PhD Studentship: High Light Yield Perovskite Scintillators for Nuclear Security Gamma Applications University of Surrey in United Kingdom

[Fully and directly funded for this project only. UKRI standard stipend for 48 months - £20,780 for 2025/26 academic year. Funding is for 48 months.]

The University of Surrey invites applications for a fully funded PhD studentship focused on the development of high light yield perovskite scintillators for nuclear security gamma applications. This project is part of the Physics PhD programme and is supervised by Professor Paul Sellin, Professor Carol Crean, and Dr Ian Riddlestone. The research aims to advance the performance of perovskite scintillator materials, which offer high scintillation light yield, material density, optical transparency, and fast response times. These materials are solution-processable at low temperatures and can be tuned across the visible spectrum, making them highly versatile for gamma detection.

The main objectives include developing new growth methods for perovskite scintillators, studying their morphology and crystalline quality using advanced X-ray diffraction techniques, and evaluating their optical and radiation response properties. The project is highly multidisciplinary, leveraging state-of-the-art facilities in Chemistry and Materials Science for material characterisation (including photoluminescence, Raman, SEM/TEM, and XRD) and Physics for radiation-based testing (X-ray luminescence and gamma irradiation).

The studentship is fully funded for 48 months, offering a UKRI standard stipend of £20,780 per year for the 2025/26 academic year. The position is open to candidates eligible for UK/home rate fees, with a start date in October 2026. Applicants must meet the University of Surrey's minimum PhD entry requirements. Applications should be submitted via the Physics PhD programme page, and instead of a research proposal, candidates should upload a document stating the project title and the name of the relevant supervisor.

This opportunity is ideal for students interested in cutting-edge research at the intersection of physics, materials science, and chemistry, with direct applications in nuclear security and advanced detector technologies. For further information, prospective applicants are encouraged to contact Professor Paul Sellin.