Post-doctoral position on quantum-gas microscopy of SU(N) Fermi-Hubbard models

ICFO is offering a postdoctoral position to a well-qualified, highly motivated and dynamic young scientist who wishes to enhance his/her scientific career in a friendly and stimulating environment.

The successful candidate will be joining the Ultracold Quantum Gases group led by Prof. Dr.Leticia Tarruell.

The Fermi-Hubbard model is a cornerstone model of condensed matter physics. It describes the physics of strongly-correlated materials, quantum magnets, and might hold the key of high-temperature superconductivity. Investigating its low-temperature many-body phases is extremely challenging using classical computers and, as a result, many of them remain poorly understood. UItracold atoms trapped in optical lattices provide a pristine realization of the Hubbard model and hold the promise of solving many of its puzzles in a quantum simulation approach. Moreover, they allow one to engineer and investigate even richer variants of the model, which go beyond the realm of existing materials. In our group, we are interested in exploring a particularly intriguing one: the SU(N) Fermi-Hubbard model. It describes fermions of spin N and SU(N)-symmetric interactions, for which intricate magnetic orders and exotic spin liquid phases have been predicted. It can be realized using atoms with two valence electrons, such as ytterbium or strontium. To investigate such SU(N) physics, our group has developed a quantum-gas microscope that allows one to perform single-atom and single-site resolved fluorescence images of strontium Hubbard systems for the first time. Furthermore, we have very recently been able to push our setup to obtain spin-resolved images of fermionic systems with N up to 10. The successful candidate for this position will join a small team of PhD and post-doctoral researchers working to elucidate the mysteries of the SU(N) Fermi-Hubbard model and its low-temperature phases at the microscopic level.

Eligibility and Conditions

We are looking for candidates with a good background in both AMO and condensed-matter physics. Candidates must hold, at the time of contract initiation, an internationally-recognized Ph.D.-equivalent degree (or evidence of its completion in the nearest future) in the field of ultracold atoms/ions or quantum optics. Previous experience on degenerate Fermi gases, optical lattices, or two-electron atoms will be highly valued. The position is financed through the European Flagship project on Quantum Technologies PASQuanS2.

ICFO is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are selected exclusively on merit and potential on the basis of submitted application material. No restrictions related to disabilities, citizenship or gender apply to ICFO positions.

ICFO abides by the principles of openness, efficiency, transparency, supportiveness, and international comparability as stated in the European Charter for Researchers and the European Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.

Salaries for ICFO Postdoctoral positions are assigned by the Selection Committee, based on experience and seniority of the applicant, as well as the assigned tasks and responsibilities within the group. Standard salaries range from a lower level aligned with national Ramon-y-Cajal fellowships to higher levels aligned with Marie Skłodowska-Curie individual fellowships.

The contract is offered initially for a period up to 1 year.

Additionally, a family allowance is also available on request and after corresponding approval for people with family charges in the terms described in the corresponding policy.

Application procedure

Suitable candidates are requested to submit:

• Presentation letter with a declaration of interest,
• Curriculum Vitae, including contact details,
• The contact e-mail of two potential referees.

Candidates will be assessed as they apply and the call will remain open until the suitable candidate is identified.

Candidates may contact [email protected] for formal enquiries regarding the application, as well as address scientific enquiries to [email protected] update information about the hosting group, please visit https://qge.icfo.eu

For updated information about ICFO, please visit https://www.icfo.eu