PhD scholarship in Optical Frequency Combs for Spectroscopy DTU Electro

Within the project Silicon carbide photonic integrated circuit (SiCPIC)fundedbytheEuropeanUnionsHorizon2020 Researchandinnovation Programmeunder the Marie Skłodowska-Curie GrantAgreementNo. at DTU Electro the Technical University of Denmark we are seeking a candidate for a PhD position to research key SiC on insulator (SiCOI) devices i.e. optical frequency combs(OFCs) and modulators and their monolithic integration for applications in mid-infrared spectroscopy and dual comb spectroscopy.

The PhD student will participate in an international team in an EU-funded Doctoral Network project called SiCPIC. The project consists of 15 PhD students at 5 universities and one company. The project has partners from five different EU countries. All 15 PhD projects are within the overall theme of SiCOI devices and integration for applications in classic and quantum optical telecommunication and optical sensing.

This PhD project will take place at DTU Electro. Apart from the time at DTU there will be secondments of 6 months at Neoplas Control GMBH Germany and at Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica Italy. There will also be common meetings with the other 14 PhD students in the doctoral network including 3 training schools.

As a participant of the project the PhD student will become part of a team at DTU with expertise in design fabrication and characterization of wide bandgap semiconductor photonic devices. The activities within the project will benefit from synergies with other projects in the group as well as with other activities at the department. The main supervisor will be Assoc. Professor Haiyan Ou DTU Electro.

Responsibilities and tasks
Thanks to the unique photonic properties and physical properties of SiC versatile devices could be achieved on the SiC material platform. For example SiC possesses both high second-order and third-order nonlinearity the former enables frequency doubling electro-optical modulators (switches) and the latter enables optical frequency combs. More importantly large size SiC wafers enable the integration of different functional components on SiCOI platform providing novel solutions for compactness and low power consumption which has never been demonstrated on other material platforms before.

Based on our pioneering work on SiCOI OFCs this project aims at extending the wavelength range of OFCs from telecommunication to middle infrared by using different mechanisms such as Raman scattering or spontaneous parametric down conversion as well as reducing the teeth spacing of OFCs from dozens of GHz down to sub-GHz by different schemes such as integrating with modulators. The project will among others consist of the following tasks:

• Study nonlinear process for OFC wavelength conversion from telecommunication to mid-infrared;
• Study different schemes to achieve OFC with sub-GHz teeth spacing including electrooptical modulation;
• Evaluate different SiCOI stacks for the device and circuit in question;
• Design fabricate and characterize the discrete nonlinear devices on SiCOI;
• Design fabricate characterize optimize and evaluate the performance of integrated circuits for the later prototyping and system application.

SiCPIC PhD student

Qualifications
Candidates must have a two-year masters degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year masters degree in photonics electro applied physics or similar.

Further obligations: The doctoral candidate (DC) is expected to travel to network partners under two secondments for a typical total duration of 6 months. Additionally the DC is expected to participate in outreach activities including but not limited to YouTube videos social media updates participation in public events and campaigns as well as dissemination to popular press. Furthermore due to the mobility rules of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie program the applicant must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work studies etc.) in Denmark for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date.

Approval and Enrolment
The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme please seeDTUs rules for the PhD education.

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research education innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and appointment terms
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union.

The period of employment is 3 years. The start date will be 1 January 2026 or according to mutual agreement.

The minimum salary approximately equates to49.578 per year (pre-tax and social security) depending on the chosen candidates seniority.

The workplace is DTU Electro at the DTU Lyngby campus.

You can read more aboutcareer paths at DTU here.

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Assoc. Prof. Haiyan Ou().

You can read more about DTU Electro at

If you are applying from abroad you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU atDTU Moving to you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar PhDrelocation to Denmark and startup Zoom seminar for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU.

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 1 December 2025 (23:59 Danish time). Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply please open the link Apply online fill out the online application form and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale

You may apply prior to obtaining your masters degree but cannot begin before having received it.

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age gender disability race religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology which is subject to special rules for security and export control open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UNs 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13500 students and 6000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive evolving and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.