phd physics amsterdam

Dutch Research School of Theoretical Physics

DUTCH RESEARCH SCHOOL OF THEORETICAL PHYSICS (DRSTP)

Theoretical physics aims to describe our physical reality by mathematics. The strength of this research area is in part based on the unity of methods employed for a wide range of applications, ranging from the largest scales of the universe to its smallest. This unity manifests itself both in scientific research and in academic education. The Dutch Research School of Theoretical Physics (DRSTP) was established in 1993 to structure and coordinate the graduate education in theoretical physics. The school is a cooperation between the theoretical physics groups of six Dutch universities: University of Amsterdam (UvA), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VUA), University of Groningen (RUG), Leiden University (UL), Radboud University Nijmegen (RU), Utrecht University (UU) (commissioner) and of the National Institute for Subatomic Physics (Nikhef). In addition, there are several associate members.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Dutch Research School of Theoretical Physics (DRSTP) is a cooperation between the theoretical physics groups of six Dutch universities and of the National Institute for Subatomic Physics (Nikhef) with the following purpose:

• to implement a joint program of graduate education in theoretical physics that draws upon a dynamic research environment;
• to maintain and strengthen research in theoretical physics from a broad unifying perspective that exploits the interrelationships between different fields of theory;
• to strengthen, both in research and graduate education, connections with experimental physics, and other disciplines such as mathematics, computational science, astrophysics, earth science, physical chemistry and the life sciences.

The DRSTP is based on the conviction that a joint venture of all the moderately sized local theory groups, each with its own profile, offers added value for the achievement of these objectives. The DRSTP represents a sizable part of the national activity in theoretical physics, a field that has a strong tradition in the Netherlands. At present there exists no other organization that represents this field of research at the national level. The DRSTP welcomes further growth, for instance, by cooperation with institutions in neighbouring countries that share these goals. Often its educational activities already attract students from neighbouring countries and occasionally some of these activities are based on a close collaboration with partners abroad.

The Governing Board of the DRSTP, which consists of representatives of the partners, is responsible for undertaking any suitable initiative to further its goals. The Scientific Director of the DRSTP is responsible for implementing the overall policy on behalf of the Board and for coordinating the DRSTP activities. The mandate to carry out these tasks is based on an official agreement between the Boards of the participating partners. The agreement guarantees means for a six year period in terms of explicit staff commitments as well as graduate student positions. The DRSTP is assisted in its endeavor by an international Scientific Advisory Committee of distinguished scientists.

Theoretical physics is based on universal principles. New concepts often have a much wider validity than in the field in which they are discovered, and methods developed in one field are sometimes very useful in another. Hence theoretical physics is characterized by unity in diversity. The research fields of the DRSTP are highly diverse, ranging from the physics at the very smallest length scales to the large scale structure of space and time, and from the study of building blocks of matter to the intricacies of the many-body physics of condensed matter, be it quantum matter, soft matter or bio-matter. The methods employed in these various fields make up the universal language of theoretical physics: formalisms such as the renormalization group and quantum field theory, and various concepts of statistical, computational and mathematical physics are universally applied and establish cross-talk among the research fields.

The research areas covered by the DRSTP can be grouped into the following broad and overlapping themes:

• Theme 1: Particle physics, cosmology, quantum gravity and string theory
• Theme 2: Quantum matter, quantum information, soft condensed matter and biophysics

The specific content of the research program depends on the responsible project leaders, on their creativity as well as their initiative to obtain research funding from their home universities, the Dutch research councils of NWO, or from international sources such as European Union programs. The research program is carried out under the responsibility of the Governing Board and the scientific director in accordance with the agreement. The Governing Board of the DRSTP safeguards the objectives of the Research School. It monitors the overall coherence and quality of the research program. The Board discusses periodically whether the program remains on the forefront of international developments. The Scientific Advisory Committee plays an essential role in these matters. The DRSTP is also accountable to the faculties of the participating partners. Therefore it reports regularly on past and planned activities, both in research and graduate education, on the basis of information presented in its yearly reports.

Graduate program

The partners in the DRSTP offer a joint program of graduate education leading to a PhD. As part of the research training, under the supervision of a member scientist of the corresponding node, the Research School guarantees a wide range of educational opportunities for its PhD students. They consist of advanced courses, seminars and topical courses in the Netherlands, and international experience in the form of workshops, summer schools or extended research visits abroad. The Governing Board of the DRSTP decides on admission and monitors the evaluation of progress with a prognosis of ultimate success after the first year. This takes place on the basis of an “agreement of education and guidance” between each individual PhD student and its supervisor(s), to be submitted to and approved by the Board upon admittance. The Educational Board advises the Governing Board. It also assembles the content of the yearly program of regular activities. Standard advanced courses are published in a nationwide survey. Special PhD courses are offered within the DRSTP, in quantum field theory, statistical physics and in theoretical condensed matter physics, or result from joint efforts with other research schools. The input of graduate students in the Research School takes place in the form of a PhD Student Council that meets regularly with the Scientific Director and the Chairman of the Governing Board and the Educational Board (which also has one student member). Individual members of the DRSTP play a pivotal role in helping to organize many summer schools and workshops, in the Netherlands as well as abroad, and in serving as teachers in all the activities that the DRSTP undertakes by itself or in cooperation with others.

Other responsibilities

The responsibilities of the DRSTP include:

• the promotion of a stimulating research environment in theoretical physics;
• setting uniform standards of quality;
• making educational supplements available tailored to individual research needs.

The Board also develops a wide range of activities in order to support an exciting research climate from fund-raising, e.g. for postdoctoral fellows, guest teachers or international mobility of DRSTP students, to the selection of visiting professors, for example on the Kramers (UU), Lorentz (UL) or Van der Waals (UvA) Chairs.

Delta Institute for Theoretical Physics

The Delta Institute for Theoretical Physics unites the institutes for theoretical physics of the University of Amsterdam, Leiden University and Utrecht University.

Jan Zaanen (1957-2024)

Thijmen Vanholder wint Natuurkunde Olympiade Junior 2023

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From numbers to the universe

'Cosmology' by Daniel Baumann (University of Amsterdam) wins PROSE award

Randall Kamien visiting Kramers Professor in Utrecht

Inaugural lecture: From black hole to energy efficient technology

Three NWO Open Competition ENW-XL projects with Delta ITP researchers

Samaya Nissanke appointed prestigious Solvay Chair in Brussels in 2024

Robert stepanyan wint natuurkunde olympiade junior 2022.

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Alexey Boiarskyi appointed full professor at Leiden University

Thomas Grimm appointed Professor of Quantum Gravity and Geometry

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2021 NWO Vidi Grant for Elisa Chisari (Utrecht University)

ERC Advanced Grant for Martin van Hecke's 'calculating materials'

NWO-ENW-Klein grant for developing black hole on a chip

ERC Consolidator Grant for Philippe Corboz

Outreach: Quantum Universe website

Advanced topics course fall 2023, cookie consent.

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Opportunities

We announce several PhD and postdoc positions at the GRAPPA institute, related to gravitational waves, fundamental physics and cosmology.

PhD Student

Apply by 31/01/2024

Apply by 28/02/2024

Postdoctoral Fellowships

Besides regular postdoctoral jobs, we also offer postdoctoral fellowships supported by the Netherlands and the EU. We encourage strong candidates to apply. Contact one of the core faculty whom you are interested in working with!

Obtaining a PhD at the UvA

Why do a PhD at the UvA?

Excelling in research

If you choose to do a PhD at the UvA, you will be joining an organisation that recognises the key importance of excellent doctoral research. Research carried out by the UvA’s academic community ranks among the best of the world, and the University competes very successfully for external research funding, both in the Netherlands and beyond. The UvA's  research priority areas  represent the very best the UvA has to offer in terms of research and are also areas in which the UvA is a worldwide leader.

Employment benefits and housing

Another important benefit of doing a PhD at the UvA is that most PhD vacancies are paid positions . This means that, while doing your doctoral research, the University employs you as a staff member. This means you benefit from the UvA's terms of employment . The UvA also has a housing service for international PHDs, postgraduates and UvA guests .

Stimulating environment

When you do research at the UvA you work in a stimulating and innovative environment where your talents can be optimally developed. The UvA has a critical, creative and international climate and welcoming atmosphere. Join a community of independent thinkers who love research and who have the courage to ask questions and disagree with one another.

European connections

Joining the UvA also means joining an international research community. As one of Europe’s major universities, the UvA is a member of various international consortia of universities and research institutes. It is also a member of the  League of European Research Universities  (LERU) and the global network  Universitas21 .

Facts and figures

• Around 500 doctoral degrees (PhDs) are conferred annually at the UvA.
• Two-thirds of PhD positions are in the sciences and medicine, and a third in social and behavioural sciences, humanities, economics and law.
• In total, around 2,000 PhD candidates carry out doctoral research at the UvA.

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PhD Recruitment Process

Timeline of hiring process 

(This is information of the hiring process in 2023/2024. For the 2024/2025 process, please refer back to this page after the summer break 2024)

Mid-October to Early-November

• applications open 

Late November/Early December

• selected candidates will be contacted with instructions on how their referees can submit the reference letters

Mid-December 

• successful applicants will be invited to our `PhD recruitment days’ in February 

8-9 February you will :

• give a presentation on your research work
• meet the staff offering PhD positions
• meet our current PhD researchers and postdocs
• be interviewed for the positions which you are interested in.

Mid-February to March

• offers for positions will be made
• positions expected to start (earlier or later starts may sometimes be possible and should be negotiated with the staff member offering the position).

Depending on availability, PhD positions may sometimes be offered at other times of year, so it helps to check our job vacancies webpage from time to time (positions will also usually be advertised on the AAS Job Register )

Main application requirements

         -you have done some advanced courses,           -your degree also includes a significant research project (at least several months in duration).

Reference letters 

Applicants who have cleared the first screening process will be contacted for references in late November/early December . Prior to hearing if you have been selected to send reference letters, it is not necessary to have them.

Academics  You have or are studying for an advanced (Masters or equivalent) degree in physics, astrophysics or a related subject.  This will usually be a separate Masters degree, carried out after doing a Bachelors degree, but in some cases it may be an enhanced (4 or more years) single degree including standard Bachelor-level and more advanced courses.  You do not need to have obtained your degree to apply: we only require that you obtain the degree before starting your PhD position.

Language English is the main language of our institute, socially, for research, and for teaching. A high level of proficiency in English is mandatory.  Although we do not request formal qualifications in English, we may ask for them to be sure that an applicant’s level of English is sufficient.

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PhD: Statistical physics of chromosomes

• W&N Gebouw
• Closes on 30-06-2024
• Faculty of Science

The PhD project in which you will be participating aims to leverage the unique properties of 2D materials and their heterostructures for making ultrahigh-gain, ultralow-noise detectors for applications in high-energy physics. Recently, novel 2D material devices have been developed based on heterostructures of semiconducting 2D monolayers such as transition metal dicalchogenides (TMDSs). Similar to traditional Si and GaAs photodetectors, 2D material detectors can be built with internal amplification to produce avalanche photodiodes, while offering unique advantages in terms of low noise and high gain. In collaboration with the Institute for High-Energy Physics, we will investigate the potential of these novel 2D material devices to open up new realms in the detection of dark matter, particles and gravitational waves.

What are you going to do?

Recently, a new material class with excellent optoelectronic properties has been emerging. 2D materials, so-called van der Waals (vdW) layered materials, have prompted a revolution in optoelectronic devices such as photodetectors, solar cells and photon emitters . Among the many 2D vdW materials, transition metal dichalcogenides are of special interest due to the large range of electronic band structures and gaps. These 2D materials show great potential for high-performance avalanche photodetectors (APDs), promising a new paradigm in ultrahigh gain and low-noise detectors, operable close to room temperature. 2D APDs can operate within the visible (VIS), near-infrared (NIR) and mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) range with high responsivity and gain, providing unique opportunities for (astro)particle physics applications.

In this project, we will develop high-gain, low-noise 2D material detectors and explore their suitability for applications in high energy physics.

• Work in a collaboration between the optoelectronics group of Schall and van de Groep at WZI, and the detector R&D group at Nikhef, contact M.Vreeswijk;
• Use the nanofabrication facilities at the Amsterdam Nanocenter, together with the optics labs at WZI to fabricate and investigate the 2D material devices, and the state-of-the-art detector facilities at Nikhef to characterize their detection performance in terms of gain, noise and time resolution;
• Be fully integrated in both groups to bridge from material innovation to new applications in high-energy physics.

What do you have to offer?

• Master degree in Physics, Physical Chemistry or Electrical Engineering;
• Experience in the following fields: 2D materials, Nanofabrication, (2D material) devices/detectors, detector measurements.

You should be able to:

• Work at the interface between Materials Science and High Energy Physics instrumentation;
• Collaborate and adapt in an international team and possess very good communication skills in oral and written English.

A temporary contract for 38 hours per week for the duration of 4 years (the initial contract will be for a period of 18 months and after satisfactory evaluation it will be extended for a total duration of 4 years). This should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). We will draft an educational plan that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. We also expect you to assist in teaching undergraduates and master students.

The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between € 2,770 to € 3,539 (scale P). This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% year-end allowance. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.

Besides the salary and a vibrant and challenging environment at Science Park we offer you multiple fringe benefits:

• 232 holiday hours per year (based on fulltime) and extra holidays between Christmas and 1 January;
• multiple courses to follow from our Teaching and Learning Centre;
• a complete educational program for PhD students;
• multiple courses on topics such as leadership for academic staff;
• multiple courses on topics such as time management, handling stress and an online learning platform with 100+ different courses;
• 7 weeks birth leave (partner leave) with 100% salary;
• partly paid parental leave;
• the possibility to set up a workplace at home;
• a pension at ABP for which UvA pays two third part of the contribution;
• the possibility to follow courses to learn Dutch;
• help with housing for a studio or small apartment when you’re moving from abroad.

Are you curious to read more about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits, take a look here .

The University of Amsterdam is the Netherlands' largest university, offering the widest range of academic programmes. At the UvA, 30,000 students, 6,000 staff members and 3,000 PhD candidates study and work in a diverse range of fields, connected by a culture of curiosity.

The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 8,000, as well as 1,800 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.

The Institute of Physics (IoP) of the Faculty of Science combines the Van der Waals-Zeeman Institute (WZI), the Institute of Theoretical Physics (ITFA) and the Institute for High Energy Physics (IHEF) and is one of the large research institutes of the faculty of Science at the University of Amsterdam. The institute hosts the quantum materials cluster with currently 8 groups working on electronic and optical properties of advanced materials with a strong focus on 2D materials.

The institute for High Energy Physics is part of the national Nikhef collaboration, in which several Dutch universities work on both theoretical and experimental particle and astroparticle physics. The detector R&D group focuses on new technologies in particle detection and is involved in the development of instrumentation for large scale facilities at CERN.

This PhD position on 2D Material detectors is available in the Quantum Materials cluster of the WZI in collaboration with the detector cluster at Nikhef.

Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.

Any questions?

Do you have any questions or do you require additional information? Please contact:

Prof. Peter Schall, e-mail [email protected] , or Prof. Marcel Vreeswijk, e-mail [email protected]

Job application

If you feel the profile fits you, and you are interested in the job, we look forward to receiving your application. You can apply online via the button below. We accept applications until and including 31 May 2024 .

Applications should include the following information (all files besides your cv should be submitted in one single pdf file ):

• A detailed CV including the months (not just years) when referring to your education and work experience;
• A letter of motivation;
• A list of university grades
• Contact details of two academic referees (who will be contacted when shortlisted)

A knowledge security check can be part of the selection procedure. (for details: national knowledge security guidelines )

Only complete applications received within the response period via the link below will be considered.

The selection process commences immediately, but will close when suitable candidates have been found. Any other correspondence in response to this advertisement will not be dealt with (Formal closing date: 31st of May).

The UvA is an equal-opportunity employer. We prioritize diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone. We value a spirit of enquiry and perseverance, provide the space to keep asking questions, and promote a culture of curiosity and creativity.

No agencies please

In your application, please refer to Professorpositions.com

PhD Candidate in Theoretical Physics University of Amsterdam, Faculty of Science – Institute of Physics Netherlands

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Vacancies PhD vacancy Physical and digital healthcare accessibility Key takeaways The University of Twente (UT) is looking for two PhDs on the mobility and accessibility impacts of local and digital

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://www.academictransfer.com/en/339107/ phd -position-on-theoretical- physics -… Contact City Amsterdam Website http://www.uva.nl/ Street Spui 21 Postal Code 1012 WX STATUS: EXPIRED

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12 Best universities for Medical Physics in the Netherlands

Updated: February 29, 2024

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Below is a list of best universities in the Netherlands ranked based on their research performance in Medical Physics. A graph of 256K citations received by 6.59K academic papers made by 12 universities in the Netherlands was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Radboud University

For Medical Physics

2. University of Amsterdam

3. Utrecht University

4. University of Groningen

5. Maastricht University

6. Erasmus University Rotterdam

7. Delft University of Technology

8. Free University Amsterdam

9. Leiden University

10. University of Twente

11. Rotterdam University

12. Eindhoven University of Technology

The best cities to study Medical Physics in the Netherlands based on the number of universities and their ranks are Nijmegen , Amsterdam , Utrecht , and Groningen .

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Physics (Ph.D.)

Why pursue a Ph.D. in physics at UNH?

Expand your career opportunities within academia, industry or research through our physics Ph.D. program. You’ll work through a core curriculum exploring the fundamental areas of physics while also engaging with electives in your area of interest. You’ll apply advanced methodologies while conducting original research. If you are interested in teaching physics, you’ll also have the opportunity to pursue a cognate in college teaching. As a doctoral student in our program, you’ll have the opportunity to receive support through teaching assistantships, research assistantships or fellowships.

Program Highlights

The Department of Physics offers excellent research opportunities for graduate students. UNH physicists are engaged in world-class research in applied optics, condensed matter, nuclear and particle physics, education, and high energy theory and cosmology. The Space Science Center fosters research and education in all the space sciences, ranging from the ionosphere to the Earth's magnetosphere, the local solar system, and out to the farthest reaches of the universe. In addition, UNH has just reached the top tier of research universities, Carnegie Classification R1, and our research portfolio brings in more than $110 million in competitive external funding each year.

Potential career areas

• Government research
• Private industry research/development
• Renewable energy
• Science communication

• Request Information

Contact Information

Curriculum & Requirements

Program description.

The Physics Ph.D. program prepares students for a career in industry, education, research or academia. Students will progress from studying a core curriculum encompassing fundamental areas of physics to taking elective classes in their area of interest. They will then conduct original research in a particular research area, leading to their PhD dissertation and defense.

For more details, please consult the physics graduate student handbook .

Requirements for the Program

Degree requirements.

For Space Science students, these courses must include Plasma Physics ( PHYS 951 ) , Magnetohydrodyamics of the Heliosphere ( PHYS 953 ) , and one of Magnetospheres ( PHYS 987 ) , Heliospheric Physics ( PHYS 954 ) .

Students are required to

• demonstrate proficiency in teaching,
• pass the written comprehensive exam, and
• pass an oral qualifying exam on a thesis proposal.

Degree candidates are required to

• register for a minimum of two semesters of PHYS 999 Doctoral Research ,
• pass the oral dissertation defense, and
• successfully submit the final dissertation to the Graduate School.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will master the theoretical concepts in advanced mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics at the graduate level.
• Students will have an advanced understanding of the mathematical methods, both analytical and computational, required to solve complex physics problems at the graduate level.
• Students will be proficient in experimental physics.
• Students will develop and demonstrate proficiency in teaching at the undergraduate level.
• Students will have a specialized knowledge of their chosen field of advanced research in physics.
• Students will be able to present advanced scientific ideas effectively in both written and oral form.
• Students will be well prepared for postgraduate study in physics and related disciplines, as well as advanced careers in a multitude of fields ranging from scientific and technical to financial.

Application Requirements & Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

• Fall : Jan. 15 (for funding); after that on rolling basis until April 15
• Spring : N/A
• Summer : N/A
• Special : Spring admission by approval only

Application fee : $65

Campus : Durham

New England Regional : VT

Accelerated Masters Eligible : No

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form . This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted , you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

• Electronic Transcripts : Please have your institution send the transcript directly to [email protected] . Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
• Paper Transcripts : Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

GRE Optional

The GRE scores are optional, if you wish to provide scores please email the scores directly to the department once you have submitted your application online.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:

• Reasons you wish to do graduate work in this field, including your immediate and long-range objectives.
• Your specific research or professional interest and experiences in this field.

Important Notes

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Introduction

This CAMPEP-accredited Medical Physics Certificate program is a two-semester program for individuals with a PhD in Physics, Engineering or a related field wishing to transition to a career in medical physics. Students will acquire a broad knowledge in medical physics, including radiation physics, radiobiology, radiation safety, medical imaging and the modern practice of radiation oncology, through both coursework and hands-on clinical experience. This non-degree program is designed to meet all the recommendations in Report 197S of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine. At the completion of this program applicants will be eligible to take the Part 1 of the ABR exam and will be eligible to enter CAMPEP-accredited medical physics residency programs.

Admission Requirements

Applicants are required either to be currently enrolled in a PhD program or to hold a PhD degree already in Physics, Engineering or equivalent with a minimum 3.3 GPA and demonstrate fluency in English. In order to obtain the certificate, the applicants must have the equivalent of a minor in physics which requires a two-semester calculus based introductory physics course and three upper-level physics courses as described in Audit Standards for Initial Certification document. This is a part of the requirement both for entering into the CAMPEP residencies and taking the ABR Part I certification exam.

Application must include completed application form, current CV, and transcripts. Applicant, whose PhD degree is from outside the United States, must also submit a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score with your application.

Course Requirements

The program requires completion of at least 6 courses (18 credits) taken in the Fall and Spring semesters. A maximum of 6 credits may be transferred provided that such credits have been earned through university-level courses appropriate to the certificate program upon approval by the program faculty. Applicants who have not earned credits in coursework for ethics and professionalism training must include this course in the curriculum. The curriculum include the following courses:

In addition to the required courses, students will be given a variety of other learning opportunities in ethics and error, clinical rotations, journal club, morning seminars and ground rounds.

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Physics student Brodie selected for prestigious DOE program

Liam Brodie , a graduate student working with Mark Alford, a professor of physics in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, has been selected to participate in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Program .

Brodie’s research is centered on static and dynamic properties of nuclear matter in the ultra-dense interior of neutron stars. As part of the SCGSR, Brodie will work at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Long Island, N.Y., from July through December.

Read more on the Department of Physics website .

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The thinnest lens on Earth, enabled by excitons

29 May 2024

When you imagine a lens, you probably picture a piece of curved glass. This type of lens works because light is refracted (bent) when it enters the glass, and again when it exits, allowing us to make things appear larger or closer than they actually are. We have used curved lenses for more than two millennia, allowing us to study the movements of distant planets and stars, to reveal tiny microorganisms, and to improve our vision.

Ludovico Guarneri, Thomas Bauer, and Jorik van de Groep of the University of Amsterdam, together with colleagues from Stanford University in California, took a different approach. Using a single layer of a unique material called tungsten disulphide (WS 2 for short), they constructed a flat lens that is half a millimetre wide, but just 0.0000006 millimetres, or 0.6 nanometres, thick. This makes it the thinnest lens on Earth!

Rather than relying on a curved shape, the lens is made of concentric rings of WS 2 with gaps in between. This is called a ‘Fresnel lens’ or ‘zone plate lens’, and it focuses light using diffraction rather than refraction. The size of, and distance between the rings (compared to the wavelength of the light hitting it) determines the lens’s focal length. The design used here focuses red light 1 mm from the lens.

Quantum enhancement

A unique feature of this lens is that its focussing efficiency relies on quantum effects within WS 2 . These effects allow the material to efficiently absorb and re-emit light at specific wavelengths, giving the lens the built-in ability to work better for these wavelengths.

This quantum enhancement works as follows. First, WS 2 absorbs light by sending an electron to a higher energy level. Due to the ultra-thin structure of the material, the negatively charged electron and the positively charged ‘hole’ it leaves behind in the atomic lattice stay bound together by the electrostatic attraction between them, forming what is known as an ‘exciton’. These excitons quickly disappear again by the electron and hole merging together and sending out light. This re-emitted light contributes to the lens’s efficiency.

The scientists detected a clear peak in lens efficiency for the specific wavelengths of light sent out by the excitons. While the effect is already observed at room temperature, the lenses are even more efficient when cooled down. This is because excitons do their work better at lower temperatures.

Augmented reality

Another one of the lens’s unique features is that, while some of the light passing through it makes a bright focal point, most light passes through unaffected. While this may sound like a disadvantage, it actually opens new doors for use in technology of the future. “The lens can be used in applications where the view through the lens should not be disturbed, but a small part of the light can be tapped to collect information. This makes it perfect for wearable glasses such as for augmented reality,” explains Jorik van de Groep, one of the authors of the paper.

The researchers are now setting their sights on designing and testing more complex and multifunctional optical coatings whose function (such as focussing light) can be adjusted electrically. “Excitons are very sensitive to the charge density in the material, and therefore we can change the refractive index of the material by applying a voltage,” says Van de Groep. The future of excitonic materials is bright!

Publication

Ludovica Guarneri, Qitong Li, Thomas Bauer, Jung-Hwan Song, Ashley P. Saunders, Fang Liu, Mark L. Brongersma and Jorik van de Groep, Temperature-Dependent Excitonic Light Manipulation with Atomically Thin Optical Elements . Nano Letters 24, 21, 6240-6246 (2024)

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