PhD Studentship: Quantum Wavepacket Revival via Information Feedback From Non-Markovian Baths

Primary supervisor - Dr Garth Jones 

Quantum technologies promise to have a massive impact on society in the coming decades, however new paradigms are needed to move this field forward. Two key quantum resources are coherence (namely quantum superpositions and interference) and entanglement. However, these kinds of quantum states are typically rapidly destroyed through decoherence, by their interaction with their environment. Non-Markovianity (NM) is another resource that is dynamical in nature and involves the transfer of quantum information into a quantum system from its environment. This can lead to the slowing down of decoherence and recurrence of quantum states. 

This project will investigate the role of non-Markovian environmental effects in the revival dynamics of molecular vibrational wavepackets, through theory and simulations, which will be linked to ultrafast photo-physics experiments. Unlike many other quantum models (Markovian models), our models describe the transient memory and back-flow of information observed in structured or strongly coupled environments. In this project, we will consider molecular systems with coupled electronic and vibrational degrees of freedom interacting with a non-Markovian phonon bath represented by a frequency-dependent spectral density. The study will explore how bath correlation time, spectral structure, and temperature influence revival amplitude and coherence lifetime. These insights will advance understanding of coherence preservation in condensed-phase systems, with implications for ultrafast spectroscopy and quantum control in structured environments. 

This project will be suitable for people interested in a career in quantum technologies, quantum simulations and computational or chemical physics. 

More background can be found here. 

[1] Humphries et al., “Indirect Communication Between Non-Markovian Baths”, Submitted 2025, https://arxiv.org/pdf/2412.14727 

[2] Humphries et al., “Role of quantum information in HEOM trajectories”, Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation, v20, 5383-5395, 2024. 

[3] Humphries et al., “Phonon signatures in photon corThrelations”, Physical Review Letters, v131, 143601, 2023. 

Entry requirements

The standard minimum entry requirement is 2:1 in chemistry, physics, applied maths or computer science, with appropriate background.  

Mode of study

Full-time

Start date

1 October 2026

Funding

This PhD project is in a competition for a Faculty of Science funded studentship. Funding is available to UK applicants and comprises ‘home’ tuition fees and an annual stipend for 3 years.

Closing Date 

10/12/2025

To apply for this role, please click on the 'Apply' button above.

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