Astronomical Instrumentation PhD Projects

Research projects on offer in our Astronomical Instrumentation Group

High Contrast Wavefront Control for Ground and Space-Based Telescopes

Dr Charlotte Bond (UK ATC), Dr Trent Dupuy, and Prof Beth Biller

The next generation of high-contrast astronomical instruments—such as those on the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) and future space missions like the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO)—will require unprecedented precision in wavefront control to enable direct imaging of exoplanets. This PhD project will focus on developing and evaluating advanced wavefront control techniques, particularly for segmented mirror systems, to meet the demanding contrast requirements of these observatories.

The successful candidate will join the Adaptive Optics team at the UK Astronomy Technology Centre, contributing to a dynamic research environment involved in a wide range of cutting-edge instrumentation projects (e.g., HARMONI and PCS R&D). The project will involve laboratory-based research and development of novel wavefront sensing and control methods. In particular, it will focus on comparing focal plane techniques with direct wavefront sensing methods and exploring their application to future observatories.

In addition to the technical development, the candidate will engage with the exoplanet community at the University of Edinburgh, helping to bridge the gap between astronomical observations and the instrumentation required to deliver them. This interdisciplinary project will provide broad experience across instrument science, adaptive optics, and algorithm development.

Under the Exoplanet projects, see also:

• Modelling atmospheric chemistry and dynamics on a Venus-like exoplanet - Prof Paul Palmer, Prof Ken Rice, and Dr Alistair Glasse