Atomic Physics

Support optical detection of ultracold atomic ensembles in the OQC project on controlled Bose–Einstein-condensate generation. Develop and optimise a setup that measures light-polarisation rotation, improves sensitivity, reduces technical noise and supports data acquisition and analysis. The stated two-month appointment begins on 1 December 2026. Applications close at 23:59 local Greek time on 16 October 2026.

Investigate mitochondrial DNA architecture and function at LNBio/CNPEM in Campinas with Thayna Mendonça Avelino. Combine coherent X-ray diffraction imaging with STED microscopy, develop multimodal imaging strategies and integrate structural and functional measurements. The fellowship starts in November 2026. Submit a CV, motivation letter and recommendation letter to the investigator’s address on the official call by 12 October 2026.

Lead research combining AI-assisted synthesis and nanocrystal growth to develop nanoparticles with improved optical properties and optoelectronic devices. This permanent role is in the Nanoparticle Group at the Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics. The expected start is 1 April 2027, negotiable. Applications and two recommendation letters are due 21 October 2026.

Two QUEST doctoral positions investigate free-electron interactions with silicon photonic nanostructures. One studies enhanced coupling through tailored geometries and beam energies; the other develops hybrid devices coupling local quantum states to electron beams. Experimental electron microscopy and photonic-device work are complemented by simulations, doctoral courses and network training. Each appointment lasts 36 months, is full-time at 39 hours weekly, and includes two secondments. MSCA pay includes living and mobility allowances, plus a family allowance where applicable. The planned start is 1 January 2027 or by agreement. One application covers both projects and is due by 1 November 2026; the official advert provides the email submission instructions.

Anne L’Huillier explains how the interaction of an intense laser with atoms in a gas generates high-order harmonics and, in the time domain, trains of pulses lasting roughly one hundred attoseconds. These pulses provide a way to investigate electron motion in atoms and molecules through pump–probe measurements. The lecture traces major experimental steps from harmonic generation to the measurement of attosecond pulses, then discusses applications of the resulting techniques. It connects the production and characterisation of extremely short light pulses with the physical processes they make accessible, showing how attosecond science supports the study of electron dynamics.

Anne L’Huillier, Pierre Agostini and Ferenc Krausz explain how light pulses became short enough to resolve electron dynamics. The lectures follow the development of high-order harmonics generated when intense laser light interacts with atoms, the formation and characterisation of attosecond pulse trains, and the isolation of individual attosecond pulses. These experimental advances provide complementary ways to probe processes that occur too rapidly for earlier optical techniques. The programme connects the physical mechanisms of pulse generation with the measurement of subatomic motion and the research possibilities created by access to this timescale, covering the distinct contributions recognised by the 2023 physics prize.

Supports fundamental physics through atomic, molecular and optical science; nuclear and particle physics; gravitation; plasma physics; living systems; quantum information; instrumentation and related programmes. Proposals are accepted at any time, with programme-specific target dates for review. Funding levels and duration vary; the solicitation does not promise a fixed individual award. Investigators should contact the relevant programme about overlapping proposals or existing Physics awards.

Experimental doctoral research in Konrad Viebahn’s Atom Quantum Processing group. Build an ultracold-rubidium quantum processor using optical lattices and collisional interactions. Work includes laser cooling and imaging systems, an ultrahigh-vacuum apparatus, ARTIQ control hardware, and theoretical or numerical studies of quantum-processing schemes. The full-time, fixed-term role is based at ETH’s Hönggerberg campus. Start is targeted for 1 October 2026 or by agreement; applications are reviewed until filled.

Fault-tolerant quantum computation must overcome complex control requirements and substantial error-correction overhead. This talk describes reconfigurable neutral-atom arrays in which optical tweezers coherently transport atoms, enabling any-to-any connectivity, high-fidelity programmable operations and mid-circuit processing in a zoned architecture. Parallel control, transversal operations and long-range connections support experiments ranging from precise quantum-scrambling simulations to a universal fault-tolerant processing architecture. Theoretical methods exploiting reconfigurable connectivity reduce error-correction overhead and suggest that useful large-scale computation could require as few as 10,000 atomic qubits. The discussion considers the prospects for realizing this approach in the near term.