The van Exter group has an extensive history of prior research in classical and quantum optics. As former part of the group of Han Woerdman, we have studied topics as diverse as:

Can we make quantum devices from quantum surprises? And can we explore and build life from the nanoscale up?

With a pioneering project like the quantum computer, it’s a good idea not to place all your bets on a single horse. In Leiden’s Quantum Optics research group, instead of working on a Majorana-based qubit, people are working on a qubit based on an ‘artificial atom’. If that becomes the basis of the quantum…

Lecture

Former PhD, Bachelor and Master students of the Van Exter Lab

The programme guarantees a thorough experience on the frontline of physics research with a practical training of communicative and computer skills.

Materials with strongly correlated electrons show some of the most mysterious and exotic phases of quantum matter, such as unconventional superconductivity, quantum criticality and strange metal phase.

The programme guarantees a thorough experience on the frontlines of physics research AND data science. It focuses on research areas where these fields overlap and in the process provides practical training of communicative and computer skills.

In this thesis we study quantum transport phenomena on the nanometer scale, in two classes of materials: topological insulators with induced superconductivity and graphene superlattices.

Conference

Electrons in a crystal lattice have properties that may differ from those of a free electron in vacuum.

A couple of years ago, theoretical physicist Carlo Beenakker tracked down the Majorana particles and inspired Leo Kouwenhoven from TU Delft to try to create them in a superconducting nano-structure. He succeeded in doing so in 2012, and the news made headlines around the world. But a lot of work still…

Promotor: Prof.dr. S. Portegies Zwart

PhD defence

String theory has come under fire in recent years. Promises have been made that have not been lived up to. Leiden theoretical physicists have now for the first time used string theory to describe a physical phenomenon. Their discovery has been reported this week in 'Science'.

Inaugural lecture

Cryptographer Max Fillinger developed new methods to analyse a group of algorithms called commitments schemes. These schemes are building blocks for cryptographic protocols, which enable multiple parties that do not trust each other to work together safely. His PhD Defence is on 19 March.

Advanced sensing techniques require graphene with high quality and well-controlled surface chemistry.

Jan Zaanen, Professor in Theoretical Physics of condensed material, has been awarded a Spinoza prize. His pioneering ideas about the collective behaviour of quantum particles and high temperature superconductivity have often given him the reputation of being something of a rebel.

Dr Mark Leiser, Assistant Professor in Law and Digital Technologies at eLaw, is part of a successful €1.5 million bid for a research grant from the acclaimed Volkswagen Institute on “Reclaiming individual autonomy and democratic discourse online: How to rebalance human and algorithmic decision makin…

Leiden University computer scientists Yu Liu, Yanming Guo and Michael Lew are a step closer to their ultimate goal: search engines with visual recognition. Their publication of a new algorithm for fusing multi-scale deep learning representations has been received with great enthusiasm. No other algorithm…

Promotores: Prof.dr. J. Zaanen & Prof.dr. K.E. Schalm

Computers are capable of making incredibly accurate predictions on the basis of machine learning. In other words, these computers can learn without intervention once they have been pre-programmed by humans. At LIACS, we explore and push the borders of what a revolutionary new generation of algorithms…

Research at the Leiden Institute of Physics (LION) is foundational and curiosity driven. All our scientists share a desire to increase the knowledge of the world around us, in an open atmosphere of inquiry from which innovative ideas emerge that provide applications and value for society.

PhD defence

Find out how to apply for Research in Physics, Quantum Matter and Optics at Leiden University by following our step-by-step guide.

Find out how to apply for Physics and Classical/Quantum Information at Leiden University by following our step-by-step guide.

A modern ship design process is subject to a wide variety of constraints such as safety constraints, regulations, and physical constraints.

PhD defence

Research in the natural computing group covers theoretical foundations, the development of new algorithms, and interdisciplinary applications of natural computing methods.

The focus of the Multicriteria Optimization and Decision Analysis (MODA) group is to develop foundations of methods in multi-objective optimization.

Do you have any questions about the master’s specialisation programme Research in Physics, Quantum Matter and Optics? Please contact us.

The Research in Physics, Quantum Matter and Optics specialisation is an excellent stepping stone for pursuing a PhD degree.

Majorana fermions in superconductors are the subgap quasiparticle excitations that are their own antiparticles.

Our world is shrinking, or at least our electronic devices are. From PCs to mobile phones: everything is smaller and thinner. The smaller the chip, the better it can conduct electricity and pass on information.

Leiden physicists have created a light source that emits individual particles in an identical state through optical fibers. Using this setup, their measurements can last longer and are more efficient, meaning they can perform more in-depth research on bizarre quantum effects, such as interference and…

Developing robust algorithms and theory for establishing cause-effect relationships from observational data that scale up to large data sets

In this PhD-thesis several new and existing data science application are described that are particularly focused on applications for tax administrations.

With the dramatic growth of the image data on the web, there is an increasing demand of the algorithms capable of understanding the visual information automatically.

This thesis has three main parts. The first part gives an algorithm to compute Hilbert modular polynomials for ordinary abelian varieties with maximal real multiplication. Hilbert modular polynomials of a given level b give a way of finding all of the abelian varieties that are b-isogeneous to any given…

We investigate how radiation pressure can be used to influence the mechanical motion of a micro-mirror suspended from springs.

Truth is stranger than fiction. In 1997 Juan Maldaceña discovered a remarkable dictionary that translates equation for equation the physics of black holes in string theory into the more conventional physics of quantum mechanics of interacting particles. The remarkable possibility exists that…

Research at the THEOR group is comprised of the following research themes:

Lecture

The Research in Physics, Classical/Quantum Information specialisation is an excellent stepping stone for pursuing a PhD degree in projects that involves Physics and Data Science This specialisation also prepares you for a broad array of career prospects in research and industry, including software engineer,…

PhD defence

The Physics and Quantum Matter and Optics specialisation is one of the two programmes Leiden offers in experimental physics. The programme can be tailored to individual needs and interests.

If you replace the standard hydrogen atoms in ice with a heavier variant, something odd happens. The volume occupied by the molecules increases by 0.1 per cent. Leiden chemist Jörg Meyer and his colleagues have created a theoretical model that describes this behaviour. Their research appeared on the…