Study at Cardiff | Postgraduate

Condensed Matter and Photonics (PhD/MPhil)

Course Description:

CMP brings together scientists with complementary skills, to share knowledge and resources, to provide a focus and direction for the future of our physics research, and provide training for the next generation.

The group, comprising 16 academics and ~28 researchers, operates at the cusp between fundamental physics and development of device concepts though measurements of fundamental optical and electrical processes in organic and inorganic semiconductor and metallic (nano) structures, enabling advances in understanding of light-matter interactions, charge transport, development and verification of theories, development of novel device concepts and high sensitivity photometric and spectroscopic instruments. Group activity can be further subdivided into the research themes of Photonics & Biophotonics, Quantum Materials & Devices, Nanoscale Science & Technology, Theory & Computational Physics and Imaging, Sensors & Instrumentation.

The group is equipped with a suite of state-of-the-art laboratories including two class 1000 cleanrooms for device and test structure fabrication and has extensive experimental and theoretical capability including a number of world-leading material, device fabrication and characterisation techniques invented within the group.

Research Areas:

Active research projects include:

• Coherence and Coupling of Single Quantum Dots
• Green photonics: Silicon based QD light sources
• Green Photonics: High Power Quantum Well and Quantum Dot Lasers
• The Physics of InAs Quantum Dot Lasers
• InP Quantum Dot Lasers
• Dephasing in Quantum Dots
• Living laser and Optical Biochip
• InGa(Al)N quantum well heterostructures
• Quasi-optical components and metamaterials for THz applications.
• Cavity-QED with quantum dots
• Excitons and microcavity polaritons in coupled quantum wells
• Resonant Acousto-optics and Acousto-plasmonics
• Narrow bandgap semiconductors for spin and charge based quantum devices.
• The study of carrier transport in single molecules
• Nanodiamond & Nanocarbon
• Electron Transfer in Proteins

Special Features:

• Research students take specialist academic courses and courses to develop their communication and personal skills.
• There is a full programme of seminars and the individual research groups hold regular meetings where members present new results and discuss their research in detail.
• There is an annual postgraduate conference and a research student poster competition.
• There are active collaborations with research groups overseas and regular attendance at major international conferences by staff and students.

Entry Requirements:

Suitable for graduates with a good honours degree in Physics, Astrophysics, Mathematics, Electronics or a related subject, depending on the research area.

Applicants whose first language is not English are normally expected to meet the minimum University requirements (e.g. 6.5 IELTS).

Supporting materials required:

• Research Proposal                            
• Two academic references and copies of full transcripts

Note: International students pursuing part-time programmes of study are not eligible for Tier 4 General Student) visas and must have alternative leave to remain in the UK if they intend to study at the University in person.