Supervisors

Dr Isaac Luxmoore

Prof David Wright

The University of Exeter is offering up to 9 fully funded doctoral studentships for September 2024 entry as part of our Doctoral Training Partnership with the EPSRC (Engineering, Physical Sciences Reserach Council).

The University of Exeter offers a world-class education and research in one of the most beautiful locations in the UK. As a Russell Group University our research makes a difference across the world and we’re committed to working with our PhD researchers to make the world greener, healthier, and fairer.  Our Doctoral College stimulates, supports and sustains a vibrant research and intellectual environment across and between disciplines for postgraduate and early career researchers. Focusing on investment and development in training, resources and facilities, we provide an outstanding quality experience for those in the early stages of their research careers.

The EPSRC is the main funding body for engineering and physical sciences research in the UK. The EPSRC's portfolio ranges from digital technologies to clean energy, manufacturing to mathematics, advanced materials to chemistry.

Competition details

The following project is one of eighteen being advertised as part of a competitive process for funding, there are a maximum of nine awards available.

Project Details

Precision measurement underpins science and technology, and novel sensors that push the fundamental limits of accuracy and precision are required for applications ranging from nano-electronics to medical imaging. Colour centre defects in the two-dimensional semiconductor hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) have atom-like electronic transitions that can be probed with optical and microwave techniques [1,2], and thanks to a spatial extension on the scale of the atomic lattice, they can provide an exquisite probe of their local environment. This project will develop an integrated microwave and photonic platform to control and investigate spin based sensors in 2D materials [3]. Nanophotonic computational design will be used to optimise the optical interface and the hBN sensing element will be integrated with other 2D materials to develop electrical spin-initialisation and/or readout. The ultimate aim is to build a new generation of sensors with the highest possible sensitivity and spatial resolution, and to apply nuclear magnetic resonance techniques for single-cell analysis, surface chemistry and point-of-care medical analysis.
The project will include a collaboration with the Quantum Materials Team at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), who will provide access to their precision measurement facilities, including a low-temperature 4-probe scanning tunnelling microscope, which will aid the calibration and qualification of the quantum sensors developed in this project. NPL will also provide access to their Post Graduate Institute for Measurement Science, which will provide additional, industrially relevant training, from world leaders in measurement science.

Figure 1. (a) Dark-field optical microscope image of a hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) flake on a microwave coplanar waveguide [1]. The hBN flake hosts spin defects which act as nanoscale magnetic field sensors. (b) Using optical and microwave excitation techniques [2], the spin defects can be used to sense AC-magnetic fields [3].

References:

[1] S. Baber et al., Nano Lett. 22, 461 (2022).
[2] A. J. Ramsay et al., Nature Communications 14, 461 (2023).
[3] C. J. Patrickson et al., npj Quantum Information 10, 5 (2024).

Funding Information

For successful eligible applicants, the studentship comprises:

•     An index-linked stipend for up to 3.5 years full-time (currently £19,237 for 2024_25), pro-rata
      for part-time students.
•     Payment of University tuition fees
•     Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of £5,000 over 3.5 years, or pro-rata for part-time
      students.

Fully-funded studentships are available for Home students.  A limited number (up to 30%) of UKRI fully-funded studentships are also available for applicants considered International for fee purposes.  Please see our DTP pages for more details

Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity

The University of Exeter is committed to promoting and supporting equality, diversity, and inclusion within our working environments and is at the heart of all our activities.  With over 27,000 students and 6,400 staff from 180 different countries, we offer a diverse and engaging environment where our diversity is celebrated and valued as a major strength. 

We actively encourage applicants with varied experiences and backgrounds and from all sections of the community regardless of age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, religion, or disability status.  We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where all members of our community are supported to thrive.

Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our postgraduate research student community.  Reasonable adjustments are available for interviews and workspaces.

Entry requirements

Applicants should have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of science or technology.  Applicants with a Lower Second Class degree will be considered if they also have a Masters degree or have significant relevant non-academic experience.

If English is not your first language you will need to meet the English language requirements and provide proof of proficiency. Click here for more information and a list of acceptable alternative tests.

How to apply

Apply now

To apply for this research project you will need to click on the 'Apply Now' button below.  Any applications submitted via other routes will not be considered for the studentship funding. 

In the application process you will be asked to upload several documents.  Please note our preferred format is PDF, each file named with your surname and the name of the document, eg. “Smith – CV.pdf”, “Smith – Cover Letter.pdf”, “Smith – Transcript.pdf”.

You will be asked to upload the following documents:

•     CV
•     A cover letter outlining your academic interests, prior research experience
      and reasons for wishing to undertake the project. 
•     Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained.  This
      should be an interim transcript if you are still studying.
•     Two academic referees - see information below about references.
•     If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country you will need to submit
      evidence of your proficiency in English (see entry requirements above)
   

Please see our dedicated DTP website for full details.

The closing date for applications is midnight (GMT) on Monday 27th May 2024.   

Reference Information

You will be asked to submit two references as part of the application process.  If you are not able to upload  your reference documents with your application please ensure you provide details of your referees.  If you provide contact details of referees only, we will not expect receipt of references until after the shortlisting stage. Your referees should not be from the prospective supervisory team.

If you are shortlisted for interview, please ensure that your two academic referees email their references to PGRApplicants@exeter.ac.uk, 7 days prior to the interview dates.  Please note that we will not be contacting referees to request references, you must arrange for them to be submitted to us by the deadline.

References should be submitted by your referees to us directly in the form of a letter. Referees must email their references to us from their institutional email accounts. We cannot accept references from personal/private email accounts, unless it is a scanned document on institutional headed paper and signed by the referee.

Contact Information

If you have any general enquiries about the application process please email PGRApplicants@exeter.ac.uk

If you have project specific enquiries please contact the lead supervisor named above.

Data Sharing

During the application process, the University may need to make certain disclosures of your personal data to third parties to be able to administer your application, carry out interviews and select candidates.  These are not limited to but may include disclosures to:

• the selection panel and/or management board or the equivalent of the relevant programme, which is likely to include staff from one or more other HEIs;
• administrative staff at one or more other HEIs participating in the relevant programme.

Such disclosures will always be kept to the minimum amount of personal data required for the specific purpose. Your sensitive personal data (relating to disability and race/ethnicity) will not be disclosed without your explicit consent.

Summary