PhD Scholarship: Integrating nuclear spins with quantum dots in silicon | UNSW Sydney, Australia in partnership with Diraq
The project seeks to develop a quantum computer device where the nuclear spin of a donor atom in silicon is integrated with a gate-defined quantum dot. This type of device will represent the unit cell of a scalable quantum processor, which combines the exceptional coherence and gate fidelity of nuclear spins with the addressability and manufacturability of semiconductor quantum dots.
The ultimate objective is to build a fault-tolerant, error-corrected silicon quantum computer with local logical encoding in the nuclear spin of donor atoms, and electrons in quantum dots providing medium-range interactions between logical qubits. The project will be conducted in partnership with Diraq Pty. Ltd., which is developing scalable quantum dot devices in silicon.
The project is ideal for candidates with a strong background and interest in quantum engineering and quantum physics.
Project supervisor Dr Danielle Holmes, Scientia Professor Andrea Morello | Associate Professor Henry Yang, Diraq (Partner Investigator)
Details of the Scholarship
The scholarship is for up to 4 years of full-time study and includes:
• Student stipend: A$42,754 per annum (2026 rate, indexed annually)
• Substantive engagement with our industry partners as a core component of the PhD
• Access to an industry-ready skills training program
• Entry to the SQA PhD Experience Program events and workshops
Eligibility Requirements
Scholarships are open to domestic and international applicants.
• Domestic students include Australian citizens, permanent residents, New Zealand citizens, or persons entitled to remain in Australia without limitation.
• International students must hold, or be able to obtain, a valid visa for the duration of the scholarship.
Applicants must:
• Hold or be eligible for admission to a full time PhD program at an FLiQC partner university
• Have a PhD offer of admission before an FLiQC scholarship can be awarded
• Have the support of the proposed project supervisor prior to applying
• Not hold another primary PhD stipend scholarship (e.g. RTP or equivalent)