Dr Thomas Hird MPhys MRes DPhil MInstP

• Doctorate in Atomic & Laser Physics (DPhil), University of Oxford, 2021
• Master of Research in Quantum Technologies (MRes), University College London, 2017
• Master of Physics (MPhys), University of Oxford, 2016

Thomas Hird obtained his doctorate in Atomic and Laser Physics from the University of Oxford in 2021, having been a member of University College London’s Centre of Doctoral Training in Quantum Technologies. During his doctorate, Thomas investigated quantum memories in warm atomic vapours for use in Quantum Information Processing and Quantum Networks. He developed novel techniques to both optimise the atomic-light interactions whilst suppressing the noise, as well as a novel characterisation method of photon statistics to quantify the noise in quantum memories.

Following this, Thomas joined the prestigious AION project within Oxford, developing cold atom interferometry towards the detection of gravitational waves and ultra-light dark matter candidates. Within Oxford, Thomas was further appointed as a lecturer at Corpus Christi College, teaching a wide range of material from the degree course. In December 2024 Thomas was appointed as an Assistant Professor in Quantum Technologies at the University of Birmingham.

Currently recruiting for PhD students in Quantum Memories within atomic systems. This will require a combination of atomic and cold atom physics, quantum information, light-matter interactions and quantum optics. The work additionally has scope to optimise and enhance other aspects of quantum technologies from investigating optimised light-matter interactions, to sensing enhancement from distributed entanglement.

Quantum Memories

An optical quantum memory, a device which can store and retrieve on demand an arbitrary quantum state at the single photon level, has been identified as a significant cornerstone of photonic quantum technologies. The development of such a memory would allow the creation and development of a large number of quantum technologies. These would range from the ability to synchronise processing steps in an optical quantum computer, to the construction of a quantum repeater which would allow faithful transmission of quantum states over arbitrarily long distances. Thomas Hird’s research group looks at creating and optimising storage of photonic quantum states within atomic systems His group investigates how ensembles of atoms can store and manipulate quantum states, and optimise the atom-light interactions involved. Ultimately this has applications towards creating large scale quantum networks (e.g. satellite based quantum communication) and enhanced sensing and computation utilising these networks.

Quantum light-matter interactions

His research group further looks at atom-light interactions more broadly, examining how the amplitude, phase and intensity of atom-light interactions can manipulate the quantum properties of the atoms, and thereby optimise them for a number of applications within quantum technologies. These include atom interferometry for fundamental physics and quantum information processing.