PhD in Photonic and Electronic Integration of Detectors for Wireless Optical Communication Eindhoven University of Technology in Netherlands

PhD opportunity at Eindhoven University of Technology in the field of photonic and electronic integration for wireless optical communication. This project addresses the growing need for high-capacity, energy-efficient indoor connectivity beyond traditional RF wireless systems, with a focus on next-generation optical wireless communication (OWC) for indoor environments such as airport halls, convention centers, logistics centers, and other dense spaces.

The research goal is to innovate detector design for indoor OWC systems by developing integrated photonics-electronics components that are suitable for mass-market client devices, with an eye toward miniaturization and cost reduction. The work centers on integrating photo detectors with the analog front-end, achieving a scalable architecture with a wide aperture, wide bandwidth, and no mechanically movable components, while still capturing signals from multiple directions, including distributed MIMO and angular diversity.

Key technical topics include scaling detector arrays, bandwidth trade-offs, interconnect considerations, and electronic design issues such as buffers and transimpedance amplifiers (TIA). The project also explicitly considers heterogeneous integration, combining a PD array in a III-V technology such as InP with a Buffer-TIA array in high-speed silicon technology such as SiGe BiCMOS. You may have the opportunity to design, fabricate, and measure electronic ICs in silicon or III-V semiconductor technologies as part of a demonstrator validating detector requirements for OWC applications.

The position is embedded in the Department of Electrical Engineering at TU/e, an internationally oriented, industry-connected department working in areas including telecommunication and electrical signal processing. The university highlights its strong ties to Brainport Eindhoven’s high-tech ecosystem, modern research infrastructure, and a collaborative research culture.

Applicants are encouraged to relate their background in analog IC integration, CMOS/Bipolar design, photonic system modeling, communication systems theory, and circuit synthesis/simulation tools to the project. The team notes that candidates do not need to have expertise in all these areas already, but should show potential to grow in this multidisciplinary research environment.

Eligibility and requirements: a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent, research-oriented mindset, independence, teamwork, interest in industrial collaboration, willingness to contribute to teaching, and fluent English at C1 level.

Funding and conditions: full-time PhD employment for four years with an intermediate assessment after nine months. Salary is according to Dutch university scale P, with additional holiday allowance, year-end bonus, pension scheme, training opportunities, and other employment benefits.

Application deadline: 2026-09-05. Applications are reviewed as soon as possible and the vacancy remains open until filled, though complete applications are prioritized.