Photonic quantum computing

Supervisor: Dr Raj B. Patel

The RUQu group, led by Dr Raj Patel at Imperial College London, is inviting exceptional applicants for a fully funded PhD position (3.5-year including tuition fees and stipend for UK-resident students) in experimental photonic quantum computing—at the vibrant intersection of quantum science, cutting-edge engineering, and real-world applications.

This unique opportunity comes as part of the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme hub for Quantum Computing with Integrated and Interconnected Implementations (QCi3). You’ll be joining a dynamic and well-connected research environment, with partners around the UK and abroad, working on next-generation photonic quantum devices and algorithms that have the potential to transform industries from drug discovery to finance.

Why Quantum Photonics?

Photonics is the backbone of scalable quantum technologies. From ultra-secure quantum communications to precision sensing and computing, photons offer an elegant, versatile and powerful platform. Photonics is the only platform that offers compelling solutions to advancing all key areas of quantum technologies. In quantum computing specifically, photonics allows for room-temperature operation, high-fidelity gate implementation, and access to exotic quantum states of light. As demand grows for practical, fault-tolerant systems, photonics is playing a central role in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

What You'll Work On

You’ll dive deep into photonic quantum computing enabled by photon-number resolved detection of quantum states of light. You will contribute to our development of Gaussian Boson Sampling (GBS)—an exciting photonic architecture that’s been pivotal in demonstrating quantum advantage. At Imperial, we’ve led major innovations in this area, including:

  • The first fully programmable universal time-bin GBS devices
  • Novel implementations of dense subgraph search and max-clique detection for applications such as drug discovery
  • The first experimental demonstration of GBS with displacements
  • Complexity-theoretic frameworks and benchmarking algorithms for assessing quantum advantage in photonic systems

Your PhD will contribute to building scalable, error-mitigated, universal GBS devices and demonstrating real-world applications. These experiments will be performed on-chip in new integrated photonic platforms we are developing with our international partner. You will also develop new, scalable, time-bin quantum processors, building on our previous devices. Additionally, using photon-number-resolving detectors, you will perform non-Gaussian operations to engineer exotic states of light and perform gate operations essential for reaching quantum advantage in near-term devices and future fault-tolerant quantum computing.

Research environment

You’ll have access to one of the UK’s most advanced quantum optics laboratories, including:

  • Access to 200 m2 of lab space dedicated to quantum photonics
  • UK’s only telecom-band photon-number-resolving transition-edge sensors
  • Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors
  • High-performance single-photon sources and squeezed-light sources
  • Fast electro-optic modulators and universal photonic integrated circuits
  • A full suite of laser systems and chip-alignment platforms

You will also collaborate closely with leading academic and industry partners to co-develop new hardware and quantum algorithms and explore real-world applications.

World-Class Support, Training & Mentorship

You’ll be supported by an expert supervisory team and have access to rich training opportunities. Key benefits include:

  • Day-to-day supervision from your main supervisor
  • A close-knit and collaborative team of friendly students and postdocs
  • Regular group meetings to update on progress, solve problems, and explore new directions
  • Opportunities to travel within the UK and abroad to meet collaborators and disseminate results to the community at conferences
  • Departmental lectures and workshops
  • The Quantum Systems Engineering Skills and Training Hub
  • Imperial’s flagship QuEST (Quantum Engineering, Science and Technology) initiative

This is not just a PhD—it’s a launchpad for a career in one of the most exciting frontiers of science and technology.

Life at Imperial College London

Imperial is a world-leading institution consistently ranked among the global top 10. As a PhD student, you’ll benefit from:

  • Supervision by a team of internationally recognized experts in quantum photonics
  • Membership of the Department of Physics’ Light Community: our subdepartment of academic experts in photonics, quantum optics, and quantum information science
  • Training through the Quantum Systems Engineering Skills and Training Hub
  • Involvement in the QuEST (Quantum Engineering, Science and Technology) initiative, which unifies quantum expertise across the college
  • A diverse, inclusive academic culture supported by Athena SWAN Silver and Juno Practitioner status

Living in London

There’s no place quite like London to begin a career in quantum technology. As one of the world’s leading innovation capitals, the city offers:

  • A thriving tech and academic ecosystem—home to deep-tech startups, incubators, and global research centres
  • Rich cultural life: world-class museums, galleries, music, and theatre—most within walking distance of campus
  • Diverse international communities, with countless cafés, parks, and places to connect, unwind, and explore
  • Unparalleled opportunities for networking, internships, and career development across science, finance, and industry

Ready to Shape the Future?

Apply now to join one of the UK’s most forward-thinking quantum photonics teams and take your place at the frontier of quantum information science.

For further information please contact Dr Raj Patel on raj.patel1@imperial.ac.uk