PhD Candidate in Nonlinear Integrated Photonics

This is NTNU

NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim.

At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.

   

. Video: https://youtu.be/Xt-yHCN5QS0
About the job

We are searching for a creative, skilled, and ambitious candidate for our activities on developing new material and waveguide systems for ultra-efficient nonlinear integrated photonics.

The objective of this work is to develop nonlinear integrated photonic circuits based on Lithium Tantalate thin films promising to revolutionize optical amplification and frequency comb generation with the goal of developing a new generation of photonic integrated devices. The project focuses on developing photonic integrated circuits using thin-film ferroelectric materials like lithium niobate (LN) and lithium tantalate (LT) to create ultra-broadband nonlinear optical amplifiers and quantum light sources. We aim to overcome limitations of current technologies by exploring new nanofabrication methods and hybrid laser integration, enabling applications in optical communication, quantum light sources, and spectroscopy. The strong second-order nonlinearity (χ(2)) and excellent damage threshold and optical birefringence and dispersion characteristics of LT opens up the possibility to convert, amplify, and process a wide bandwidth of optical frequencies for classical applications such as optical amplification and quantum applications such as optical squeezing and entanglement. The goals of the project is to scale nonlinear integrated photonics towards extremely wide optical bandwidth from the visible to the mid-infrared and towards sufficiently low powers that facilitates hybrid integration of the nonlinear waveguides and microresonators with III-V optical gain elements to bring these technologies towards practical applications outside of the research laboratory

The candidate will develop optical design and nanofabrication concepts and methodology to realize the photonic waveguides and circuits. Furthermore, integration of photonic components with high power semiconductor lasers is planned. 

The candidate will report to the Head of Department. The supervisor for this position is Associate Professor Johann Riemensberger

Duties of the position

• Photonic chip design, numerical simulations and tape-out for own manufacturing and collaboration with commercial foundry partners.
• Development of nanofabrication processes in the NTNU Nanolab cleanroom for ultra-efficient nonlinear integrated photonics.
• Collaborate with an international network of scientific partners.
• Report research findings in international conferences and scientific articles.
• Take part in the Electronic and Telecommunications PhD program at NTNU and fulfill the requirements for a PhD degree.
   

Required selection criteria

• Strong experimental and/or theoretical background in (integrated) photonics, nonlinear optics, or nanotechnology & nanofabrication with a focus on optical systems.
• Grade average B or better.
• Documented good written and oral English.
• Competence in numerical simulations of optical and/or electronic nanosystems.
   

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, Phd candidate, research assistant and specialist candidate and Regulations concerning the degrees of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) and Philosodophiae Doctor (PhD) in artistic research national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant 

Preferred selection criteria

• Experience with integrated photonics and quantum light sources.
• Experience wih electromagnetic simulation softwares (Lumerical, Comsol, CST or similar) and strong programming skills.
• A strong affinity for experimental laboratory work. 
• Ability to work outside of Norway for short exchange periods.
   

Personal characteristics

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education and experience, as well as personal suitability for this position which include:

• Willingness to learn new fields and adapt to a multidisciplinary research environment. 
• Problem solver, with ability to use existing knowledge in new ways. 
• Excellent communication skills. 

Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities.

We offer

• exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment
• an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues
• favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• employee benefits

Salary and conditions

As a PhD candidate (code 1017) you are normally paid from gross NOK 532 200 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The period of employment is 3 years with a possible extension to 4 years with 25 % teaching duties.

Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD programme in electronics and telecommunications within three months of employment, and that you participate in an organized PhD programme during the employment period. 

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU. 

After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution daily.

About the application

The application and supporting documentation must be in English.

The application must include:

• CV and certificates.
• Transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's and master's degrees. If you have not completed the master's degree, you must submit up-to-date transcripts and note the date for the completion of the master’s degree.
• A copy of the master's thesis. If you recently have submitted your master's thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed master's degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• Name and contact information of three referees.
• Publications or other research work, if relevant.
   

If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both bachelor's and master's education, in addition to other higher education. Description of the documentation required can be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills, please attach this as well.

Please note that applications are only evaluated based on the information available on the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above. We will take joint work into account. If it is difficult to identify your efforts in the joint work, you must enclose a short description of your participation.

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates. 

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA.

General information

Working at NTNU

The PhD-position’s main objective is to qualify for work in research positions. The qualification requirement is that you have completed a master’s degree or second degree (equivalent to 120 credits) with a strong academic background. You must have grade B or better in terms of NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you are unable to meet these criteria you may be considered only if you can document that you are particularly suitable for education leading to a PhD degree.

NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is our strength. We want to recruit people with different competencies, educational backgrounds, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to solving our social responsibilities within education and research. We will facilitate for our employees’ needs.

NTNU is working actively to increase the number of women employed in scientific positions and has a number of resources to promote equality. 

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.

As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted.

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the reservation is not accepted.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Johann Riemensberger, email johann.riemensberger@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR e-mail: hr@ies.ntnu.no.

If you think this looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates attached. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation.  

Application deadline: 15.01.25