm makes them promising pump sources for RE-doped solid-state lasers with direct emissions in the visible. To date, visible lasers utilising RE-doped fibres have been reported in fluoride glasses (such as ZBLAN) due to lower phonon energy than in oxide glasses, notably silica. However, fluoride glass fibres are known for their poor chemical durability, weak mechanical properties, and higher background loss than silica fibres. Critically, they are also difficult to splice with silica fibre components. This makes it near-impossible to develop an all-fibre laser system and is a critical bottleneck to improved performance and commercial breakthrough.

This PhD project aims to investigate a route to high-power visible sources through cladding pumping of RE-doped silica fibres using GaN-LDs. The student will be involved in the design and fabrication of fibres doped with RE (such as Pr3+, Dy3+ and Tb3+) in modified silica glass hosts offering low phonon energy while maintaining the desirable characteristics of silica fibres. Additionally, the student will perform a detailed spectroscopic characterization of the fabricated fibres and can take part in the design and evaluation of high power visible fibre lasers.

We are seeking PhD applicants with a background in physics/chemistry/engineering/materials science and with a strong interest in experimental work on optical fibre and/or laser technology for this ambitious project. Throughout the PhD, the candidate will have access to state-of-the-art fibre fabrication facilities and laboratories at the ORC.

At the end of the PhD project, the student will have developed knowledge and skills in fibre fabrication, characterisation of doped optical fibres, and high-power fibre lasers

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/projects/high-power-fibre-lasers-for-visible-wavelengths

Supervisor: Professor Jayanta Kumar Sahu

The deployment of high-power fibre lasers in scientific, defence, and industrial markets has seen significantly growth over the last decade, due to their ability to offer excellent beam quality, superior performance, reliability, low maintenance, and a small footprint. To date, the highest output power and laser efficiency have been achieved at a wavelength of around 1µm from ytterbium-doped silica fibres. There has been increasing interest in power scaling of fibre lasers operating in the 1.55 – 2.2 µm eye-safe wavelength region.

In this PhD project, we aim to fabricate rare-earth (i.e., erbium, thulium, and holmium) - doped silica fibres, each tailored with unique properties to match specific applications. We will perform spectroscopic characterisation as well as high power laser tests to guide the development of rare-earth doped fibres optimised for efficient operation in the 1.5 -2.2 wavelength range. Additionally, we will explore the design and fabrication of novel large-mode-area fibres for power scaling of pulsed and CW lasers and amplifiers.

The project is suitable for someone with a background in physics/chemistry/materials science/engineering, and with a strong interest in experimental work on optical fibre and/or laser/amplifier technologies. Throughout the PhD, the candidate will have access to state-of-the-art fibre fabrication facilities and laboratories at the ORC.

Supervisory Team: Dr Peter Horak, Prof Michalis Zervas

We are looking for a PhD student to work on the design and numerical simulation of the next generation of high-power fibre lasers. The project is part of a major new initiative funded by the UK Research Council at the Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, that will combine new fibre technology with state-of-the-art control mechanisms, including machine learning, to reach unprecedented laser powers with full control over the beam shape.

As fibre lasers get more and more powerful, the fibre core size must increase to minimise optical nonlinearities and avoid material damage. This adds spatial degrees of freedom to the laser beam that have to be controlled in order to obtain a clean, well-behaved laser output. This project will exploit computer simulations to investigate the dynamics of the generation of light in such large, few-mode or multimode, optical fibres. 

We will analyse the dynamics of the spatial light profile and its dependence on the gain medium, fibre losses, optical nonlinearities, chromatic dispersion, and thermal and acoustic effects. These numerical and theoretical investigations will be performed in close collaboration with corresponding high-power laser experiments in our labs and at our industrial partners.

If you have an interest in computational physics and research in the exciting area of high-power lasers, you would be highly suitable for this project. You will benefit from our world-leading expertise in these fields and exploit state-of-the-art computer hardware for your research on a PhD project which is highly relevant for the future development of the next generation of fibre lasers and their applications in, for example, advanced digital manufacturing and medical surgery.

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/projects/spatial-effects-in-high-power-fibre-lasers-amplifiers

Supervisory Team: Dr Yongmin Jung, Dr Sijing Liang

Embark on a transformative journey at the forefront of laser technology with our ground-breaking PhD opportunity, titled “Revolutionizing laser technology through multicore fibre innovation”. In an era where technological boundaries are continually redefined, fibre lasers stand out as the epitome of innovation, offering unparallel advantages with no moving parts or mirrors in the light-generating source.

Project overview

The primary objective of this project is to redefine the limits of laser technology by pioneering novel fibre lasers grounded in multicore fibre technology. Imagine a single optical fibre housing multiple independent laser channels, unlocking the potential for lasers with multiple outputs or operation at various wavelengths. This venture promises to explore unchartered territories in both continuous wave and ultrashort pulsed operations (fs or ps), opening doors to a myriad of possibilities.

The research will delve into spatial beam shaping approaches, studying and combining several methods to achieve unprecedented results. Moreover, the project aims to investigate coherent beam combination approaches based on multicore technology for high-power laser applications. This endeavour seeks to surpass the current performance limits of single-mode, single-core fibre lasers, presenting significant opportunities for the laser industry to optimize performance for specific light-matter interactions, such as maximizing the efficiency of each pulse in laser-based material processing.

Research Environment

By joining the Pulsed Fibre Laser Group, comprising of ~15 researchers, at the renowned Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC), you will be become part of a dynamic community dedicated to advancing the frontiers of laser technology. Your work will be conducted in close collaboration with academic and industrial partners, ensuring a rich and diverse research environment. Together, we aim to demonstrate the vast potential and real-world applications of this innovative laser technology, particularly in laser material processing and medical imaging.

Opportunity Awaits

Seize this opportunity to be at the forefront of laser innovation, contributing to ground-breaking advancements that have the potential to shape the future of laser technology and its applications. Join us on this extraordinary journey of discovery and impact, where your contributions will play a pivotal role in revolutionizing the field. Don’t miss the chance to be a driving force behind the next wave of laser technology breakthroughs.

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/projects/revolutionizing-laser-technology-through-multicore-fibre

Supervisory Team: Prof Andy Clarkson, Prof Johan Nilsson

About the PhD Project

The project is to contribute to a major Ministry of Defence (MoD) research programme intended to develop generation after next technologies for applications in defence and security.

The project will have two main themes. The first explores coherent beam combination as a flexible way to increase laser power well beyond the fundamental limits of a single laser source. The emphasis of this work will be to investigate an all-fibre approach to eliminate (or reduce) the need for alignment-sensitive free-space optical components (e.g. lenses, mirrors). The second theme explores whether beams with tailored profiles in terms of phase, intensity and polarisation can offer advantages in terms of atmospheric propagation and overall effect. For example, it is well-known that radially-polarised beams can yield significant benefits in industrial laser processing due to enhanced absorption compared to unpolarised beams. Similarly, it has also been suggested that beams with orbital angular momentum are more resistant to beam distorting effects. These represent two examples of where beams with non-traditional Gaussian profiles may offer benefits. Furthermore, coherent beam combination offers the means to generate beams with properties tailored as desired and the means to vary these dynamically for different scenarios.

The plan is to recruit a PhD candidate to undertake this project and be part of a new MoD/EPSRC Energy Transfer Technology Skills and Training (S&T) Hub. The main aim of the S&T Hub is to train the next generation of leaders in energy transfer technologies relevant for defence and other related applications. The Hub is supported by MoD, Dstl, and UK companies working in the defence and security sector.

The student will be based at the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC, University of Southampton) and will be part of cohort of 12 PhD students across a number of UK institutions. The Skills and Training Hub will run online and face-to-face activities to facilitate cohort building and group learning exercises throughout the PhD programme. The project will involve close collaboration with our industrial partner (Dstl). Dstl will contribute to PhD supervision by providing a placement opportunity and access to facilities to complement those at ORC.

The ORC is one of the world’s leading research institutes in laser science and photonics. Its researchers have made pioneering advances in the fibre lasers and solid-state lasers that currently have widespread industrial applications. A PhD here has enabled our past graduates to make successful careers in academia, in national scientific laboratories, and as scientists or business leaders in industry. Please contact Prof. Andy Clarkson (email: wac@orc.soton.ac.uk) for further details.

Eligibility

Applicants should have a first class or a good upper-second class degree (or the equivalent) in physics, engineering or a related discipline. Candidates must be UK Nationals and be willing to apply for and able to obtain Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

The S&T Hub is committed to providing an inclusive environment in which diverse students can thrive. The Hub particularly encourages applications from women, disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, who are currently under-represented in the sector. We also encourage talented individuals from various backgrounds, with either an UG or MSc degree in a numerate subject and people with ambition and an interest in making a difference.

Funding Notes

This is a MoD/EPSRC Energy Transfer Technology Skills and Training Hub project. The duration of the PhD is 4 years. The studentship comes with a generous stipend (including an additional industrial bursary) of £21,100 (tax-free) p.a. and with fees paid, and very generous funding to support travel to international conferences and training. There is also funding for students to travel to industrial partners and to do longer placements with the industrial partner.

Entry Requirements:

A very good undergraduate degree (at least a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent).

Closing date: Applications should be received no later than 31 August 2024 for standard admissions, but later applications may be considered depending on the funds remaining in place.

Funding: For UK students, Tuition Fees and a stipend of £21,100 tax-free per annum for up to 4 years.

Contact: Please contact Prof. Andy Clarkson (email: wac@orc.soton.ac.uk) for further details.

Supervisory Team: Prof Andy Clarkson, Dr Jacob Mackenzie

About the PhD Project

A fully funded PhD project with a stipend of £23,600 (tax-free) p.a. will contribute to a major Ministry of Defence (MoD) research programme intended to develop generation after next technologies for applications in defence and security. This project will be co-funded by Leonardo UK Ltd.

Fibre lasers have become the laser technology of choice for applications requiring high average power, good beam quality and high efficiency. This has revolutionised industrial processing of materials and is one of the key enabling technologies in emerging applications in defence and security. To date, much of the effort has focussed on ytterbium (Yb) doped fibre lasers operating in the one-micron wavelength band, but this technology is now approaching the fundamental limits. Pushing beyond current limits will be necessary for more demanding applications and requires a radical re-think about the laser design. One interesting possibility (and the subject of this proposal) is to use thulium (Tm) as the active ion rather than ytterbium. Tm doped fibre lasers operate in the two-micron band and have numerous potential advantages over Yb-doped fibre lasers from an applications perspective and for operation at high power levels. Thus, the goal of this project is to explore the power scaling limits of Tm doped fibre laser and amplifiers. The project will explore new designs for Tm fibres that offer enhanced power scaling potential without compromising efficiency. The main difficulty with conventional Tm fibre designs is that the requirement for high quantum efficiency necessitates the use of a high Tm doping level, which, in turn, leads to a high thermal loading density and damage. Our approach will explore a radically different fibre design with a structured core design where the active Tm ion dopant is confined towards the edge of the core in a ring geometry. This design has many important advantages and, most importantly, waste heat can be distributed over a longer length of fibre while maintaining high quantum efficiency. If successful, the results of this project will benefit a range of applications in the defence arena and elsewhere.

The plan is to recruit a PhD candidate to undertake this project and be part of a new MoD/EPSRC Energy Transfer Technology Skills and Training (S&T) Hub. The main aim of the S&T Hub is to train the next generation of leaders in energy transfer technologies relevant for defence and other related applications. The Hub is supported by MoD, Dstl, and UK companies working in the defence and security sector.

The student will be based at the Optoelectronics Research Centre (University of Southampton) and will be part of cohort of 12 PhD students across a number of UK institutions. The Skills and Training Hub will run online and face-to-face activities to facilitate cohort building and group learning exercises throughout the PhD programme. The duration of the PhD is 4 years, and the start date is 1st October 2024.

The industrial partner for this project is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of lasers for defence-related applications (Leonardo UK Ltd in Edinburgh). Leonardo will contribute to PhD supervision by providing a placement opportunity and access to facilities to complement those at University for Southampton. They will be part of the larger Skill & Training Hub community benefiting in the diverse academic and industrial network offered by the Hub.

Eligibility

Applicants should have a first class or a good upper-second class degree (or the equivalent) in physics, engineering or a related discipline. Candidates must be UK Nationals and be willing to apply for and able to obtain Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

The S&T Hub is committed to providing an inclusive environment in which diverse students can thrive. The Hub particularly encourages applications from women, disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, who are currently under-represented in the sector. We also encourage talented individuals from various backgrounds, with either an UG or MSc degree in a numerate subject and people with ambition and an interest in making a difference.

Funding Notes

This is a MoD/EPSRC Energy Transfer Technology Skills and Training Hub project. The duration of the PhD is 4 years. The studentship comes with a generous stipend (including an additional industrial bursary) of £23,600 (tax-free) p.a. and with fees paid, and very generous funding to support travel to international conferences and training. There is also funding for students to travel to industrial partners and to do longer placements with the industrial partner.

Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC)

The ORC is one of the world’s leading research institutes in laser science and photonics. Its researchers have made pioneering advances in the high power fibre lasers and solid-state lasers that currently have widespread industrial applications. A PhD here has enabled our past graduates to make successful careers in academia, in national scientific laboratories, and as scientists or business leaders in industry. Please contact Prof. Andy Clarkson (email: wac@orc.soton.ac.uk) for further details.

Entry Requirements:

A very good undergraduate degree (at least a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent).

Closing date: Applications should be received no later than 31 August 2024 for standard admissions, but later applications may be considered depending on the funds remaining in place.

Funding: For UK students, Tuition Fees and a stipend of £23,600 tax-free per annum for up to 4 years.

Contact: Please contact Prof. Andy Clarkson (email: wac@orc.soton.ac.uk) for further details.

Supervisory Team: Prof Andy Clarkson, Dr Jacob Mackenzie

A fully funded PhD project with a stipend of £23,600 (tax-free) p.a. is available to investigate power scaling approaches for fibre lasers operating in the two-micron wavelength band. Two-micron fibre laser technology has the potential to yield a wealth of new applications in areas such as industrial laser processing, medicine, defence and optical communications. Moreover, significant power scaling advantages can be gained by moving from traditional ytterbium-doped fibre lasers operating in the one-micron band to the two-micron band. The main focus of this project will be to investigate novel approaches for scaling output power from thulium doped fibre lasers operating in both continuous-wave and high peak power pulsed regimes. The research programme will study the physics of thulium doped fibre gain media to understand the fundamental limits, and to formulate new designs for double-clad active fibres that allow scaling of laser output power whilst simultaneously achieving high efficiency and good beam quality. Thulium doped glasses offer access to a wide range of wavelengths in the two-micron band, so an important aspect of the programme will be to develop lasers with flexibility in operating wavelength driven by the needs of emerging applications. Laser architectures that are compatible with coherent beam combination to allow scaling beyond the fundamental limits of a single fibre will also be an important theme. Finally, the project will explore a range of novel applications made possible by the improved laser performance.

A fully funded PhD place on this project is available for UK applicants supported by an EPSRC CASE Studentship. The project will involve close collaboration with one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high power lasers for applications in defence and security (Leonardo based Edinburgh, UK). The studentship comes with an enhanced stipend (including an additional industrial bursary) of £23,600 (tax-free) with fees paid and very generous funding to support travel to international conferences. Applicants should have a first class or a good upper-second class degree (or the equivalent) in physics, engineering or a related discipline.

The ORC is one of the world’s leading research institutes in laser science and photonics. Its researchers have made pioneering advances in high power fibre lasers and solid-state lasers that currently have widespread industrial applications. A PhD here has enabled our past graduates to make successful careers in academia, in national scientific laboratories, and as scientists or business leaders in industry.

Entry Requirements:

A very good undergraduate degree (at least a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent).

Closing date: Applications should be received no later than 31 August 2024 for standard admissions, but later applications may be considered depending on the funds remaining in place.

Funding: For UK students, Tuition Fees and a stipend of £23,600 tax-free per annum for up to 4 years.

Contact: Please contact Prof. Andy Clarkson (email: wac@orc.soton.ac.uk) for further details.

Supervisory Team: Prof Andy Clarkson, Dr Jacob Mackenzie

A fully funded PhD project with a stipend of £23,600 (tax-free) p.a. is available to investigate novel concepts for high power lasers operating in the visible and ultraviolet (UV) wavelength bands. Scaling laser power in the visible and ultraviolet bands remains as one of the most significant challenges facing laser scientists, motivated by the needs of a growing number of applications in areas such laser processing of materials, medicine, sensing, defence and quantum technology. Traditional methods for accessing this wavelength regime are not compatible with operation at high power levels and so a different approach is needed. This project will investigate a new strategy for generating kilowatt-class laser power in the visible band and >100 W in the UV band by combining the power-scaling advantages of cladding-pumped fibre lasers in the near-infrared band with novel nonlinear frequency conversion schemes. The approach offers the prospect of unprecedented wavelength coverage across the entire visible and UV wavelength bands at very high-power levels and with high overall efficiency. The project will involve a detailed study into the physics of nonlinear frequency-converted fibre lasers operated at very high-power levels to formulate a strategy for power scaling and to determine the fundamental limits. The use of techniques, such as coherent beam combination, will be explored for increasing power beyond the limit of a single source. The overall ambition of the project will be a new approach for visible and UV lasers boasting levels of performance well beyond the current state-of-the-art.

A fully funded PhD place on this project is available for UK and EU applicants supported by an EPSRC CASE Studentship. The project will involve close collaboration with one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high power visible solid-state lasers (Novanta Technologies UK Ltd). The studentship comes with an enhanced stipend (including an additional industrial bursary) of £23,600 (tax-free) p.a. with fees paid, and very generous funding to support travel to international conferences. Applicants should have a first class or a good upper-second class degree (or the equivalent) in physics, engineering or a related discipline.

The ORC is one of the world’s leading research institutes in laser science and photonics. Its researchers have made pioneering advances in the area of high-power fibre lasers and solid-state lasers that currently have widespread industrial applications. A PhD here has enabled our past graduates to make successful careers in academia, in national scientific laboratories, and as scientists or business leaders in industry. Please contact Prof. Andy Clarkson (email: wac@orc.soton.ac.uk) for further details.

Entry Requirements

A very good undergraduate degree (at least a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent).

Closing date: Applications should be received no later than 31 August 2024 for standard admissions, but later applications may be considered depending on the funds remaining in place.

Funding: For UK students, Tuition Fees and a stipend of £23,600 tax-free per annum for up to 3.5 years.

Contact: Please contact Prof. Andy Clarkson (email: wac@orc.soton.ac.uk) for further details.

Supervisory Team: Prof Andy Clarkson, Dr Jacob Mackenzie

Two-micron fibre laser technology has the potential to yield a wealth of new applications in areas such as industrial laser processing, medicine, optical communications and laser weeding. Moreover, significant power scaling advantages can be gained by moving from traditional ytterbium-doped fibre lasers operating in the one-micron band to the two-micron band. The main focus of this project will be to create a world leading power-scalable two-micron fibre laser platform based on thulium doped fibres for operation in continuous-wave and long-pulsed regimes. The research programme will study the physics of thulium doped fibre gain media to formulate new strategies for scaling laser output power whilst simultaneously achieving high efficiency and good beam quality. Thulium doped glasses offer access to a wide range of wavelengths in the two-micron band, so an important aspect of the programme will be to develop lasers with flexibility in operating wavelength driven by the needs of emerging applications in areas such as medicine, organic materials processing and laser weeding.

The project will involve a detailed study into the physics of two-micron fibre lasers operated at high average power levels to establish a power scaling strategy and the fundamental limits. This research will be supported by an EPSRC Studentship and as such will involve close collaboration with one of the world’s leading manufacturers of fibre lasers (Trumpf Laser UK Ltd). The studentship comes with a stipend (including an additional industrial bursary) of £23,600 (tax-free) p.a. and with fees paid, and very generous funding to support travel to international conferences. Applicants should have a first class or a good upper-second class degree (or the equivalent) in physics, engineering or a related discipline.

The ORC is one of the world’s leading research institutes in laser science and photonics. Its researchers have made pioneering advances in the area of high power fibre lasers and solid-state lasers that currently have widespread industrial applications. A PhD here has enabled our past graduates to make successful careers in academia, in national scientific laboratories, and as scientists or business leaders in industry. Further information can be obtained from Professor Andy Clarkson at the Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton (email: wac@orc.soton.ac.uk).

Entry Requirements:

A very good undergraduate degree (at least a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent).

Closing date: Applications should be received no later than 31 August 2024 for standard admissions, but later applications may be considered depending on the funds remaining in place.

Funding: For UK students, Tuition Fees and a stipend of £23,600 tax-free per annum for up to 3.5 years.

Contact: Please contact Prof. Andy Clarkson (email: wac@orc.soton.ac.uk) for further details.

Supervisory Team: Prof Johan Nilsson, Dr William Kerridge-Johns

This project combines state of the art optical fibre laser amplifiers with machine learning control to produce next-generation lasers for beam control such as beam shaping. These “smart” phased-array lasers promise to revolutionise materials processing and other important near-term and futuristic laser applications, including even starship propulsion! This modular and scalable approach offers rapid and flexible, unsurpassed, control of the beam shape and polarisation. Adding to this, computer control through neural networks and machine learning is now emerging as a means both to implement and to optimise the control offering a new range of capabilities in this rapidly developing field.

The Smart Fibre Optics High-Power Photonics (HiPPo) programme is a £6 million EPSRC funded 5-year programme pursuing fibre-based phased-array lasers at the Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton gow.epsrc.ukri.org/NGBOViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/W028786/1, www.orc.soton.ac.uk/news/7058. We are now seeking a PhD student to research advanced fibre amplifiers and beam combination concepts within this ground-breaking programme at the interface of physics and engineering. The general research area is laser physics & engineering, and specifically the building blocks and control needed for a phased-array laser. This involves fibre amplifiers with reduced noise, phase & polarisation control, as well as fibre nonlinearities and their mitigation in fibre laser systems at high intensities in the continuous-wave and/or pulsed regime. The control schemes will be developed and implemented with the assistance of machine learning specialists.

You will work in a world-leading team, measuring and optimising high-power fibre amplifiers that you design and build, e.g., with fibres fabricated in-house in ORC’s state-of-the-art cleanrooms. Throughout your PhD, you will have access to state-of-the-art laboratories at the ORC. At the end of your PhD project, you will have developed knowledge and skills in cutting-edge fibre and laser technology and advanced characterization techniques.

This project combines many highly-active research topics – phased array combination, machine learning, programmable structured light generation, multi-kW lasers – with a wide range of impact areas both in academic research and industry. If you are seeking an industrially-relevant PhD project with experimental focus and are interested in the rich physics challenges of high-power fibre lasers and phased arrays then this opportunity is perfect for you.

If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact Johan Nilsson (jn@orc.soton.ac.uk) or William Kerridge-Johns (W.R.Kerridge-Johns@soton.ac.uk)

This four-year PhD project, focussing on high-power laser architectures, is to contribute to a major Ministry of Defence (MoD) research programme intended to develop generation-after-next-technologies for applications in defence and security.

The project will be supervised by Prof Johan Nilsson (jn@orc.soton.ac.uk) and Dr William Kerridge-Johns (W.R.Kerridge-Johns@soton.ac.uk) at the University of Southampton with support and co-supervision by NKT Photonics (Dr Adam Devine). It will research coherent beam combination (CBC) of ytterbium-doped fibre laser amplifiers with multiple functionalities. This is in contrast to most of the current research on CBC lasers, which simply aims at increasing the power. The project will allow the student to acquire expertise in designing, constructing, operating, and characterising high-power fibre laser amplifiers, nonlinear fibre optics, and optical phase detection and control. The main objectives are:

• Experimental realisation and characterisation of high-power ytterbium-doped fibre laser amplifier with low phase noise and nonlinear phase distortion

• Realisation of multi-functional CBC laser

• Characterisation and optimisation of CBC laser

• Lab test on different targets.

The PhD project is part of a new MoD/EPSRC Energy Transfer Technology Skills and Training (S&T) Hub. The main aim of the S&T Hub is to train the next generation of leaders in energy transfer technologies relevant for defence and other related applications. The Hub is supported by MoD, Dstl, and UK companies working in the defence and security sector. The student will be part of a yearly cohort of 12 PhD students anticipated across a number of UK institutions. In addition to the project-specific research, specific Skills and Training Hub activities will take place online as well as face-to-face to facilitate cohort building and group learning exercises throughout the PhD programme. Each student will have an industrial partner and have opportunities to work with and train alongside experts from industry. Thus, the Hub offers individuals training for both a research and an industrial career.

The duration of the PhD is 4 years, and the start date is 1st October.

The PhD student will be physically based at the Optoelectronics Research Centre / Zepler Institute, University of Southampton (www.southampton.ac.uk/about/faculties-schools-departments/zepler-institute), where the majority of the research will take place. The ORC is one of the largest photonics research institutions in the world with over 350 members including PhD students. The ORC has a large cleanroom complex and a large number of well-equipped laser labs as well as very strong connections to industry and government research programmes and has spun out over ten companies.

The industrial partner, NKT Photonics (www.nktphotonics.com) has its headquarters in Denmark and will participate in the project via its UK operations in Hamble, within commuting distance from the University of Southampton. NKT Photonics is a leading supplier of high-performance fibre lasers and photonic crystal fibres. The main markets are Medical & Life Science, Industrial, Aerospace & Defence, and Quantum & Nano Technology. Products include supercontinuum white light lasers, low-noise fibre lasers, ultrafast lasers, and a wide range of specialty fibres. NKT Photonics will provide additional PhD supervision, hardware (when appropriate), a placement, and will be part of the larger S&T Hub community benefiting in the diverse academic and industrial network offered by the S&T Hub.

How to apply

Please contact the supervisor, Prof Johan Nilsson (jn@orc.soton.ac.uk) or Dr William Kerridge-Johns (W.R.Kerridge-Johns@soton.ac.uk) for application details and other queries, e.g., to arrange a visit.

Funding

This is a MoD/EPSRC Energy Transfer Technology Skills and Training Hub project. The duration of the PhD is 4 years. The funding will cover a stipend at the UKRI rate plus £2,000 ORC enhancement tax-free per annum (totalling around £21,000 for 2024/25, rising annually), tuition fees. Generous funds will be available for conference attendance and training, for students to travel to industrial partners and for longer placements with the industrial partner. The funding is for home students and applicants must be UK Nationals.

Eligibility

At least a UK 2:1 honours undergraduate degree, or its international equivalent, in a relevant science or engineering discipline. Candidates must be UK Nationals and be willing to apply for, and able to obtain, Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

The S&T Hub is committed to providing an inclusive environment in which diverse students can thrive. The Hub particularly encourages applications from women, disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, who are currently under-represented in the sector, and welcome all applicants regardless of their gender, disability, sexual orientation, and age. We will give full consideration to applicants seeking to study part time. The University of Southampton takes personal circumstances into account, has onsite childcare facilities, is committed to sustainability, and has been awarded the Platinum EcoAward. The Optoelectronics Research Centre has an Athena SWAN award.

Supervisory team: Dr Ben Mills, Dr James Grant-Jacob

Fibre lasers have already transformed the world. They are used across manufacturing for everything from the cutting of smartphone screens to the welding of electric car batteries. However, these fibre lasers simply follow a pre-programmed routine, and are not “smart”.

The next revolution is to go beyond the fixed fibre lasers that are currently used in manufacturing, and towards smart fibre lasers that automatically reconfigure and optimise in real-time for each application (and are fully integrated with the autonomous factories of the future).

In other words, the next revolution is the “self-driving” laser!

Your PhD will be focussed on the following applications: 1) convolutional neural networks and reinforcement learning for real-time control of lasers and laser machining, and 2) generative adversarial networks for simulating and optimising laser machining. Neural networks require large amounts of experimental data for training, and hence this PhD will therefore involve a mixture of experimental photonics, experimental automation, and programming and designing neural networks.