Exploring the Ho ion, from quantum playground to technology enabler

Quantum materials and technologies are becoming increasingly relevant as we search for new and exciting physics and exploit this to develop novel and useful devices. As we test our understanding, we can learn how to use materials in numerous ways depending upon how we manipulate the same material. This PhD will explore the properties of dilute Ho ion containing materials to probe new physics, this requires an understanding of the underlying population of the quantised energy levels; in parallel we will use this knowledge to develop thermal management for dilution fridges, which are the bedrock technology of superconducting quantum computers.

The PhD project will use a unique high frequency magnetic a.c. susceptometer to probe the quantum state populations of the Ho magnetic ions which we will learn how to manipulate with RF techniques commonly used by the quantum computing community. In principle we will be able to induce interactions between the isolated Ho ions and understand how the dynamics of the correlated Ho ions are modified.

We will develop new physics and new techniques to probe the quantum states. We will also use our knowledge of these states to implement a thermal management system into a unique self contained dilution unit - this will require a detailed knowledge of the states which contribute to the specific heat of the Ho ion containing system.

The PhD will take 5-years as it is part time starting between April 23 and Oct 23, with 50% of the time spent in Cardiff and 50% of the time spent on the development/production line at Chase Research Cryogenics in Sheffield.