Electromagnetic scattering is the fundamental process through which we perceive the world around us via light. However, scattering from particles can also impose the ultimate limit on our ability to transmit and receive information using light beams.

This project has two main parts: first, we will use electromagnetic theory to identify combinations of light beams that minimize scattering from particles and are the most effective at carrying information, first considering the classical case of intense light beams and then the quantum case with few photons in each light beam. In the second part, we will employ machine-learning techniques to design two-dimensional nanoparticle distributions that generate beams with minimal scattering. The first part of the project will primarily take place at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, while the second will be conducted mainly at INRIA, Sophia Antipolis, France.

Upon completion, the student will have developed expertise in both theoretical optics and artificial intelligence, positioning them at the forefront of research, and gaining experience working in a multidisciplinary and multinational environment.