4 PhD positions are available in the field of InP Integrated Photonics around Europe (Spain, Netherlands, UK).

European Doctorate in Indium Phosphide PIC Fabrication Technology (EDIFY) aims at providing cutting-edge training to young researchers in the emerging field of integrated photonics and its translation into circuit design, fabrication and commercialization. Photonic integration is emerging as a new standard for providing cost effective and high-performance miniaturized optical systems for a wide range of applications. The possibility of integrating complex and advanced photonic functionality into a single chip enables system designers and manufacturers to combine various optical devices into a single package, thereby offering significant enhancements in performance, energy consumption, system size, costs, and reliability. Owing to these benefits, and mainly fueled by the demand for higher data volumes and speeds by the very competitive fields using Information and Technology (IT) technologies (e.g. medical a, space, automotive and aeronautical) the global Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) market is emerging at an exceptional rate. However, full exploitation of PIC based technologies still presents formidable challenges, in particular for the development of compact models and new automated and standardized processes of fabrication. In this context, the sector is facing an increased need of well-trained multidisciplinary scientists with specific scientific and technical skills which are needed to tackle the development of high performing InP PICs.

EDIFY will train four ESRs at two world-leading European academic institutions - University of Vigo (UVigo) and Technische Universiteit Eindhoven (TUe) - and four state-of-the-art industrial companies SMART Photonics BV (SP), Phoenix BV (PBV), Photon Design (PDesign) and Bright Photonics (BP) - covering the value chain, from research and design to manufacturing, thereby forming a strong interdisciplinary network between technical sciences and industry to overcome specific barriers in the integrated photonics sector. This network is implemented through inter-sectoral secondments of the ESRs between academic and industrial participants, and strengthened by EDIFY network activities. The programme provides a coherent training platform that addresses the outstanding engineering challenges of the new field of Integrated Photonics while nurturing technical, creative and entrepreneurial skills. The expected outcomes are a breakthrough improvement in performance, power consumption and predictive methodologies for photonic Integrated Circuits and a cohort of ESRs trained on cutting-edge photonic integration and nanofabrication technology.

Job offers

Currently, EDIFY is open to applications for the 4 ESR positions. We are seeking brilliant, highly-motivated graduates with a background in physics, photonics engineering or exact sciences (precise requirements will vary from project to project), holding a degree that can allow them to enrol in a PhD programme and who are keen to spend three years in growing their career in a joint academia-industry context at a European level. Candidates are expected to speak and write English fluently.

 

Eligibility (who can apply): Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs).

Eligibility will be checked based on the following cumulative criteria:

a) Applicants Career Stage: Only Early Stage Researchers (ESR) can apply, that is, researchers of any nationality who, at the date of recruitment by the partner of EDIFY [1] have not yet been awarded a doctoral degree and [2] are in the first 4 years of his/her research career, counted from the date he/she obtained the degree that allows him/her to embark in a doctoral degree.

Date of Recruitment means the first day of the employment of the researcher for the purposes of this project (i.e. the starting date indicated in the employment contract or equivalent direct contract).

b) Mobility: Applicants are required to undertake physical, transnational mobility (i.e. move from one country to another). That is, at the date of recruitment, the researcher must not have resided or carried out his/her main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the partner of EDIFY he/she is applying for, for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the his/her recruitment under the project. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not taken into account.
For international European interest organisations or international organisations, recruited researchers must not have spent more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date at the same appointing organisation.

IMPORTANTE NOTE: the career stage of eligible applicants and the mobility rule is determined in terms of full-time research equivalent years. This means that research experience is measured from the date when a researcher obtained the degree which would formally entitle him/her to embark in a PhD degree, either in the country in which the degree was obtained or in the country in which the researcher is recruited, irrespective of whether or not a PhD degree is or was ever envisaged.

Application: eligible candidates should send a cover letter stating their motivation and research interests, an updated CV with the dates of relevant diplomas (day, month and year), and the contact information of 2 referee persons.

Employment Conditions

The selected candidates will be employed with a fulltime contract. The salary follows the Marie Curie-Skłodowska ITN funding Scheme.

On top of the regular compensation, an extra allowance will be available to cover mobility expenses. A correction factor will be applied per country; therefore, the exact gross salary will be confirmed upon appointment. A career development plan will be prepared for each fellow in accordance with his/her supervisor and will include training, planned secondments and outreach activities in partner laboratories of the network. The ESR fellows are supposed to complete their PhD thesis by the end of the 3rd year of their employment. For more information please visit the Marie Curie-Skłodowska website

 

LIST OF PROJECTS

Project 1: Development of compact models for integrated photonics´ InP fabrication

Project 2: Development of low loss waveguides

Project 3: Development of Aluminium containing quantum Wells

Proect 4: Development of application oriented PICs

 

Host Institute: University of Vigo / Smart Photonics

Project Supervisor: University of Vigo/Smart Photonics

ESR:

Starting date: February 2019

Duration: 3 years

Hours per week: 36 (full time)

Contract: temporary

 

Location: Vigo (Spain) / Eindhoven (Netherlands) / Secondments (UK-TUe Netherlands)

Project Description

Project 1: A PhD position is available on a project to analyze the generation of compact models for large-scale fabrication in InP foundries. It will start with a complete and detailed plan and workflow for measurement and control manufacturing tasks in an integrated photonics foundry. Followed by the development of a dedicated design that will be used as a process control module. An automatized system for control and measurement activities in the manufacturing chain will be developed. This system will also provide feedback to refine the proposed model. Participating ESRs will work with scientific participants to apply statistical models to study the performance of the fabricated building blocks and the development of software simulation tools to define the automation process.

Project 2: This WP will focus on the generation of low-loss waveguides for InP integrated photonics ASPICs. After elaborating a complete test plan, in a study of the impact of diffusion of Zn on the active building blocks will be accomplished. This will be achieved by simulation followed by fabrication process development, including performance and monitoring. It will be followed by measurements of the final performance of the devices fabricated. Several fabrication runs are planned to calibrate the process and to optimize the performance of booth active (lasers, amplifier, modulators) and passive (splitters, filters, interferometers) the building blocks. Participating ESRs will work with scientific participants to apply theoretical models, develop new tools, new building blocks and software simulations for this new generation of waveguides with small losses.

Project 3: This WP will focus on the generation of Aluminium containing quantum wells for active devices in InP integrated photonics ASPICs. After elaborating a complete test plan, there will be a characterization of the interfaces between InGaAsP and AlInGaAs materials, followed by a careful study of the oxidation/passivation of the quantum wells and a complete survey of the results and performance of the building blocks. Participating ESRs will work with scientific participants to apply theoretical models, develop new building blocks, test structures and software simulations for this new generation of devices with Al containing quantum wells.

Project 4: The goal of the WP is to demonstrate improved performance of more advanced PICs in which the technologies developed in WP3 and 4 are used. To develop new, more complex ready to use application-oriented PICs, the compact models developed in WP1 and the technology maturity of WP3 and WP4 will be validated. This next generation PICs will include sensing oriented circuits such as: low linewidth laser, widely tuneable laser, low repetition mode-locked laser; telecom oriented: advanced transmitters which contains Al QWs laser and modulators: datacom oriented: transmitter operating in O-band.

 

For more infromation, please contact Prof. Francisco Diaz Otero