Research Assistant (m/f/d) - Theoretical Physics

The Research Group "Ultrafast Light-Matter Interactions" led by Jun.-Prof. Maria Richter at the Institute of Physics, University of Rostock, invites applications from a doctoral candidate (m/f/d) for the development and application of theoretical methods to investigate the macroscopic propagation of complex light fields in gases and condensed matter.

The emerging field of research of the generation of complex light structures with three-dimensionally structured light fields in space and time—such as so-called synthetic chiral light—offers entirely new degrees of freedom for the ultrafast optical investigation and manipulation of atomic and molecular structures and dynamics. A prime example of this is the study of electronic currents in chiral molecules, in which the interactions between light and molecules are not based on the weak interaction with the magnetic component of light - as has been the convention so far - but rather on electric-dipolar interactions with the synthetic chiral light. This enables an extremely efficient, ultrafast, and fully optical enantioselective investigation of chiral matter. Previous studies have largely been limited to describing such light-matter interactions at the microscopic level. We plan to investigate and optimize light-controlled ultrafast processes at the macroscopic level as well.

We recently developed a state-of-the-art model for simulating the spatiotemporal, nonlinear dynamics of intense, ultrashort laser pulses in atomic gases based on the unidirectional pulse propagation equation (UPPE). The candidate will contribute to the research topic by adapting and extending our pulse propagation method to calculate and analyze the nonlinear optical response of, for example, chiral matter on a macroscopic scale.

The successful candidate will gain extensive knowledge and experience in the fields of theoretical and computational nonlinear optics, atomic, molecular, strong-field, and attosecond physics; have access to state-of-the-art high-performance computing facilities; collaborate with experienced scientists, doctoral students, and undergraduates; and experience a positive and supportive group atmosphere.