Abhisek Kole: Doctoral Researcher in Quantum Nanoscience

Abhisek Kole is a doctoral researcher at the Peter Grünberg Institute - Quantum Nanoscience (PGI-3). As part of his PhD, he is investigating Majorana-bound states through scanning tunneling probes, and is particularly interested in the fabrication of nanodevices.

How did you become aware of Forschungszentrum Jülich?

I have followed Forschungszentrum Jülich since 2018 when I was in Singapore for my master studies simply because of the fantastic research it has been producing across the different fields. I have always been fascinated by quantum physics and its applications. In January this year, I came across a job advertisement in LinkedIn for a PhD position in "Scanning tunneling microscopy on 2D materials" in the department of quantum nanoscience (PGI-3), which was a perfect fit for my profile and interest.

How do you experience your doctorate at Forschungszentrum Jülich?

It’s been four months since I started my new journey as a doctoral researcher at Forschungszentrum Jülich. So far, it has been a great experience for me. The vibrant and international culture of Forschungszentrum made me feel welcome. My colleagues and supervisors are helpful and open-minded, which helped me to integrate into the group in no time. The cleanroom and nanofabrication facility of Helmholtz Nano Facility (HNF) is one of the best I have ever experienced. The variation of tools and machines provided by HNF is excellent. Not to mention the collaborative nature of research across different institutes is not only beneficial for personal growth but also networking.

What topic are you dealing with in the context of your doctorate?

My current research interest is the investigation of Majorana-bound states through functionalized scanning tunneling probes. These Majorana obey bizarre non-abelian exchange statistics, making them a perfect candidate for topological quantum computation. Using Majorana to store and manipulate quantum information is hugely beneficial since such a system is protected against environmental decoherence due to the nonlocal nature of these quasiparticles. My day-to-day work involves the fabrication of nanodevices where such a system can be realized. It becomes pretty challenging since the nanometer scale dimension is involved in the fabrication process of such devices. However, the cleanroom and nanofabrication capability of Helmholtz Nano Facility (HNF) made it possible for us to realize such devices. My research not only has a potential contribution to quantum computing but also to the field of quantum communication.

What other tasks do you take on besides research?

I spend most of my time in device fabrication and conducting various measurements related to the experiment. Apart from that, I supervise some bachelor and master students with their experiments and day-to-day tasks. It is constructive and beneficial since it allows me to keep my knowledge updated and improve my communication skills and leadership ability. I believe teaching is the best way to master a subject. Sometimes explaining a complex topic in simple words allows me to gain new insight.