Aims: this project aims to measure fundamental nuclear properties in cooled, exotic super-asymmetric fission fragments and atomic-nuclear processes in ultra-low lying nuclear excited states.
Details: The project is to be based at the IGISOL facility, JYFL, Jyvaskyla, Finland and ISOLDE, CERN. The research will exploit a recently constructed electrostatic ConeTrap and use it, for the first time, to facilitate high efficiency, high precision laser spectroscopy. The developed spectroscopy will then enable precision measurements of nuclear parameters via the hyperfine structure and isotope shift.
The project is based at facilities where The University of Manchester and our national and international collaborators, from the UK, Belgium, China, Finland, Germany, Russia and Japan, have performed successful nuclear structure (and atomic) studies. In the new work our objective is to achieve spectroscopic efficiencies at an order of magnitude higher than that any previously attained. Historical efficiencies have permitted in-flight studies of short-lived radioactive ions with lifetimes as short as 10 ms and production rates as low as 10 ions per second. We now intend to supersede these efficiencies and be capable of studying the most weakly produced and highest Z systems available at our on-line isotope separators. The advance is to be achieved by harnessing the sympathetic laser cooling of trapped ensembles (and to cool our ions to a few kelvin temperatures). The effect on the efficiencies and sensitivities of laser and mass spectroscopy are then profound, up to an order of magnitude improvement for each.
Eligibility
Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2.1 honours degree or a master’s (or international equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering related discipline.
Funding
This 3.5 year PhD project is fully funded by the UKRI. Home students, and EU students with settled status, are eligible to apply. The successful candidate will receive an annual tax-free stipend set at the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025/26) and tuition fees will be paid. We expect the stipend to increase each year. The start date is October 2026.
We recommend that you apply early as the advert may be removed before the deadline.
Before you apply
We strongly recommend that you contact the supervisor for this project before you apply. Please include details of your current level of study, academic background and any relevant experience and include a paragraph about your motivation to study this PhD project.
How to apply
Apply online through our website: https://uom.link/pgr-apply-2425
When applying, you’ll need to specify the full name of this project, the name of your supervisor, if you already having funding or if you wish to be considered for available funding through the university, details of your previous study, and names and contact details of two referees.
Your application will not be processed without all of the required documents submitted at the time of application, and we cannot accept responsibility for late or missed deadlines. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
After you have applied you will be asked to upload the following supporting documents:
If you have any questions about making an application, please contact our admissions team by emailingFSE.doctoralacademy.admissions@manchester.ac.uk.
Equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and is at the heart of all of our activities. We know that diversity strengthens our research community, leading to enhanced research creativity, productivity and quality, and societal and economic impact.
We actively encourage applicants from diverse career paths and backgrounds and from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation and transgender status.
We also support applications from those returning from a career break or other roles. We consider offering flexible study arrangements (including part-time: 50%, 60% or 80%, depending on the project/funder).