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University of Southampton

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PhD in Programmable Silicon Photonic Circuits University of Southampton in United Kingdom

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Electrical Engineering

Funding

Full scholarship covers tuition fees and provides a stipend at the UKRI rate plus 10% ORC enhancement tax-free per annum for up to 3.5 years, totalling £22,858 for 2025/26 and rising annually. It also includes a £4200 budget for conference travel and related costs. UK, EU and Horizon Europe students are eligible; CSC students are eligible for fee waivers. Funding for other international applicants is very limited and highly competitive, though externally funded overseas applicants may apply.

Deadline

Sep 30, 2027

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Country

United Kingdom

University

University of Southampton

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Keywords

Electrical Engineering
Materials Science
Solid State Physics
Optical Physics
Sensor Technology
Silicon Photonics
Optical Communication
Physics

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About this position

PhD opportunity in programmable silicon photonic circuits at the University of Southampton. This project sits in the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences and is supervised by Professor David Thomson and Professor Goran Mashanovich. The research focuses on programmable silicon photonic integrated circuits (PICs) that can be reconfigured for multiple applications, including optical communications, sensing, and LiDAR.

You will work on designing, fabricating, and testing configurable silicon photonics components and architectures. Topics include programmable photonic integrated circuits, directional couplers, Mach-Zehnder interferometers, waveguides, switches, and network architectures such as binary trees, rectangular architectures, and square or hexagonal loops. The project also offers hands-on experience with world-class cleanroom facilities and advanced characterisation laboratories.

Academic background: applicants should have a UK 2:1 honours degree or equivalent. The post is especially relevant to students with interests in electrical engineering, optical physics, solid state physics, materials science, and photonic device fabrication. An English language qualification is required if applicable.

Funding: this is a funded PhD project. Full scholarships include tuition fees, a tax-free stipend at the UKRI rate plus 10% ORC enhancement for up to 3.5 years, and a £4200 research/travel budget. UK, EU, and Horizon Europe students are eligible; CSC students may receive fee waivers. Overseas applicants with external funding may also apply, but funding is limited and competitive.

How to apply: submit an online application via the University of Southampton portal. Select Research, 2027/28, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, choose full time or part time, search for programme PhD ORC (7097), and enter the supervisor’s name in section 2. Prepare your CV, two academic references, transcripts/certificates, and language evidence if needed.

Deadline: 2027-09-30.

Funding details

Full scholarship covers tuition fees and provides a stipend at the UKRI rate plus 10% ORC enhancement tax-free per annum for up to 3.5 years, totalling £22,858 for 2025/26 and rising annually. It also includes a £4200 budget for conference travel and related costs. UK, EU and Horizon Europe students are eligible; CSC students are eligible for fee waivers. Funding for other international applicants is very limited and highly competitive, though externally funded overseas applicants may apply.

What's required

You must have a UK 2:1 honours degree or an international equivalent. An English language qualification is required if applicable. Applicants should be prepared for design, fabrication, and testing work in photonic integrated circuits and silicon photonics.

How to apply

Apply online through the University of Southampton portal. Choose Research, 2027/28, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, select full time or part time, search for programme PhD ORC (7097), and add the supervisor’s name in section 2. Prepare a CV, two academic references, transcripts/certificates, and an English language qualification if applicable.

More information can be found here

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