PhD Studentship in Electronic Engineering

Polytechnicpositions; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 15,000 - 20,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK university is offering a PhD studentship focused on AI-driven design of ultrathin metamaterial lenses for compact imaging systems. Candidates will gain experience in artificial intelligence, nanofabrication, and computational modelling. A successful applicant should hold a high honours degree in Physics, Electrical, or Electronic Engineering. This opportunity is ideal for those interested in cutting-edge optical technology and its applications in various fields.

Skills

Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning

Nanofabrication and metamaterial design

Computational modelling

Optical setup construction

Electromagnetic simulation software

Education

High (1st or 2:1) honours degree in Physics, Electrical, or Electronic Engineering

Job description

PhD Studentship in Electronic Engineering

University of Nottingham

United Kingdom

Project Overview

The Optics and Photonics Research Group (OPG) at the University of Nottingham invites applications for a PhD studentship on AI-driven design of ultrathin metamaterial lenses for compact imaging systems. The project will be supervised by Dr. Mitchell Kenney alongside collaborators within OPG and the Life Sciences department.

With the rise of smartphones and portable imaging, there is a growing need for smarter, more compact imaging devices across biomedical, life-sciences, VR/AR, quantum technology, and computational imaging applications. Traditional optical systems are often bulky and limited in capability.

This project will explore flat metamaterial optics—artificial materials structured at the nanoscale that manipulate light intelligently and can be fabricated with microelectronics-compatible techniques. Using their enhanced functionality, the project aims to develop novel computational imaging and sensing techniques for next-generation compact imaging systems.

Student Experience and Skills

The successful candidate will gain hands-on experience in:

Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning for optical design

Nanofabrication and metamaterial design

Computational modelling and algorithmic coding

Optical setup construction and testing in visible light systems

Using commercial electromagnetic simulation software to test designs

Collaborators on the project include Prof. Melissa Mather, Prof. Dmitri Veprintsev, and Dr. Sendy Phang.

Entry Requirements

A high (1st or 2:1) honours degree in Physics, Electrical, or Electronic Engineering

L. Huang, S. Zhang, T. Zentgraf, “Metasurface holography: from fundamentals to applications,” Nanophotonics 7, 1169 (2018).

M. Kenney, J. Grant, et al., “Large area metasurface lenses in the NIR region,” Modeling Aspects in Optical Metrology VII, SPIE (June 2019).

In your application, please refer to Polytechnicpositions.com