Ph.D. in Science and Engineering (January 2025 admissions)
Under the aegis of the TCG CREST-AcSIR Agreement for promoting research and academic collaboration in quantum sciences and technologies, CQuERE is inviting applications from interested candidates for the PhD in Science and Engineering on quantum sciences and technologies with emphasis on quantum computing, quantum information, and quantum sensing. The Ph.D. degree will be awarded by Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR) and the PhD program shall be guided by the rules and regulations of AcSIR Ph.D. ordinances.
The CQuERE Ph.D. Program at TCG CREST was initiated in 2022 and combines coursework and original research. The program is thesis based. At present eleven research fellows are pursuing their PhD at CQuERE.
Application process for January 2025 admissions: closed.
Important Dates
Why join Ph.D. at CQuERE?
The CQuERE PhD program trains you to become the next generation research leader in the field of Quantum Sciences. The cornerstone of the doctoral experience at the CQuERE of TCG CREST is the research coursework that all students undertake, typically under the guidance of a group of academic advisors, but often with other external eminent faculty as well.
Research Focus
The areas of research currently being pursued at CQuERE are quantum computation (theory), quantum information (theory), quantum computing using superconducting quantum circuits, photonic integrated circuits and NV centres for sensing and computing, quantum sensing using cold atoms, as well as quantum algorithms and machine learning.
Eligibility
MSc in Physics / Chemistry (preferably Physical Chemistry), ME / MTech or other equivalent degree in Engineering Physics or other similar streams, MS in Computer Science, (preferably the students have taken some courses in MSc level Quantum Mechanics). Candidates who have fulfilled AcSIR eligibility criteria will be asked to appear for a written test.
Important Information
-TCG CREST does not provide any hostel facilities. However, we will organise managed and secured hostel facilities at a competitive rate for you in the vicinity. We will also help you to find secured accommodation in the vicinity. TCG CREST will not bear the rent nor the hostel charges.
-For selection of candidates UGC and/or AcSIR guidelines may be adopted.
-Reservation Policy as per the norms of Government of India will be followed.
-Selection procedure: written test (separate tests for Physical Sciences and Engineering streams) followed by interview.
-Syllabus and details of entrance exam:
A. Physical Sciences stream:
The entrance exam is of 2.5 hours duration.
Format: There will be a total of 14 questions, of which 9 are to be attempted: 6 questions in Section A of which 5 are to be attempted, and 8 in Section B of which 4 are to be attempted. Each question carries 10 marks.
Syllabus:
Section A:
Quantum mechanics and linear algebra: Basic linear algebra relevant to quantum mechanics (for example: vector spaces, direct sum, tensor product, hermitian and unitary operators, etc), postulates of quantum mechanics, Schrodinger equation and its applications, quantum harmonic oscillator, symmetries, angular momentum, variational principle, and approximation methods.
Quantum information and quantum computing: Qubits, elementary gates and circuits, superposition, entanglement, partial trace, state vectors and density matrices.
Section B:
Atomic and Molecular physics: Hydrogen atom, helium atom, H2+ molecular ion, Zeeman effect, and Stark effect.
Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics: Microcanonical, canonical, and grand canonical ensembles, partition function, laws of thermodynamics, Maxwell-Boltzmann, Fermi-Dirac, and Bose-Einstein statistics.
Electricity and Magnetism: Electrostatics, magnetostatics, electrodynamics, Maxwell’s equations, electromagnetic waves.
Electronics: Basic electronics, digital electronics, analog and digital modulation, microcontroller and processor.
Condensed matter: Symmetry in solids, X-ray diffraction methods, free electron theory of metals, thermal conductivity of metals, theory of specific heat, lattice vibrations, dielectrics, magnetism, superconductors, energy bands in solids, semiconductors, defects in solids.
Nuclear and particle physics: nuclear forces, Deuteron problem, Shell model, Nuclear reactions, Fusion and fission, Nuclear decay, Particle accelerator, classification of elementary particles, quantum numbers and conservation laws, relativistic kinematics.
B. Engineering stream:
The entrance exam is of 2.5 hours duration.
Format: There will be a total of 13 questions, of which 9 are to be attempted: 8 questions in Section A of which 6 are to be attempted, and 5 in Section B of which 3 are to be attempted. Each question carries 10 marks.
Section A:
Mathematics: linear algebra, differential equations, and Fourier transforms.
Analog and digital electronics.
Solid state physics: Symmetry in solids, X-ray diffraction methods, free electron theory of metals, thermal conductivity of metals, theory of specific heat, lattice vibrations, dielectrics, magnetism, superconductors, energy bands in solids, semiconductors, defects in solids.
Electromagnetic theory: Electrostatics, magnetostatics, electrodynamics, Maxwell’s equations, electromagnetic waves.
Section B:
Quantum mechanics: Basic linear algebra relevant to quantum mechanics (for example: vector spaces, direct sum, tensor product, hermitian and unitary operators, etc), postulates of quantum mechanics, Schrodinger equation and its applications, quantum harmonic oscillator, symmetries, angular momentum, variational principle, and approximation methods.
Embedded systems.
Digital signal processing.