Experimental physics technician in the Quantum Machines Unit

The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST; see www.oist.jp) is a dynamic new graduate university of science and technology in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The university is located on 85 hectares of protected forestland overlooking beautiful shoreline and coral reefs. The campus is striking architecturally, and the facilities are outstanding (OIST campus video tour). There are no academic departments, which facilitates multidisciplinary research. Outstanding resources and equipment are provided and managed to encourage easy access and collaboration. English is the official language of the University, and the university research community is fully international, with more than 50 countries represented. OIST is rapidly gaining recognition in the worldwide academic community as a model for excellence in education and research.

Unit Summary:

The Quantum Machines Unit undertakes research focused on hybrid quantum systems –which brings together two or more quantum systems to function together to perform some useful action, e.g. developing ultra-precise sensors, exploring fundamental issues in quantum science, or quantum information processing. We are interested in questions like: can we build table-top setups to explore the interaction of gravity with the quantum world? Can we build table-top setups to search for gravitational waves? Can we generate a Schrodinger cat in a massive particle – splitting the particle to exist in two places at once? Towards answering these questions the Quantum Machines Unit focuses on two primary tools: cavity optomechanics and magnetically levitated quantum systems. Cavity optomechanics involves optical cavities which involve optical elements which can move, e.g. a moving mirror. Optomechanics research has rapidly evolved into a large and dynamic research topic, developing new types of sensors and the cooling of small particles to their motional ground state. Diamagnetic levitation permits one to levitate quite large particles where one seeks to control the dynamics of individual and multiple particles using a variety of methods including real-time feedback control using optical and electromagnetic forces. Diamagnetic levitation requires no active power and is expected to exhibit very low levels of motional noise. The Quantum Machines Unit combines theory with experiment to develop these tools towards addressing the broader questions above.

Position Summary

We are searching for technical support to help the experimental efforts of the Unit. This involves but is not limited to: electronics (analog, digital, microcontroller, FPGA), controlling equipment using software (python coding to control hardware), optics (lasers, cameras, detectors), vacuum (not UHV), some materials processing, and numerical simulations (Comsol or ANSYS or Python or Matlab or Mathematica).