PhD Position in Photonic Fluids and Semiconductor Frequency Comb Lasers, ETH Zurich
Job Description
This PhD position in photonics at ETH Zurich studies “liquid light” in fast-gain semiconductor frequency comb lasers. You will make the devices in the cleanroom, test them in the optics lab and model them. Apply by 17 November 2026.
At a glance
- Position: Doctoral student, 100%, fixed term
- Where: Institute for Quantum Electronics, Department of Physics, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
- Pay: Not stated in the ad
- Posted: 6 October 2026
- Apply: 17 November 2026
About the frequency comb PhD project
- Design and fabricate semiconductor photonic devices in the cleanroom, then test them electrically and optically
- Build and run laser and optical set-ups to study timing, fluctuations, coherence and light-matter interaction
- Build theory and numerical models of nonlinear laser dynamics
- Use the models to explain results and guide new devices and measurements
- Help set up a platform to probe and control the dynamics of liquid light
Why this role matters
Chip-size comb lasers could shrink lab spectrometers and optical clocks to a small box. This PhD covers the full chain from cleanroom to theory. That mix of skills is valued in both research and the photonics industry.
What ETH Zurich is looking for
- A strong background in physics, electrical engineering, photonics or a closely related field
- Interest in combining fabrication, experiments and theory or simulation
Nice to have
- Earlier experience with cleanroom fabrication, optical experiments, lasers or numerical modelling. The ad says this helps, but experience with a specific platform is not required
Pay and location
The ad does not state pay. ETH Zurich sets doctoral pay on its own published scale. The position is full time (100%) and fixed term, in Zurich, Switzerland.
How to apply
Apply through the official ETH Zurich page. The closing date is 17 November 2026. Apply only through ETH’s online portal, as one merged PDF. Questions go to Alexander Dikopoltsev at adikopoltsev@ethz.ch, but do not send applications there.
See all our PhD positions, or browse more research jobs on ResearchJobs.in.
More optics and photonics jobs are listed on ResearchJobs.in.
Hiring institution: ETH Zurich
Official advertisement: jobs.ethz.ch
How to prepare for this application
- Learn what a frequency comb is: a laser whose spectrum is many evenly spaced lines, used as a ruler for light.
- Read about semiconductor combs: quantum cascade and interband cascade lasers that form combs on their own.
- Revise laser dynamics: gain recovery, four-wave mixing and the rate equations behind them.
- Prepare the single PDF: cover letter, CV, transcripts, three referees with email and phone, and a writing sample.
- Name the file as asked: date, last name and initials, then "application", as in the ad's example.
About ETH Zurich
ETH Zurich is a public university of science and technology in Zurich, Switzerland. Its Institute for Quantum Electronics, in the Department of Physics, works on lasers, quantum optics and photonics. The university has cleanroom and laser facilities on site.
