PhD- student: Harnessing phase transitions for optical information processing

This PhD project will investigate how phase transitions can be harnessed for information processing with light. Near a continuous phase transition, the susceptibility of a material can increase strongly, allowing weak input signals to generate large responses, which can reduce the optical energy required for an operation. However, critical slowing down and enhanced fluctuations may limit processing speed and accuracy. The main objective is to quantify this trade-off between energy consumption, speed and accuracy in information processing near a phase transition, and to determine how it depends on properties of the signal such as amplitude and bandwidth.

The project builds on recent work by the host group [Keijsers et al., Nature Photon. 19, 733 (2025)], where signatures of a phase transition were observed in the nonlinear response of a laser-driven optical cavity containing a perovskite crystal. The first objective is to characterize the spectral and temporal response of this system near the transition, which is expected to include memory effects and strong fluctuations. Next, controlled time-dependent signals and benchmark optical information-processing operations will be used to compare performance at different distances from the phase transition.

Experiments will be combined with theoretical modelling, statistical data analysis, and numerical simulations to identify the governing mechanisms and to determine whether and how proximity to a phase transition offers an advantage for processing certain signals. The project is primarily experimental and will involve optical cavity measurements, materials characterization and, where needed, nanofabrication. Its expected outcome is an experimentally tested framework for designing photonic information-processing systems that exploit phase-transition physics.

You have an MSc degree in physics, optics, photonics, nanoscience, or a related field. Laboratory experience in optics or photonics is preferable but not strictly necessary. A background in, or strong interest in, one or more of the following areas is valued: nonlinear dynamics, condensed-matter physics, and stochastic processes. The ideal candidate is an experimentalist who enjoys not only setting up and performing complex experiments, but also thinking deeply about the results and modelling them.

This is a collaborative project between AMOLF and Utrecht University. Your host will be the Interacting Photons group led by Prof. Said R. K. Rodriguez at AMOLF, but you will also work part time at Utrecht University with Prof. Allard Mosk and his group. We are looking for someone with the personal and communication skills required to connect two groups at different locations (half hour away), besides being able to work independently. The appointment also includes a contribution to teaching at Utrecht University and participation in the relevant training programs.

The position is full-time (40 hours/week, 12 months/year) for four years, with a starting salary of 3,115 Euro gross per month and a range of employment benefits. AMOLF is located at Amsterdam Science Park. For further information, contact [naam] R.K. Rodriguez at [e-mailadres].