Theses and Internships

We are always happy to welcome students, either for a reasearch internship or a Bachelor/Master thesis. At the moment we can offer the following projects:

Master thesis/Research internship: Dynamical Decoupling pulse sequences for the generation of heralded entanglement between color centers in 4H silicon carbide

Supervision: Maximilian Hollendonner

To generate a quantum internet of things, multiple quantum memory nodes which are mutually entangled with each other, are needed. At the institute of Applied Quantum Technologies (AQuT.) we aim at entangling two silicon vacancy centers in 4H silicon carbide. These centers serve as the central building blocks which mediate the entanglement between various entities of the quantum network. Hereby pulse sequences are needed, which simultaneously protect the vacancy against dephasing and thus maintain the entangled state between the two color centers.

Within the research internship/ master thesis, pulse sequence will be developed which simultaneously allow for the generation of heralded entanglement and also protect the vacancy’s against dephasing.

Supervisor:                                Maximilian Hollendonner – maximilian.hollendonner@fau.de

Start:                                           Immediately

 

Bachelor thesis: Temperature control of magnets for Zeeman splitting of silicon vacancy centers in 4H silicon carbide

Supervision: Maximilian Hollendonner

To use silicon vacancy centers in 4H silicon carbide for quantum computing applications, it is necessary to apply static magnetic fields which cause Zeeman splittings of the vacancy’s eigenstates.  As the magnetic field of permanent magnets can change due to, for instance, temperature fluctuations, it is necessary to stabilize these magnetic fields. Through quantum sensing methods, the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnets can be measured via the silicon vacancy. These results can then be used for feedback loops which control the effective magnetic field of the magnet.

During the bachelor thesis, a feedback loop which stabilizes the magnetic field will be implemented. Hereby it will be necessary to understand the interplay between fluctuations of temperature and magnetic fields as measured via the silicon vacancy centers and to implement control strategies against these fluctuations.

Supervisor:                                Maximilian Hollendonner – maximilian.hollendonner@fau.de

Start:                                           Immediately

 

Bachelor/Master thesis: Light propagation in doped silicon carbide waveguides

Combining the spin qubit system of SiC together with its excellent electronic properties offers several opportunities for as platfrom for integrated quantum nanophotonics. This thesis is about simulating a photonic waveguide structure consiting of differently doped SiC layers. How do different parameters affect the optimal waveguiding of the light emitted by the SiC color center?

Supervisor:                                Daniel Scheller – daniel.scheller@fau.de

Start:                                           Immediately

 

Master thesis: Process development for etching free-standing waveguide structures in silicon carbide

RIE-ICP Farady etching is a technique commonly used to etch free-standing triangular shaped waveguides in diamond and silicon carbide. In this thesis includes the design and fabrication of a Faraday cage, first test device fabrication and analysing the influence of different parameters like the cage desing or etching parameters.

Supervisor:                                Daniel Scheller – daniel.scheller@fau.de

Start:                                           Immediately

 

Master Thesis / Bachelor Thesis / Research Internship Offer: Design and Construction of a Balanced Detector

 

Supervisor: Johannes Wesseler, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Roland Nagy

 

Project Overview: We are offering a project focused on the design and construction of a balanced detector. This project aims to develop a high-sensitivity, broadband balanced detector for applications in advanced quantum sensing and magnetometry. The candidate will be involved in both the theoretical design and practical implementation of the detector. Balanced detectors are critical components in quantum sensing, offering enhanced sensitivity and noise reduction capabilities. The project will build on existing research in nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center-based magnetometry.

Depending on how far you come with the project, you can also work on other parts of the quantum sensing setup.

 

Objectives:

  • Design a balanced detector optimized for high sensitivity and low noise.
  • Construct and test the detector, ensuring it meets specified performance criteria.
  • Integrate the detector with existing NV-diamond magnetometry setups.
  • Characterize the performance of the detector in terms of bandwidth, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), etc.

 

Requirements:

  • Background in electrical engineering
  • Experience with analog electronic circuit design and signal processing.
  • Familiarity with laboratory instrumentation and experimental setups.
  • First contact with quantum sensing in lectures or lab internships is helpful but not necessary.

 

Bachelor thesis/ research internship: Environmental factors for portable magnetic sensors based on NV centers in diamond

In this project you will investigate if and how environmental factors like humidity, pressure, temperature, and stray fields influence a portable magnetic sensor based on NV center in diamond. You will learn about the measurement of magnetic fields using nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond and will use a magnetic field sensor based on these lattice defects yourself. Possible environmental influences that we could investigate are: Influence of air pressure, influence of humidity, influence of stray fields (e.g. WLAN router), influences of vibrations. During the thesis you will conduct the following work:

  • Optical simulation of environmental influences on the sensorhead (Zemax)
  • Testing the sensorhead in the lab
  • Measuring magnetic fields with the sensorhead
  • Performing magnetic field measurements with the sensor

Preparatory knowledge (recommended but not necessary):

  • Basics of quantum technologies and quantum sensing
  • Good optics/photonics and HF background
  • Zemax (optical simulation software)

Supervisor:                                Johannes Wesseler – johannes.wesseler@fau.de

Start:                                           Immediately

 

Master Thesis / Bachelor Thesis / Research Internship Offer: Implementation of Quantum Sensing Experiments on an FPGA

 

Supervisor: Johannes Wesseler, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Roland Nagy

 

Project Overview: We are offering a project focused on the implementation of quantum sensing protocols and the corresponding signal processing on an FPGA, specifically on a Red Pitaya StemLab. The candidate will use existing code for the Red Pitaya and write their own code extending the existing functionalities. We would like to implement lock-in detection and further processing of signals from our photodetectors, extracting measurements of magnetic fields from the fluorescence measurements of the NV centers. The overall goal is to use the FPGA board to replace many bulky lab components, building a quantum sensor that we can bring to real-life applications, outside of our lab!

Depending on how far you come with the project, you can also work on other parts of the quantum sensing setup.

 

Objectives:

  • Extend existing FPGA and Python code for the Red Pitaya FPGA, to build a portable quantum sensor
  • Program the FPGA and test the code in our existing measurement setups, ensuring it meets specified performance criteria.
  • Integrate the board with our existing setups
  • Characterize the performance of the setup in terms of bandwidth, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), etc.

 

Requirements:

  • Background in electrical engineering
  • Experience with FPGA and signal processing helpful; Experience with Python necessary
  • Familiarity with laboratory instrumentation and experimental setups.
  • First contact with quantum sensing in lectures or lab internships is helpful but not necessary.

 

Bachelor thesis/ research internship/ Master thesis: Design of resonators for the control of nuclear spins in SiC

As part of the research performed at the Institute of Applied Quantum Technologies (AQuT.), we are working on the electromagnetic and optical control of color centers in Silicon Carbide (SiC). Hereby we aim at realizing a quantum memory via the nuclear spins of 13C and 29Si.

To efficiently control nuclear spins at cryogenic temperatures, a frequency-matched and temperature controlled solution for the incoupling of AC magnetic fields is necessary, which can be realized through a coil, specifically designed for the environment within the cryostat.

During the thesis the following points should be adressed:

  • Simulation of magnetic fields for various geometries within our experimental setting
  • Simulaiton of the thermic flux
  • Optimization of the coil and its manufacturing
  • Measurements and optimization of the coil

The work packages can be adressed in different thesis.

Beneficial knowledge (not strictly necessary):

  • COMSOL
  • Basics of Quantum Technologies
  • Basics of HF

Supervisor:                              Fedor Hrunski – fedor.hrunski@fau.de

Start:                                         Immediately