CALL FOR ADMISSION TO UNITO-IBS COLLABORATIVE PHD PROGRAMMES
Research topic #1:
Axion particles as candidates for dark matter and dark energy
Scientific Directors: M. Regis (marco.regis@unito.it) and Sang Hui Im (imsanghui@gmail.com)
Our current understanding of the Universe is lacking two fundamental pieces, which go under the name of
dark matter (DM) and dark energy (DE). They are believed to be the most abundant energy components in
our Universe. Assuming that DM and DE are made of fundamental fields, a theoretically well-motivated
class of candidates is provided by light bosonic particles, named axions. Axion models generically predict a
coupling with electromagnetism, which implies a number of signatures, including decay into two photons,
axion-photon conversion in the presence of a magnetic field, and rotation of photon polarization angles. In
this project, the candidate will study and develop axion models to explain DM and evolving DE. The
candidate will derive the theoretical implications and the phenomenology associated with the axion-photon
coupling in those models, and confront the predicted signals with data from astrophysical observations and
underground experiments. The final goal is to derive limits on axion models and to test if they offer a viable
explanation for the fundamental nature of DM and/or DE. This project is under the premises of the
Memorandum of Understanding signed between the University of Torino (UniTO) and the Institute for Basic
Science (IBS - Republic of Korea) by which the Parties agreed to implement joint and coordinated education
and research programmes. The successful candidate will spend a minimum of 3 months, and up to 18
months, at IBS to collaborate with the Center for Theoretical Physics of the Universe (CTPU) of IBS in
Daejeon. The CTPU conducts research across broad areas of high energy physics, such as physics beyond the
Standard Model including axion physics, dark matter, and early universe cosmology. During the stay, IBS
will provide an additional monthly stipend of up to 1,200,000 KRW (before tax) to the PhD student during
their training period at IBS, depending on the student's level of participation in research projects and will
offer support to PhD students in finding accommodation during their visit to IBS, if required. To receive
support, PhD students who are not of Korean nationality must obtain a visa suitable for the purpose of their
training when visiting IBS. Upon successful completion of the PhD course, students will receive the Doctor
of Philosophy diploma (Philosophiae Doctor) from UniTO and the Training Certificate from IBS.
CALL FOR ADMISSION TO UNITO-IBS COLLABORATIVE PHD PROGRAMMES
Research topic #2:
Frontier readout technologies for liquid detectors
Scientific Directors: M. Rolo (manuel.rolo@cern.ch) and Yong-Hamb Kim (yhk@ibs.re.kr)
Future noble liquid detectors in the fields of neutrino physics and direct dark matter detection will call for the
development of innovative and scalable readout solutions, using advanced CMOS technologies operating at
cryogenic temperatures, with excellent spatial, time and energy resolution. The scalability of these charge
and light detection systems requires on-chip digitisation and complex chip architectures capable of reliable
long-term operation at low temperatures, well outside the range supported by commercial silicon foundries.
This research project will address the challenges towards the future design of CMOS electronics capable of
operation down to the 4K range, and devise the infrastructures, cryogenic systems, and instrumentation for
the modelling activities. This project is under the premises of the Memorandum of Understanding signed
between the University of Torino (UniTO) and the Institute for Basic Science (IBS - Republic of Korea) by
which the Parties agreed to implement joint and coordinated education and research programmes. The
successful candidate will spend up to 18 months at IBS to collaborate with the Low Temperature Detector
Group at CUP of IBS in Daejeon, under the supervision of Dr. Yong-Hamb Kim. During the stay, IBS will
provide an additional monthly stipend of up to 1,200,000 KRW (before tax) to the PhD student during their
training period at IBS, depending on the student's level of participation in research projects and will offer
support to PhD students in finding accommodation during their visit to IBS, if required. To receive support,
PhD students who are not of Korean nationality must obtain a visa suitable for the purpose of their training
when visiting IBS. Upon successful completion of the PhD course, students will receive the Doctor of
Philosophy diploma (Philosophiae Doctor) from UniTO and the Training Certificate from IBS.