Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Liam Gallagher @lapgallagher.bsky.social · 15d

I’m recruiting my first PhD student! If you’re interested is solid-state quantum optics or know someone who is then let me know!

In this project we are setting up a new activity to look at strongly interacting Rydberg exciton polaritons.

Quantum Light and Matter at Durham University @durhamqlm.bsky.social · 18d

PhD applications are open! We'd love to have you visit Durham Physics to find out more about the(currently!) 17 available projects we have for October 2026 start.

Our open day is November 26th, we hope to see you there!

Find project descriptions and open day sign up links below.

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Reposted by Liam Gallagher

Quantum Light and Matter at Durham University @durhamqlm.bsky.social · 18d

PhD applications are open! We'd love to have you visit Durham Physics to find out more about the(currently!) 17 available projects we have for October 2026 start.

Our open day is November 26th, we hope to see you there!

Find project descriptions and open day sign up links below.

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Reposted by Liam Gallagher

Quantum Light and Matter at Durham University @durhamqlm.bsky.social · 20d

Homegrown fellow @lapgallagher.bsky.social describes his fellowship plans to investigate rydberg excitons in zinc diphosphide.

Liam stands in front of his title slide "Rydberg excitons: beyond cuprous oxide" in a seminar room

Liam stands in front of an introductory slide describing his journey from undergraduate to fellow

Liams slide describing the self-Kerr effect

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Liam Gallagher @lapgallagher.bsky.social · 26d

Excited to set up my first laser for my new lab!

A blue and black box on a metallic table with a coiled optical fibre.

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Reposted by Liam Gallagher

Quantum Light and Matter at Durham University @durhamqlm.bsky.social · Oct 1

QLM is hiring! We're looking for a new Assistant Professor in QLM. This position is a theory position. Please find the job description below in this thread.

For any academia-related queries, please contact Ifan Hughes (i.g.hughes@durham.ac.uk). We look forward to receiving your application!

A photo of the QLM group stood outside the main physics building on campus, featuring staff and PhD students.

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Reposted by Liam Gallagher

Ifan Hughes @ifanghughes.bsky.social · Apr 16

Two of my @durhamqlm.bsky.social colleagues have been awarded prestigious quantum fellowships.
Congratulations @lapgallagher.bsky.social and Tobias!

More details here:
www.durham.ac.uk/news-events/...

Two photos of scientists that have been awarded fellowships. On the left Dr Tobias Franzen is seen in a laser laboratory. On the right Dr Liam Gallagher next to a dilution refrigerator.

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Liam Gallagher @lapgallagher.bsky.social · Apr 15

Very excited to share I’ve been awarded an EPSRC quantum technologies fellowship! This will give me the opportunity to start my own research activity in @durhamqlm.bsky.social looking at semiconductor Rydberg physics.

Read more about it here: durham.ac.uk/news-events/...

Two of our scientists awarded prestigious quantum fellowships - Durham University

durham.ac.uk

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Liam Gallagher @lapgallagher.bsky.social · Dec 18

Ultracold this Christmas!

We got our new cryostat up and running this week, and managed to reach 300 mK for the first time in our lab!

Photo of a thermometer monitor reading 0.3K on one input and 0.9K on a second.

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Liam Gallagher @lapgallagher.bsky.social · Nov 29

Very cool! Why these atoms? Why pick chromium?

Liam Gallagher @lapgallagher.bsky.social · Nov 29

💡 Check out our new paper on microwave-optical spectroscopy of Rydberg excitons in the ultrastrong driving regime!
Due to the dipole moment associated with Rydberg states the coupling strength can be larger than the driving frequency!
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...

Plot showing the Rydberg states involved as the microwave field strength is increased. As the field strength grows, more and more states are coupled together. Higher energy states reach the ultrastrong driving regime (green line) at lower microwave field strengths due to microwave coupling being larger for higher energy states.

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Liam Gallagher @lapgallagher.bsky.social · Nov 26

We have openings for theory and experimental students. Topics include: quantum sensing, ultracold polar molecules, 3D atomic arrays for quantum computing, Rydberg quantum optics and vector light.

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Liam Gallagher @lapgallagher.bsky.social · Nov 26

Come join us at QLM in Durham! We have multiple funded PhD studentships for 2025! Please share with potential applicants.

Ifan Hughes @ifanghughes.bsky.social · Nov 26

PhD places available with the Quantum Light and Matter group in Durham.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

PhD Studentship in Quantum, Light and Matter at Durham University, UK at Durham University on FindAPhD.com

PhD Project - PhD Studentship in Quantum, Light and Matter at Durham University, UK at Durham University, listed on FindAPhD.com

www.findaphd.com

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Liam Gallagher @lapgallagher.bsky.social · Nov 21

Hi, could I be added please? scholar.google.com/citations?us...

Liam A. P. Gallagher

‪Durham University‬ - ‪‪Cited by 93‬‬ - ‪excitons‬ - ‪atomic physics‬ - ‪Rydberg systems‬ - ‪optics‬

scholar.google.com

Liam Gallagher @lapgallagher.bsky.social · Nov 17

Hi, I’m Liam, a physicist at Durham University in the UK working on photonics and quantum optics. Could I be added to the feed?

scholar.google.com/citations?us...

Liam A. P. Gallagher

‪Durham University‬ - ‪‪Cited by 93‬‬ - ‪excitons‬ - ‪atomic physics‬ - ‪Rydberg systems‬ - ‪optics‬

scholar.google.com

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Liam Gallagher @lapgallagher.bsky.social · Nov 17

I’ve been involved in demonstrations that make colour changing pictures using tape and polarisers. It’s very hands on and the kids love it. physics.aps.org/articles/v15...

Surprising Colors with Scotch Tape

A physicist’s do-it-yourself art project makes vibrant images with a pair of polarizers and carefully placed layers of transparent tape.

physics.aps.org

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Liam Gallagher @lapgallagher.bsky.social · Nov 17

Hi, I’m a researcher working on semiconductor quantum optics and microwave-optical conversion. Could I be added to the feed please?

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Liam Gallagher @lapgallagher.bsky.social · Nov 17

The cooling works in a similar way to a conventional fridge (expansion of gas). The difference is we use helium, which has the lowest boiling point of any gas. To get to temperatures below 1 K we use helium-3, a rare isotope with an even lower boiling point.

Liam Gallagher @lapgallagher.bsky.social · Nov 16

MilliKelvin. 300 mK is 0.3 degrees above absolute zero, so pretty cold!

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Liam Gallagher @lapgallagher.bsky.social · Nov 16

All good science relies on tin foil!

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Liam Gallagher @lapgallagher.bsky.social · Nov 16

Got a new cryostat installed in the lab this week. As well as being shiny and looking nice it should be able to reach 300 mK!

Picture of the internals of a cryostat showing copper supports, gold plated stages and wiring.

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Reposted by Liam Gallagher

Ifan Hughes @ifanghughes.bsky.social · Nov 10

Very much looking forward to the Rochester lecture later this month.
#physics #optics 🧪💡

An image advertising the Rochester lecture given by Anne L'Huillier at the department of physics, Durham University. 27 November 2024.

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