Research Fellow (Cryogenic ¹⁷⁶Lu⁺ Ion Trap Apparatus)
About the Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT)
The Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT) in Singapore brings together physicists, computer scientists and engineers to do basic research on quantum physics and to build devices based on quantum phenomena. Experts in this new discipline of quantum technologies are applying their discoveries in computing, communications, and sensing. CQT is hosted by the National University of Singapore. The Centre also has staff at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and the Singapore University of Technology and Design. With some 200 staff and students, it offers a friendly and international work environment.
Learn more about CQT at https://www.cqt.sg/
Job Description
The ultimate systematic performance of any ion clock is set by the quality of its trap and the thermal environment surrounding it. Cryogenic ion traps — operating at 4 K and below — eliminate blackbody radiation from the trap structure, reduce anomalous heating rates by orders of magnitude, and enable ultra-low-pressure conditions unachievable at room temperature. For Lu+, already an exceptional clock species, a cryogenic platform would unlock a systematic uncertainty budget at the 10-19 level and below. This postdoc offers a rare chance to design, build, and operate a next-generation cryogenic ion trap system from the ground up — an instrument-building challenge at the frontier of experimental physics.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the design and construction of a cryogenic ion trap platform for ¹⁷⁶Lu⁺, integrating a pulse-tube cooler or closed-cycle cryostat with precision rf trap electrodes and optical access.
- Develop low-noise rf and dc electrical feedthroughs, cryogenic wiring, and vibration-isolation strategies to maintain trap stability at millikelvin-to-kelvin temperatures.
- Characterise anomalous heating rates, ion lifetime, and trap depth as a function of temperature, benchmarking the cryogenic system against room-temperature performance.
- Integrate laser cooling, state preparation, and detection optics into the cryogenic environment, including in-vacuum optical elements and fibre-coupled delivery.
- Develop ultra-high vacuum procedures appropriate for cryogenic operation, including bake-out protocols, cryo-pumping characterisation, and residual gas analysis.
- Contribute to the broader ¹⁷⁶Lu⁺ clock programme and to publications and presentations arising from the work.
Qualifications
- PhD in AMO physics, experimental physics, or a related engineering discipline, completed or near completion.
- Hands-on experience in experimental AMO physics: ion trapping, laser cooling, or precision spectroscopy.
- Experience with cryogenic systems is highly desirable — pulse-tube coolers, liquid helium cryostats, or dilution refrigerators at any scale.
- Strong mechanical and technical intuition: comfort with vacuum systems, machining tolerances, thermal design, and cryogenic materials.
- Ability to work independently on long-horizon apparatus construction while collaborating closely within a team.
- A track record of research output commensurate with career stage.
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