Laser Filamentation in Water

Are you passionate about developing cutting edge laser technologies that shape the future of energy transfer and drive a new generation of science in fields such under-water communications and remote sensing ? We are recruiting a motivated PhD candidate to undertake an exciting project within the EPSRC Energy Transfer Technologies Doctoral Training Hub.  As a student of the Hub, you will receive an enhanced stipend of £23,237 per year, plus additional support for travel, conferences and research equipment.  This project is co-funded by the UK’s Dstl National Lab.

 

The studentship will focus on understanding how ultra-high power laser light propagates through, and interacts with water, a common, but remarkably complicated liquid. At powers of a few gigawatts or more, light starts to modify the optical properties of materials through a non-linear process called the Kerr effect. This generates an “extra” refractive index that creates a focusing effect. The light becomes more intense as it propagates, drives even more self-focusing, and eventually the light collapses to a hair fine “filament”. At the same time, the ultra-high intensities created drive a vast range of “extra” physics, ionisation, generation of new optical wavelengths, energy deposition into micro-explosions, acoustic “pings” etc.

You will begin work using the multi-terawatt Cerberus laser system at Imperial College, working alongside other students and researchers who use this laser to create and probe extreme states of matter. The project will blend hands on experimental work (~70%) with supercomputer simulations of extreme physics (~30%) driven by intense light in dense, complex liquids. This is a “multi-physics” problem where many processes occur and interact at the same time, and is at the limit of what current generation supercomputers can accomplish. As a result we will need to conduct a series of experiments to probe the formation and propagation of water filaments, for example using additional time-delayed laser pulses from Cerberus to “freeze-frame” these processes with sub-picosecond time resolution.

The Hub

The Doctoral Hub specialises in developing research and training the next generation of well connected subject leaders in energy transfer technologies for defence and related sectors.  The successful candidate will be based at Imperial College London and throughout their PhD will benefit from the support and expertise of our diverse academic community, an expanding cohort growing to 50+ PhD students working towards similar goals across multiple institutions, as well as our specialist industrial and national lab sponsor network and Imperial’s vibrant research community and extensive laboratory infrastructure.

Why Join Us?

·        Industrial and National Lab Collaboration: Each PhD student within the Hub is partnered with an external collaborator, providing placement opportunities to work and train alongside leading experts in the field.

·        Comprehensive Training: The Hub offers a blend of academic, technical and industrial training, preparing you for diverse career pathways in research or industry.

·        Cohort Experience: Build your research network through inclusion in a vibrant cohort of PhD students that conduct research with academic leaders across major UK institutions. Engage in online and face-to-face activities, including cohort-building events and collaborative learning exercises

·        Funding: A generous fully funded studentship (no fees and a monthly personal payment) with additional support for conferences, travel, training, consumables and extended placement with industry collaborators.

·        Access to world class laboratories and infrastructure to underpin your experiments.

Key Details

·        Host Institution: Imperial College London

·        Industry Partner: Dstl

·        PhD Duration: 4 years

·        Start Date: 1st October 2025

·        Enhanced stipend of £23,237

The National Lab partner Dstl is one of the principal UK government organisations dedicated to developing next-generation science and technology in the defence and security field. They supply specialist and sensitive services to MOD and wider government, working collaboratively with external partners in industry, academia and worldwide, providing expert research, specialist advice and invaluable operational support. They will provide additional PhD supervision, opportunities to collaborate on large scale experiments (e.g. at the UK’s Rutherford Appleton Central Facility) and be part of the larger Hub community benefiting in the diverse academic and industrial network offered by the Hub.

Please check the following websites for further details

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/physics/research/communities/light/

https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/energy-transfer-skills-training-hub

 

Eligibility

PhD Candidates must hold a minimum of an upper Second-Class UK Honours degree or international equivalent in a relevant science or engineering discipline.  Candidates must be UK Nationals and be willing to apply for and able to obtain Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance.

Before you apply

We strongly recommend that you contact the lead supervisor for this PhD project, Prof Roland A Smith ( r.a.smith@ic.ac.uk) to discuss your interest in this field before you apply.

How to apply

Formal applications can be made through Imperial College’s Registry website :-

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/apply/postgraduate-doctoral/application-process/

Equality, diversity and inclusion

The Hub is committed to improving diversity within the sector and as such we aim to provide an inclusive environment in which all students can thrive. We particularly encourage applications from women, disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, and students from low-income/ non-typical backgrounds to apply. We can also consider part time PhD students. We encourage and support talented individuals from various STEM backgrounds with ambition and an interest in making a difference.