PhD position on atom interferometry in microgravity

In our research group “Experimental Quantum Optics and Quantum Information” at the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz we are investigating several scientific questions in the fields of quantum optics and quantum information science with cold, neutral atoms. This contains experiments on long-range interactions, tests on the equivalence principle or the investigation of strong atomic interactions for quantum information processing. We are seeking a candidate for Ph.D. within our project “QUANTUS V – Multispecies-Atom Interferometry in Microgravity” with a starting date from now on (position fully funded in accordance to German standard tariff TV-L E13 75%). QUANTUS is a collaboration between different German universities and is supported by the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Our goal is to study fundamental properties of atoms using matter wave interferometry on different microgravity platforms (drop tower, sounding rockets, ...), and in space. In the QUANTUS-V project, we use the drop tower in Bremen for this purpose. There, an experiment can be dropped up to three times a day and is then in free fall for 4.7 seconds, i.e. in weightlessness. In the collaboration, an experimental apparatus has been developed for this purpose that can withstand the forces that arise, and experiments have already been carried out on the manipulation of Bose-Einstein condensates with the magnetic fields of an atom chip, as well as experiments on atom interferometry with ultracold rubidium atoms. Within this PhD, the apparatus will be extended by a second species, potassium. This will be used to enable us to do simultaneous interferometry on two atomic species in weightlessness in order to perform a test of the weak equivalence principle. The work at QUANTUS V offers exciting basic research in a highly topical research field and, in addition to experimental data acquisition and analysis, also includes work on setting up and optimizing the experimental hardware. The work is carried out within a team of PhD students from the participating partner universities from Berlin, Bremen, Hanover and Mainz. The location of the experiment is the drop tower in Bremen (ZARM). For this position you should have a university degree (Master or equivalent) in physics or a related field. Existing knowledge in the fields of "ultracold quantum gases" or "atom interferometry" is an advantage. A high degree of mobility is required to participate in the measurement campaigns and project meetings at the partner universities. More information about the experiment can be found in our recent article ("Collective-Mode Enhanced Matter-Wave Optics" C. Deppner et. al, 2021 Phys. Rev. Lett. 127 100401), or on our website https://www.qoqi.physik.uni-mainz.de/research-projects/quantus/quantus-ii/.

Please send your application including the usual documents (cover letter, CV and references) electronically to Professor Patrick Windpassinger (windpass@uni-mainz.de).