You'll perform a cutting-edge experimental, theoretical or computational project under the supervision and guidance of an academic member of staff with strong track record in research. You'll be embedded in a larger research group providing an exciting and stimulating research environment. Typically, you'll interact with other research or final year project students, postdoctoral staff and other academics in addition to your supervisor to advance specific aspects of your project. You'll acquire technical skills and master methods as appropriate to the research field you chose and develop your abilities in critical data analysis and critical judgement. As a result, you take a further step in your development to an independent researcher. You might be able to publish your findings in an international, reviewed journal or co-author a publication of your group you contributed to.

The project can be carried out continuously throughout the 12 month period of the course.

You'll gain core skills needed to obtain research funding and successfully manage the resulting research in both an academic and a commercial environment.

You'll learn basic concepts relating to nanoscale physics and techniques associated with production and characterisation of nanomaterials/nanostructures, as well as their potential impact in engineering, energy and healthcare.

You'll study laser physics, laser optics and nonlinear optics as required for the work in many photonic labs.

You'll study semiconductor physics, semiconductor electronics and semiconductor photonics with an outlook on micro and nano-structures and current hot topics.

You'll learn advanced quantum physics concepts:

• mixed states and density matrix
• perturbation and scattering theory
• quantization of the electromagnetic field
• many particle systems
• Dirac equation

You'll study spectroscopy, imaging and microscopy techniques associated with modern nanoscience such as:

• fluorescence methods
• single molecule imaging and microscopic techniques
• atomic force microscopy (AFM)
• electron microscopy

You'll learn advanced key concepts in modern nano-scale condensed matter physics and optics, as well as modern computational methods to investigate these systems will then be introduced to illustrate methods of applying these concepts to realistic nanosystems.

You'll study laser-plasma interaction, in particular with very high power and ultrashort pulses, and the resulting applications in radiation sources from the terahertz to the x-ray region, laser fusion and laser-based particle acceleration.

You'll study advanced photonics devices including their principles and applications (quantum confinement, waveguide optics, photonic and electronic bandgaps, photonic crystals).

You'll study primary methods for transmitting, storing and manipulating electromagnetic waves and the interaction of these waves with plasmas and plasma physics. It will look at both theoretical and practical considerations for a range of applications. 

You'll study modern concepts of quantum optics and quantum information:

• Photon correlation
• EPR paradox
• entanglement and resulting applications in quantum cryptography
• communication and quantum simulation
• quantization of the electromagnetic field
• behaviour on beam splitters and Hong-Ou Mandel experiment
• quantized light-matter interaction and Jaynes-Cummings Hamiltonian
• quantum q-bits
• quantum gates and basics of quantum algorithms
• introduction to realizations of quantum computing with trapped ions and with ultracold atoms in optical lattices

You'll study concepts of complexity science as the synchronisation of nonlinear oscillators, nonlinear waves and solitons and self-organisation and pattern formation in spatially extended nonlinear systems.