Leveraging Ferromagnetism in Superconducting Electronics

Study area(s): Science
Scholarship level: Doctoral; Doctoral (fully funded)
Closing date(s): 1 September
Tenure: 3 years
Number offered: Three
Value: $35,000 stipend annually plus tuition fees for three years

History and purpose

We are inviting applications for PhD scholarship in a project across the Paihau-Robinson Research Institute and School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. The project, led by Prof. Ben Ruck and Dr Simon Granville, focusses on the incorporation of rare-earth nitride materials in superconducting electronics, especially to fill the gap in available cryogenic memory technology. The candidate will undertake fundamental materials science and device research. This encompasses experimental and computational studies of the electronic and magnetic properties of the rare-earth nitrides and the design, modelling, and fabrication of memory structures and circuits and has applications in superconducting and quantum computing.

Project Overview
Our research aims to

  • Investigate the fundamental properties of the rare-earth nitrides (RENs), a class of materials including many intrinsic magnetic semiconductors.
  • Optimise the growth of the RENs towards technologically useful properties.
  • Incorporate these materials in device designs for superconducting and quantum electronics technologies.

Key Activities
The successful candidate will

  1. Grow thin films of rare-earth nitrides and fabricate devices based on these materials.
  2. Use a suite of experimental techniques (electrical transport, magnetometry, structural, and optical characterizations) to assess the quality of the films and devices.
  3. Understand the results by developing and applying physical models of these novel systems.
    Use this understanding to drive further development of the materials and devices toward application.
  4. Use this understanding to drive further development of the materials and devices toward application.

Who is eligible?

  • Honours or Masters degree in physics or possibly electrical engineering.
  • Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving abilities, along with strong teamwork and communication skills.
  • Ideally, but not necessarily, experience in magnetic and superconducting materials.

Application process

The requirements for the application can be found here. Before submitting a formal application, interested candidates must send a Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a brief statement of interest to Professor Ben Ruck (ben.ruck@vuw.ac.nz) and Dr Simon Granville (simon.granville@vuw.ac.nz).

Additional information

The $35,000 per annum stipend will be paid directly to the student in monthly payments. Tuition fees & levies will be paid directly to the University.

The student must complete regular PhD progress reports to a satisfactory standard.

Acceptance of this scholarship include conditions similar to those of the Wellington Doctoral Scholarship (i.e. excepting those relating to the decision makers).

Conditions

  1. A completed online application must be submitted by 4.30 pm on the closing date. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted. Any required supporting documentation (including references) must also be received by 4:30pm on the closing date in order for the application to be considered.
  2. The Successful recipient must meet the admission requirements as a PhD candidate at Victoria University of Wellington, which includes fulfilling the English language requirements.
  3. The research is externally funded and integral with industry engagements. Accordingly, the student will be required to enter into Non-disclosure agreement(s) as required. Also the student does not have any claim to Intellectual Property developed during the research.
  4. Should the recipient withdraw from Victoria University of Wellington during the tenure of this scholarship or fail to achieve a satisfactory progress, partial repayment of the Scholarship will normally be expected. Recipients must advise the Scholarships Office if they intend to withdraw.
  5. Recipients are expected to act as Ambassadors for Victoria University of Wellington and participate in appropriate events or marketing if requested.