Experimental Quantum Optics
and Photonics Group


Welcome to the University of Strathclyde’s Experimental Quantum Optics and Photonics Group. We are part of the Optics Division in the Department of Physics. Please contact us if you are interested in working in our research areas. See also the International Graduate School for Quantum Technologies, and available PhD opportunities.

Latest News

Self-organized length scales beyond the linear Talbot effect.

In a collaboration with the INPHYNI in Nice and the TU Vienna which just appeared in Physical Review A we are looking now at the interplay of diffraction within the atomic cloud and diffraction in vacuum. It turns out that for most situations it is sufficient to look at the linear Talbot effect but things get more involved, if one puts the mirror “into the cloud”. If you are curious, how to do this and what the resulting length scales are, please look at Phys. Rev. A 111, 063506.

Spin Polarization in InGaAs quantum dots for spin-optoelectronics.

New paper in Applied Physics Letter on how the efficiency of introducing a spin polarization in InGaAs quantum dots depends on pump wavelength. Unfortunately, the wavelengths for best spin polarization and best quantum efficiency are not the same. If you are interested, please look at Appl. Phys. Lett. 126, 191102 (2025).

Graph Colouring via Quantum Optimization on a Rydberg-Qudit Atom Array
We propose a new approach to natively embedding graph colouring problems onto neutral atom arrays using multiple Rydberg states each representing a unique colour. Graph colouring arises in a wide range of industrially relevant optimisation problems from sharing data across a wifi network to scheduling tasks and planning workloads. Using multiple Rydberg states enables efficient encoding of this problem onto quantum hardware and provides a new direction for near-term applications of neutral atom quantum computing. For more details see arXiv.2504.08598.
CDT Recruitment Event – January 10th 2025
Our Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Applied Quantum Technologies will host a recruitment event on January 10th 2025. This event is an excellent opportunity for prospective applicants to learn more about our cutting-edge programme, meet key members of the team, and gain valuable insights into the unique academic and research opportunities we offer.

Recent publications

A quantum-classical cold atom system for inertial navigation
2025 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC) (2025)
Global positioning and navigation using satellites has been a crucial part of modern infrastructure since the development of GPS in the …
A rubidium frequency-standard based on a MEMS vapour cell
2025 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC) (2025)
An optical atomic frequency-reference based on a vapour of atoms is a strong candidate for a creating a portable atomic clock with …
Chip-scale atomic spectrometer with silicon nitride optical phased array
APL Photonics 10, (2025)
The integration of nanophotonic optical phased arrays (OPA) with alkali vapor cells has the potential to enhance the performance of …
Observation of Rayleigh optical activity for chiral molecules: a new chiroptical tool
(2025)
By measuring a small circularly polarized component in the scattered light, we report the first observation of Rayleigh optical …