Host: You will be hosted at the Quantum Photonics with Solids and Atoms at ICFO, located in Barcelona, Spain

Opportunity open to: Master students active in eligible countries

Length of the stay: Minimum of three (3) months, to be discussed with host organization

Working towards a functional quantum repeater link to enable a European-wide quantum network. Our quantum network nodes are based on rare-earth-doped solid-state memories. To store photons in our memory platform, the population of the dopant atoms are prepared with laser pulses in a comb structure, the atomic frequency comb. An incoming photon will be collectively absorbed by the atoms and thus stored in the collective state of the atoms. After several microseconds set by the structure of the comb, the photon will be re-emitted.

For long-term storage, we apply additional laser pulses on the atoms prior to the reemission process and transfer the atoms into a long-lived groundstate. Both the preparation of the atomic frequency comb and the transfer pulse require narrow-linewidth laser light. However, in practice in the laboratory, we use optical fibers to distribute the laser light from the laser to the quantum memories. These fibers give rise to fiber noise which broadens the linewidth of our laser light. In an internship with our team, you will join us and develop a fiber noise cancellation system for our quantum network nodes.

Together with ICFOs dedicated electronic workshop, you will develop a printed-circuit board that contains all electrical components as plug-and-play solution. Subsequently, you will install the optical elements in the laboratory and implement the fiber-noise cancellation system. You will acquire expertise with the laser system as you will characterize the laser linewidth with and without the stabilization system. Finally, the fiber noise compensation will be integrated in the other laser setups as well, and thus, all our network nodes will benefit from your developments.

Overall, you will be closely supported by our research team and will acquire hands-on experience with optical elements, radio-frequency electronics, laser systems, and fibers.

 

About the QIA Internship Program

In this internship call, there are five (5) available opportunities in Europe’s leading academic institutions, and gain first-hand knowledge and experience in enabling a European Quantum Internet ecosystem!

Depending on the program, internship opportunities are open to either master students, PhD candidates, postdocs or young professionals studying or working at a university, research institution or a company in one of the eligible countries*. The program covers a maximum of 5,000 EUR per internship to cover for travel and accommodation expenses.

This internship program aims to initiate or strengthen collaboration with universities, research institutes and companies in the eligible countries through offering internship opportunities for their students and young professionals.

You can learn more about the application procedure here.

Deadline of submission: 31 May 2023

*List of eligible countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden