Advanced Instrumentation, Automation, and Data Handling in Experimental Science
PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE at University of Copenhagen
This is a toolbox course where 80% of the seats are reserved for PhD students enrolled at the Faculty of SCIENCE at UCPH and 20% of the seats are reserved for PhD students from other Danish Universities/faculties (except CBS). Seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and according to the applicable rules.
Anyone can apply for the course, but if you are not a PhD student at a Danish university (except CBS), you will be placed on the waiting list until enrollment deadline. After the enrollment deadline, available seats will be allocated to applicants on the waiting list.
Aim and Content
Progress in modern science and technology is based on advanced instrumentation, high-throughput data acquisition and processing, and automation. This ranges from development of quantum devices, nanofabrication and characterization, quantum sensing and computing over observational astronomy and ice core analysis.
The course offers a solid introduction to instrumentation, data handling and automation methods with use cases inspired by state-of-the-art research conducted at NBI. It is highly relevant for PhD students working on advanced experiments in natural sciences.
The course is organised in lectures/tutorials, hands-on projects and a final presentation session on the project work.
Learning outcomes
Intended learning outcome for the students who complete the course:
Knowledge:
• Optimal structures of scientific data bases
• Working principles of SEM and image mechanisms
• Principles of image processing and automation
• Transfer function and stabilization in experimental quantum optics (optical cavities, lasers locking, interferometers)
• Electro-optic signal conditioning and servo loops
• Operational principles and characteristics of single-photon detectors and time-taggers
• Characterisation methods for single-photon sources
• Characterisation methods for superconducting qubits
• Principles of digital design and control using FPGAs
Skills:
• Write computer programs for advanced instrumentation and automatization
• Understand and set up PID controllers for active stabilization
• Discuss limitations of instruments
• Analyze analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog interfaces to select optimal configurations for data acquisition and signal generation
• Process large time-tag datasets to extract photon characteristics
• Know how to take automation images on SEM, use Python script to process SEM images
• Make scientific decisions based on data analysis
• Understand and characterize superconducting qubits
• Understand equipment and techniques used in the superconducting qubit community
Competences:
This course gives the student a solid experience with modern analog and digital instruments, practical automation and control methods while developing important scientific data handling skills. It provides students with a good basis for laboratory work in PhD projects and experimental work in natural sciences.
Target Group
This course is designed for PhD students in the natural sciences who are engaged in experimental research and aim to enhance their skills in instrumentation, automation, and scientific data handling. It is particularly relevant for students who want hands-on experience with state-of-the-art equipment, measurement techniques, and feedback control methods to automate data collection in advanced setups for e.g., quantum devices, nanofabrication, laser spectroscopy, and microscopy. The course targets students seeking to develop practical skills that will support laboratory work in their PhD projects and enable efficient, automated data-driven experimentation.
Recommended Academic Qualifications
The student should hold a Masters’ degree in natural sciences or engineering. A strong interest in experimental work and modern advanced scientific instrumentation is recommended.
Research Area
Natural Sciences (with an experimental focus)
Teaching and Learning Methods
The course consists of lectures/tutorials and hands-on project work. The lectures will introduce key concepts and common elements in experimental methods that the students will practice during their project work. Part of experimental work will be done in the Quantum Training Lab.
The course material will include a project catalogue that covers specific applications in, e.g.:
• Modern quantum optics and nanophotonics setups
• Experiments with superconducting quantum bits and processors
• Scanning electron microscopy characterization
• Advanced nanofabrication techniques
Type of Assessment
Active participation in lectures and labs. Preparation and individual presentation of a scientific poster on a selected course topic. This also provides training for the PhD students for their first presentations at real conferences.
Literature
Reading and instructional materials will be provided on the course Absalon website.
Course coordinator
Course co-organizers and regular lecturers:
Assoc. Prof. Kasper Grove-Rasmussen, k_grove@nbi.ku.dk
Asst. Prof. Jean-Baptiste Sylvain Béguin, jbeguin@nbi.ku.dk
Asst. Prof. Pei Liu, pei.liu@nbi.ku.dk
Guest Lecturers
None
Dates
26.10.2026 at: 00:00 - 30.10.2026 at: 16:00
(Monday to Friday, inclusive).
Expected frequency
Recurrent (once every year), toward the end of Block 1 (end of October).
Course location
Niels Bohr Institute
Registration
Deadline for registration
28 September 2026 (4 weeks before the course start)
Course fee and participant fee
PhD courses offered at the Faculty of SCIENCE have course fees corresponding to different participant types.
In addition to the course fee, there might also be a participant fee.
If the course has a participant fee, this will apply to all participants regardless of participant
type - and in addition to the course fee.
Course fee
• Participant fee: DKK 0
• PhD student enrolled at SCIENCE: DKK 0
• PhD student from Danish PhD school Open market: DKK 0
• PhD student from Danish PhD school not Open market: DKK 3.000
• PhD student from foreign university: DKK 3.000
• Master's student from Danish university: DKK 0
• Master's student from foreign university: DKK 3.000
• Non-PhD student employed at a university (e.g., postdocs): DKK 3.000
• Non-PhD student not employed at a university (e.g., from a private company): DKK 8.400
Cancellation policy
- Cancellations made up to two weeks before the course starts are free of charge.
- Cancellations made less than two weeks before the course starts will be charged a fee of DKK 3.000
- Participants with less than 80% attendance cannot pass the course and will be charged a fee of DKK 5.000
- No-show will result in a fee of DKK 5.000
- Participants who fail to hand in any mandatory exams or assignments cannot pass the course and will be charged a fee of DKK 5.000