Doktorské studium

The Joint Laboratory of Optics co-guarantees doctoral study programs Applied Physics and Nanotechnology.

Doctoral program Applied Physics

Program description

The PhD study program Applied Physics is scientifically orientated. It aims at material physics, applied quantum and nonlinear optics, particle physics and astrophysics, nuclear spectroscopic methods, optical technologies and modelling and simulations. Material physics mainly involves physical methods of material preparation and analysis of physical properties of materials. Optical and mechanical properties of materials, surfaces of layered structures and their interfaces are studied. In the area of quantum and nonlinear optics, methods of generation and detection of non-classical states of light, applications of quantum correlations and entanglement in metrology, imaging and quantum information processing are addressed. Special attention is devoted to the process of parametric down-conversion and investigations of properties of weak and strong optical fields composed of photon pairs. In the area of particle physics and astrophysics, the PhD study aims at production and analysis of properties of heavy particles, especially top quark, in ATLAS experiment at CERN labs. Attention is devoted to the physics of elastic and diffraction protons with sub-detectors ALFA and AFP, at whose operation, simulation as well as development the involved departments participate. In the area of astrophysics, the PhD program consists of the study of cosmic radiation and building of experimental components and devices for astrophysical observatories in the framework of international collaborations. Data acquired by these detectors are analysed. Topics related to international collaborations Pierre Auger Observatory and Cherenkov Telescope Array are solved in cooperation with Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences. In the area of nuclear spectroscopic methods, the Mossbauer spectroscopy is mainly studied with emphasis to detection of gamma radiation. Moreover, also special methods like spectroscopy of converted electrons of nuclear forward scattering of synchrotron radiation are studied. Also in-situ investigations of material properties using selected nuclear spectroscopic methods are discussed. New measurement devices and software for data analysis are developed. Creation and stability of super-heavy elements including development of suitable detectors is studied in cooperation with United Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna (Russia). In the area of optical technologies, various optical methods for contactless 3D topography, involving optical topography methods, interferometric methods and methods based on optical speckle, are developed. Attention is paid to modelling and simulations of physical processes in the above discussed area of physics. Among others, quantum processes in nonlinear media including modern photonic sources are modelled.

Graduates‘ profile

The graduate has mastered deep theoretical knowledge and experimental experience in the focus of his PhD thesis. He is able to work independently, to design physical experiments, to process and evaluate measured data, to write research reports and scientific publications and to use modern software for analysis and presentation of measured data. Moreover, he is able to solve complex practical physical tasks including the development of experimental setup, and to design, analyse and interpret theoretical models.

Requirements for admission

Master`s degree in Physics or a related branch, which guarantees the appropriate knowledge for completion of PhD degree in Applied Physics. Successful admission procedure (in the form of an interview). The application can be submitted electronically.

Study plan

Students pass compulsory subject English for doctoral students and a stay at external scientific workplace (at least one months). Every students opts for at least three obligatory subjects, at least two of which must be related to the topic of the thesis. The students has pass examinations of these subjects and knowledge of the subjects related to the topic of the thesis is also checked during final state examination and defense of the thesis. Further obligatory subjects are related to teh publishing activities of the student, his pedagogical practice, project activities and other suitable related activities.

Obligatory subjects are divided to four branches according to the focus of the thesis:

Physics of materials and methods of their study

  1. Nuclear resonance methods of material study
  2. Diffraction and fluorescence methods of material study
  3. Modern microscopic methods
  4. Condensed matter physics
  5. Optical properties of materials
  6. Physics of surfaces
  7. Technology and characterization of thin layers and surfaces
  8. Low-temperature plasma
  9. Theory of signal and information
  10. Virtual instrumentation

Optical measurement methods and their applications

  1. Advanced classical optics
  2. Modern optical methods in metrology
  3. Modern optical imaging systems
  4. Lasers and their applications
  5. Modeling and image processing in physics

Quantum and nonlinear optics

  1. Nonlinear optics
  2. Quantum optics
  3. Detection of light
  4. Quantum information processing and quantum communications

Particle physics and astrophysics

  1. Standard model of the microworld: particles and interactions
  2. Relativistic quantum theory and quantum field theory
  3. Diffraction in particle physics
  4. Astroparticle physics and cosmology

List of theses topics offered by JLO supervisors

Topic: Analysis of cosmic ray events at the highest energy
Description: Pierre Auger Observatory is the largest experimental apparatus in the field of astroparticle physics. Particles with energies larger than that of the LHC beams are detected by the array covering 3000 square kilometres in the Argentinian pampa. These cosmic particles originate in yet unknown sources in the Universe. The Aim of the Observatory is to measure the energy spectrum, direction of the incoming particles and answer the question about their chemical composition. New analysis techniques at the Observatory will be developed by the student as well as new emerging detection techniques of cosmic rays will be investigated.
Supervisor: prof. RNDr. Miroslav Hrabovský, DrSc.
Contact: kancelář 2.11 tel. 585 63 1501
Topic: Optical detecting systems for cosmic radiation – selected questions 
Description: The topic is concentrated on the study of current optical detectors of cosmic radiation, participation in some of current international scientific projects of cosmic-ray research and participation at the research of new particular types of optical detectors of cosmic radiation, including participation in the scientific part of a related international collaboration.
Supervisor: prof. RNDr. Miroslav Hrabovský, DrSc.
Contact: kancelář 2.11 tel. 585 63 1501
Topic: Analysis of characteristics of parametric down-conversion 
Description: Simulation and testing of spontaneous parametric down-conversion, correlation measurement using photon-counting techniques as well as by classical intensity measurement.
Supervisor: doc. RNDr. Ondřej Haderka, Ph.D. / prof. RNDr. Jan Peřina, Ph.D.
Contact: kancelář 2.47/3.21 tel. 585 63 1511/1509
Topic: Photocount statistics and its measurement in nonlinear optical processes
Description: Theoretical models of photocount statistics arising in different nonlinear optical processes will be studied. Special attention will be paid to parametric processes. Characteristics of the obtained fields will be discussed with respect to measurement.
Supervisor: prof. RNDr. Jan Peřina, Ph.D.
Contact: kancelář 3.21 tel. 585 63 1509
Topic: Photon-pair generation in metal-dielectric photonic structures 
Description: Properties of photon pairs in metal-dielectric layers will be studied, especially spectral and timing characteristics and quantum correlations of the photons in a pair. Special attention will be devoted to intense generation of pairs in metal layers.
Supervisor: prof. RNDr. Jan Peřina, Ph.D.
Contact: kancelář 3.21 tel. 585 63 1509
Topic: Characteristics of parametric processes in nonlinear periodically-poled media
Description: Space beam properties. Study of efficiency of various processes. Optimization of generation of frequency down-conversion.
Supervisor: doc. RNDr. Jan Soubusta, Ph.D.
Contact: kancelář 3.23 tel. 585 63 1577
Topic: Quantum information processing with correlated photon pairs
Description: Arrangement, processing and detection of special light states of single photon level. An interference of the second and fourth order is utilized in the experiments
Supervisor: doc. RNDr. Jan Soubusta, Ph.D.
Contact: kancelář 3.23 tel. 585 63 1577
Topic: Testing modern materials using optical spectroscopic methods
Description: Measurement of absorbance, fluorescent and time-resolved fluorescent spectra of carbon, metal and metal-oxide nanostructures. Development of appropriate methods.
Supervisor: doc. RNDr. Jan Soubusta, Ph.D.
Contact: kancelář 2.47/3.23 tel. 585 63 1511/1577
Topic: Analysis of cosmic gamma ray events in the CTA experiment
Description: The Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO or CTA) is going to be the largest and technically most advanced ground-based facility for detection of high-energy cosmic gamma rays. CTA will be located at both the southern and norther hemisphere. Both locations will be equipped with three types of telescopes covering three ranges of energies of the incoming gamma photons. The ultimate sensitivity will span energies from 20 GeV to 100 TeV. The detection principle is based on detection of Cherenkov light in the telescopes generated by charged particles traversing a medium with a speed greater than the actual speed of light in the given medium, i.e. in atmosphere. The charged particles are created in cascades of interactions whose onset is the primary interaction of the incoming gamma photon with atoms in the atmosphere. The envisaged work is supposed to cover the tasks of analysis and interpretation of the measured data. The primary task of CTA is to measure the energy spectrum and distribution sources of the gamma photons.
Supervisor: RNDr. Karel Černý, Ph.D.
Contact: karel.cerny@upol.cz
Topic: Damage of materials induced by nanosecond particle bunches
Description: Laser-driven particle-acceleration experiments produce high luminosity particle bunches of nanosecond lengths. The aim of the thesis is to inspect mechanisms of damage induced in materials due to the interaction with such a short-time bunched particles.
Supervisor: prof. Jan Řídký, DrSc.
Contact: ridky@fzu.cz
Topic: Physical properties of multifunctional thin films
Description: The research topic combines the fabrication of multifunctional metal, metal oxide and nitride thin films by physical vapor techniques (thermal evaporation, magnetron sputtering, reactive magnetron sputtering) and experimental testing of their structural and compositional characteristics. The functional properties of those films will be further tuned by means of plasma treatment and the thermal annealing process. The optical, electrical and optoelectronic properties of those thin films will be characterized using various sophisticated analytic technologies. Furthermore, the applicability of those thin films will be studied as a flexible chemo-sensor or photodetector.
Supervisor: Mgr. Radim Čtvrtlík, Ph.D.
Contact: ctvrtlik@fzu.cz
Topic: Synthesis of 1D structures and their decoration using plasma techniques
Description: The research topic covers mainly the formation of 1D nanostructured materials of metal oxides by chemical as well as plasma-based techniques. These functional 1D nanomaterials will be grown by hydrothermal as well as by electrochemical anodization-based processes. For enhancing the crystallinity of those 1D materials thermal annealing will be carried out. Furthermore, the functional properties of these 1D nanomaterials will be further tuned by decorating another functional material by means of either magnetron sputtering or chemical or electrochemical based processes. In particular, the effort will be devoted to the relationship between physical and chemical properties of created structures and conditions of technological processes as well as their applicability in various fields.
Supervisor: prof. Miroslav Hrabovský, DrSc.
Consultant: Mgr. Radim Čtvrtlík, Ph.D.
Contact: ctvrtlik@fzu.cz
Topic: Multiphoton experiments for quantum communications
Description: The topic covers mainly experimental research in the field of quantum information processing on the platform of linear optics. The goal is to find novel approaches and applications of multiphoton states, including multipartite entangled states, for development of quantum communications.
Supervisor: doc. Mgr. Karel Lemr, Ph.D.
Contact: kancelář 3.22 tel. 585 63 1547
Topic: Optical setups for solving quantum information tasks
Description: This topic involves designing of optical setups for solving different quantum effects. Afterwards chosen designs will be experimentally realized on the platform of the linear optics.
Supervisor: Mgr. Antonín Černoch, Ph.D.
Contact: kancelář 3.22, tel. 585 63 1549
Topic: Research of thin film deposition using plasma systems based on reactive sputtering and plasma ALD
Description: The Ph.D. student will participate in the research of plasma methods of thin film deposition. It will involve the deposition of semiconductor and dielectric optical films using various configurations of reactive sputtering. This will include reactive sputtering using planar magnetrons and a hollow cathode system. These methods will be combined with the deposition of ultra-thin layers using plasma ALD and more complicated thin film structures will be created. These structures will be created and studied for various photonic applications such as optical sensors or photoelectrochemical elements.
Supervisor: Mgr. Martin Čada, Ph.D.
Contact: FZÚ Praha, tel. 266 05 2418, cada@fzu.cz