The aim of this project is to develop the next generation of hollow core optical fibres (HCF) using the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

HCFs guide light in an air core through a delicately designed microstructure, allowing light to travel faster, with less degradation and more power than traditional glass fibres. These fibres have real-world applications ranging from data-centres to industrial machining lasers, and the fibres designed in this project could span oceans, deliver quantum communications or monitor fusion reactors.

Over the last 5 years, we have led a rapid transformation of these fibres. However, as the fibre designs have become more complex and the number of design parameters has increased, we now aim to harness the power of AI to rapidly explore a vast range of design spaces to discover designs for the next generation of Hollow Core fibre.

During this project, you will:

• develop and test machine learning approaches to fibre design
• identify new designs for hollow core fibres
• develop the fabrication of promising fibre designs.

This project will not only develop machine learning frameworks to design better hollow core fibres but will also deliver new ways of understanding the fundamental physics of how these fibres work, and how the design parameters influence the performance of these fibres.

You will work with a world leader in HCF technology, and Microsoft Azure, who fabricate fibre in their dedicated facility near Southampton.

The Optoelectronics Research Centre is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusivity, as demonstrated by the school’s Athena Swan award. We welcome all applicants regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or age. We take personal circumstances into account, and will give full consideration to applicants seeking to study part time. The campus has onsite childcare facilities.

This project is supervised by Dr Greg Jasion.

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/people/5x5kgs/doctor-gregory-jasion

Entry requirements

You must have a minimum of a UK 2:1 honours undergraduate degree, or its international equivalent , in physics or a closely related discipline.

A strong interest in AI and its applications in design optimisation tasks, will be beneficial.