University of Nottingham PhD Studentship 2025 in AI Design of Ultrathin Lenses

The Optics and Photonics Research Group (OPG) at the University of Nottingham is seeking a motivated PhD student to join the team. The focus? Using AI to design ultrathin lenses that could transform the way compact imaging devices work.

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You’ll be supervised by Dr. Mitchell Kenney and will collaborate with researchers in both the Engineering and Life Sciences departments. This project brings together some of today’s most exciting fields — AI, nanotechnology, optics, and biomedical imaging — into a single, significant challenge.

Cameras have come a long way (think of how smartphones have changed photography), but most imaging systems still rely on traditional glass lenses. They’re bulky, limited, and not always suited to modern needs.

That’s where metamaterials come in — artificial, nanoscale structures that let us bend and control light in clever new ways. By designing these with the help of AI, we can create flat, ultrathin lenses that make imaging devices smaller, smarter, and more powerful.

This research could have a significant impact in areas such as VR/AR, quantum technology, life sciences, computing, and medical imaging.

What you’ll be doing

As a PhD student, you’ll get hands-on experience in:

Using AI and deep learning to design advanced metamaterials.
Nanofabrication – actually building ultrathin lenses in the lab.
Running computational models and simulations to test designs.
Creating and testing real optical setups to assess their performance in practice.

You’ll also be working alongside leading experts, including Prof Melissa Mather, Prof Dmitri Veprintsev, and Dr Sendy Phang.

What we’re looking for

You should have (or expect to earn) at least a 2:1 or first-class degree in Physics or Electrical & Electronic Engineering.
This studentship is open to UK/home students only.
Funding covers tuition fees + a living stipend for 3 years.