PhD candidate on lasers dynamics for fiber sensor interrogation

1 - Working at the VUB

For more than 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for freedom, equality and solidarity, and this is very much alive on our campuses among students and staff alike.

At the VUB, you will find a diverse collection of personalities: innovators pur sang, but above all people who are 100% their authentic selves. With some 4,000 employees, we are the largest Dutch-speaking employer, in the private sector, in Brussels; an international city with which we are only too happy to connect and where (around) our 4 campuses are located.

Add to this our principle of free research - in which self-reflection, a critical attitude and an open, creative mind around scientific and social issues are central - and you have a university that is fundamentally groundbreaking and pioneering in education and research. In short: the VUB all over again.

Moreover, the VUB is a member of EUTOPIA, an alliance of like-minded European universities, all ready to reinvent themselves.

2 - Position description

The Faculty of Engineering, Department Applied Physics and Photonics, is looking for a PhD-student with a doctoral grant.

More concretely your work package, for the preparation of a doctorate, contains:

• The construction of an experimental setup for the precise generation of ultrasonic guided waves.

• The exploration of diverse strategies for interrogating optical fibers utilizing the intricacies of laser dynamics.

• To perform a rigorous benchmark of the most promising strategies with a focus on sensitivity and speed against established techniques to ascertain performance enhancements.

• Collaboration with a second doctoral researcher to optimize the architecture of fiber sensors, fostering synergistic innovation and breakthrough advancements.

Optical fiber-based sensing stands as a cornerstone measurement and detection technology across diverse fields and disciplines, showcasing remarkable efficacy in applications ranging from structural health monitoring in civil engineering to biomedical sensing in healthcare. The detection of ultrasonic guided waves using optical fibres, which could be key enabling for structural health monitoring of aerospace structures, has so far remained out of reach. A breakthrough in terms of sensitivity and detection speed is required. To address this, we have already explored and successfully demonstrated fiber sensing by ways of laser dynamics. Owing to the fast response time and high-sensitivity of the laser itself, we believe that this approach holds potential for significant advancements in fiber sensor interrogation.

This doctoral project will take place in the frame of project LADYBIRD, funded by the Research Foundation of Flanders (Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, FWO). The aim is to put experiment with and investigate the relevance of laser dynamics-based approaches for fiber sensing and apply the technique to the detection of ultrasonic guided waves. In this context, we are looking for an excellent PhD candidate in photonics (duration = 48 months) to join our team.

The candidate will join the Brussels Photonics (B-PHOT) research group of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) in Belgium, www.b-phot.org. Chaired by Prof. H. Thienpont, the team composed of more than 45 internationally recognized researchers is widely known for its work in fundamental and applied photonics research covering the entire research cycle from modelling and fabrication, to characterization and Proof-Of-Concept. In the last 20 years, the group has built significant expertise in the field of optical fiber sensing applied to real-life and industrial applications, and in the field of semiconductor laser – including modelling, design and on-chip implementation of new laser structures – but also in nonlinear dynamics and chaos-based applications. The candidate will therefore have the opportunity to contribute to these fields in a multidisciplinary setting.

For this function, our Brussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene) will serve as your home base.

3 - Profile

What do we expect from you?

• Candidates should possess a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Photonics, Applied Math or related scientific field. Interest in photonic system and light technology are necessary.

  Candidates that have not yet acquired their master’s degree can apply and participate in the selection procedure, but need to offer proof of registration in their Masters programme and need to have complied with all diploma requirements before starting their position at VUB.

• Knowledge and experience:

  • Knowle