Research Associate in Open Quantum Systems Descriptions of Molecular System

The University of Sheffield invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) to join a collaborative US-UK consortium, funded by the EPSRC and NSF. This project investigates the origins of singlet fission, a process where a single photon creates a singlet state that rapidly decays into two triplet states. While singlet fission is a crucial mechanism for understanding the photophysics of molecular systems, its precise origins are unknown, but it is expected to involve a complex interplay of quantum coherence, vibrational interactions, and charge transfer. To understand this behaviour, this project combines expertise in open quantum systems theory, quantum information, and chemistry.

The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and applying non-perturbative open quantum systems theory. This will involve using data generated from quantum chemistry simulations to explore the underlying mechanisms of singlet fission and to simulate experimental results from both the US and Professor Jenny Clark's laboratory. The role also includes proposing novel experiments to probe quantum correlations and dynamics during singlet fission.

The position is based within the Physics research cluster under the supervision of Dr. Jake Iles-Smith, with close collaboration with Professors Jenny Clark, Pieter Kok, and Anthony Meijer. Applicants should have a strong background in open quantum systems theory, particularly in non-perturbative regimes, as well as a working knowledge of quantum chemistry methods and spin physics in molecular systems.

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