Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
About the Project
A fully funded PhD opportunity to participate in the world-leading research undertaken by the EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award at the University of Sheffield.
Supervised by Prof Jenny Clark and Dr Joe Smith.
The University of Sheffield is one of the leading Russell Group universities in the UK. We carry out cutting-edge research with strong links to industry. When you enrol to do a PhD with us, you will be working with world-leading academics and have access to top of the range facilities. As a PhD student you will have the opportunity to gain skills not only to conduct research, but also to take your career to the next level, whether you want to stay in academia, go into industry or the public sector, or set up your own company. You will have access to a range of training and support services to help you excel in your studies and beyond.
Project Description
Quantum sensing harnesses the fundamental laws of quantum physics to measure quantities - like magnetic fields, temperature, or strain - with unparalleled sensitivity. This research has important implications for biomedicine, environmental monitoring, and advanced materials science.
For many years, the gold standard for robust, room-temperature quantum sensing has been the electron spin found in a solid-state defect, such as the Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) centre in diamond. However, these systems are limited: their properties and colour are fixed by the crystal structure, and they are difficult to integrate directly into complex environments, like living cells.
A new room temperature quantum sensing material platform is now emerging: molecular spin qubits. These are custom-designed molecules that host a pair of highly sensitive electron spins, acting together as a tiny sensor. Molecules are the ultimate "designer" quantum systems, offering atomic-level tunability, solution processability, and the potential for greater sensitivity than solid-state platforms. They can even be designed to function as an in vivo quantum sensor.
Project aim
The overarching aim of this project is to understand the detailed physics of the interaction between light and spin within these molecules and to engineer their light-based initialisation and read-out for optimal performance. The custom-synthesised molecules you will explore have been provided by our world-leading collaborators in Japan and the USA specifically for this cutting-edge research.
To become effective sensors, these molecules must be easily "set" (initialised) into a specific quantum state and then "read" (detected) using light. This optical interface relies on complex electronic transitions, particularly a process where light can flip an electron's spin state (known as intersystem crossing).
In this project, you will tackle fundamental, unanswered questions to advance the field:
- What are the ultrafast pathways and quantum efficiencies of the spin-flipping mechanism, and how do they depend on the molecule's structure?
- Can we exploit these pathways while maintaining the high light emission (fluorescence) necessary for high-sensitivity detection?
- Can we use the reverse process - optically-activated ‘reverse intersystem crossing’ to rapidly read-out spin coherence with unprecedented temporal resolution?
Your role
This is a dynamic, hands-on, multi-disciplinary project at the intersection of quantum physics, advanced spectroscopy, and materials engineering. Your work will involve three key objectives:
- ULTRAFAST SPECTROSCOPY: Use cutting-edge femtosecond and nanosecond laser spectroscopies at the Lord Porter Laser facility to map the electronic energy landscape and dynamics of the molecular qubits on their native timescales, providing a detailed map of the spin-flipping mechanisms (intersystem crossing and reverse intersystem crossing).
- MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY: You will be involved in developing and commissioning a new pulsed light-detected magnetic resonance microscope. This is the tool required to directly measure and control the spin state of these new materials using light and microwaves.
- APPLICABILITY: You will work with biologists to develop calibration tests of sensors in model cells or hydrogels and demonstrate the feasibility of sensing intracellular pressure and temperature.
The field of molecular quantum sensing is less than a decade old and is currently experiencing dramatic growth. You will be characterising proprietary, brand new molecular qubits, giving you access to state-of-the-art materials that nobody else has studied. The ability to perform room-temperature quantum sensing outside of diamond is a global strategic priority. By solving the spin control challenge, this project will deliver the fundamental knowledge required to help shift molecular qubits from laboratory curiosity to a viable, commercial sensor technology, making this research novel and timely.
How to apply
Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to contact the project supervisors to discuss your interest in and suitability for the project prior to submitting your application.
Please refer to the EPSRC DLA webpage for detailed information about the EPSRC DLA and how to apply.
Applicants must ensure that they use the correct application form linked to the EPSRC DLA webpage and must submit an application for October 2027 entry.The form is unique to the EPSRC DLA. It contains the list of advertised projects from which to select, and three questions specific to the DLA.
The application deadline is 17:00 GMT 13 January 2027.
The majority of our DLA studentships will be allocated to candidates who qualify for Home fee status, in accordance with EPSRC funding regulations which place strict limits on international recruitment.
Funding Notes
The award will fund the full tuition fee and a maintenance stipend at the UKRI rate (currently £21,805 per annum) for 3.5 years, as well as a research grant to support costs associated with the project.