Current PhD students in the QLM group
Below is currently our list of projects available for an October 2026 start (listed below). If you are interested in these projects please contact the relevant supervisor directly.
Recruitment for projects to start in October 2027 will start shortly, at which point we will post a list of available projects.
There are different mechanisms for funding a PhD, most common are:
Funded (the source of funding is already attached to the project).
Competition funded (the project is in competition for funding with other projects).
External scholarships (the student is in competition for funding, a list of scholarships can be found here).
If you join a project through any of these routes your university fees will be covered, and you will receive a tax-free stipend of £20,780 per year. Information regarding the application process can be found here. It is also possible to self-fund.
We hope that you will join us and become a part of the QLM!
Funded Projects
High sensitivity DC electric field sensing using Rydberg EIT
Rydberg atoms are highly excited atoms with extreme properties. This project will use thermal Rydberg atoms to measure static electric fields in the mV/cm range. Rydberg electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT), pioneered at Durham, offers MHz-level spectral resolution of Rydberg states and enables detection of small fields via Stark shifts due to the high polarizability of Rydberg states (∝ n⁷). In this 3.5-year project, we will develop vapour cells that allow DC field access, overcoming screening in conventional cells. Next, we’ll implement Doppler-free EIT schemes to enhance spectral resolution to ~200 kHz, boosting sensitivity by an order of magnitude. We will also investigate using atomic states with high orbital angular momentum. Finally, we’ll apply these methods to identify and localise charge states of components behind barriers and assess the commercial viability of the technique in combination with industrial partners. The project is funded by the UK Quantum Centre for Nuclear Defence and Security and is open to UK 'home-fees' students only. For more information about the project, please see here. For any questions about the position, please contact Prof. Kevin Weatherill. Back to table |