Openings

The Femtosecond Laser Lab was established in 2004 by Prof. Debabrata Goswami at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. The lab works on coherent control with shaped femtosecond pulses, quantum computing with optical qubits, femtosecond optical tweezers, thermal lens spectroscopy and two-photon spectroscopy and microscopy. See research for the projects and equipment for the instruments.

The lab takes students and researchers at four levels, listed below. Candidates from all backgrounds are welcome to apply.

Last reviewed: October 2026.

Roles

Masters students

• Eligibility: IITK Master’s students from departments such as Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and CELP, with a strong academic record.
• Work: A project on one of the lab’s research themes, for example pulse shaping, the optical trapping setup or the thermal lens spectrometer.
• How to apply: Send your academic credentials and a short statement of research interest to the PI, or use the contact form.

PhD students

• Eligibility: Candidates must have qualified CSIR or GATE, or be current IITK Master’s students, with a strong academic record.
• Work: Experiments on the femtosecond laser system, the NOPA, the pulse shaper, the optical trapping setup, the confocal microscope or the thermal lens spectrometer, and the analysis and theory that go with them.
• Funding: Primarily self-funded through fellowships such as CSIR and GATE. The PI can help with applications for additional funding.
• How to apply: Send a CV, a statement of purpose and two academic reference letters to the PI, or use the contact form. Formal admission runs through the institute; see the links below.

Postdoctoral researchers

• Eligibility: A PhD in a relevant field and a record of published research.
• Work: Leading a research project in the lab, mentoring PhD students and helping to write grant proposals.
• Funding: Self-funded or institute-funded. The PI can help with applications for fellowships and grants.
• How to apply: Send a CV, a short research proposal and three references to the PI. Referees are contacted only after written communication with the candidate.

Summer interns

• Eligibility: National and international students.
• Work: A short research project in the lab.
• Accommodation: Limited hostel accommodation may be available.
• How to apply: Use the contact form.

Programmes for students and visiting researchers

Beyond direct applications to the PI, several institute, national and bilateral programmes connect students and researchers with an IIT Kanpur lab. The FemtoLab takes part as a host and sends its own members abroad through others. Eligibility, dates and calls are set by each programme, so read the programme page for the current call before applying. In programmes where applicants choose a project or mentor, name the FemtoLab and the PI, Prof. Debabrata Goswami.

Coming to the FemtoLab

Students

• SURGE (Students Undergraduate Research Graduate Excellence). An eight-week summer research internship run by the Office of Outreach Activities, from the second week of May to the second week of July. For undergraduates of IIT Kanpur, of other Indian institutions and of SAARC countries (Nepal and Bhutan); applicants submit a research proposal of under 500 words, and registration runs from February. See SURGE, eligibility and how to apply.
• RISE @ IITK (Research Internship in Science and Engineering). A winter virtual internship (December) and an in-person summer internship (6 to 8 weeks, May to July) for international Bachelor’s and Master’s students; applicants choose up to two projects from a published list. See RISE.
• Science Academies’ Summer Research Fellowship Programme. Two-month summer fellowship under a research guide, offered jointly by the Indian Academy of Sciences, the Indian National Science Academy and the National Academy of Sciences, India. For students of BSc, BTech, MSc, MTech and related programmes in the years named by the call, and for college and university teachers. See the official page for the current call: the application instructions.
• Semester exchange. Students of partner universities come to IIT Kanpur as non-degree students. See semester exchange and the partnerships and MoUs.
• Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF). See PMRF.
• Raman-Charpak Fellowship. Exchanges doctoral students between India and France. See Raman-Charpak.

Postdoctoral researchers and faculty

• Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship, IIT Kanpur. For Indian nationals with a PhD, in the departments listed on the call. See Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship.
• ANRF National Post-Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF). Independent postdoctoral research in science and engineering at an Indian host institution, with a monthly fellowship and an annual research grant. See N-PDF.
• CSIR Research Associateship. Full-time research on a project proposed by the applicant and approved by CSIR. See CSIR-HRDG.
• Fulbright-Nehru fellowships for US scholars to India. Run by the US-India Educational Foundation; US citizens can apply to teach and research at Indian institutions. See fellowships for US citizens.
• VAJRA (Visiting Advanced Joint Research) faculty scheme. Adjunct or visiting appointments in Indian public institutions for overseas scientists, with emphasis on non-resident Indians, persons of Indian origin and overseas citizens of India. See VAJRA at IIT Kanpur.

From the FemtoLab abroad

• Semester exchange (outgoing). Students of IIT Kanpur go to partner universities (for example TU Munich, EPFL, the University of Tokyo and Hokkaido University). The Office of International Relations calls for applications for specific exchanges. See semester exchange.
• Research internships abroad. The Office of International Relations lists summer programmes for IIT Kanpur students at partner institutions in Japan, Singapore, Australia, the USA, Taiwan, Germany and South Korea. See research internships and summer programs.
• Khorana and S. N. Bose Scholars (USA). Summer research internships in US laboratories for Indian students, from the Indo-US Science and Technology Forum with WINStep Forward; Khorana covers biology and the interface with the physical sciences, S. N. Bose the physical sciences and engineering. Calls vary by year. See WINStep Forward and IUSSTF.
• Fulbright-Nehru fellowships for Indian citizens to the USA, including postdoctoral and Academic and Professional Excellence fellowships. See fellowships for Indian citizens.
• DAAD WISE and the DAAD IIT faculty exchange (Germany). WISE places Indian undergraduates in German university and research laboratories for a summer, and the DAAD IIT Faculty Exchange Programme has run since 1997. See WISE and DAAD at IIT Kanpur.
• Charpak (France). Funds Indian students to study in France. See Charpak and Raman-Charpak.
• LOTUS (Japan). The India-Japan Circulation of Talented Youths in Science programme of the Japan Science and Technology Agency supports research stays in Japan for Indian graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. See LOTUS and LOTUS at IIT Kanpur.
• SPARC (Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration). Ministry of Education funding for joint projects between an Indian institution and a leading institution abroad, with exchange visits; proposals are written by the Indian principal investigator. See SPARC.

Courses

Short courses taught at Indian institutions by visiting foreign faculty are listed under GIAN (Global Initiative of Academic Networks); see GIAN and GIAN at IIT Kanpur.

Diversity, equity and inclusion

The group is committed to a diverse, equitable and inclusive research environment, and invites candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

IIT Kanpur admission pages

• PhD and MTech admissions, Academic Affairs
• Admission procedure, Academic Affairs
• Admission of foreign students
• Department of Chemistry admissions
• Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship, Faculty Affairs
• Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF)

Contact

For details and application procedures, use the contact form.