Dr Marcin Szymon Mrozowski - University of Strathclyde

UK IC Postdoctoral Research Fellowships 2026

The challenge

Detecting extremely weak magnetic fields is a significant challenge; doing so accurately over long timescales and in the presence of Earth's magnetic field, which is more than a billion times stronger, is even more demanding.  

The research

Dr Marcin Mrozowski’s fellowship focuses on the development of field-deployable quantum optically pumped magnetometers capable of overcoming these challenges while delivering unprecedented levels of sensitivity and stability. To fully realise the performance of these sensors, they must be paired with state-of-the-art instrumentation electronics developed specifically for their requirements. These bespoke electronics will be designed in parallel with the sensor technology, enabling a portable, pocket-sized system built around mass-producible critical components and providing a clear pathway towards future commercialisation. 

The fellowship work will focus on building an optically pumped (OPM) magnetometer based on a free induction decay scheme. These devices offer exceptional sensitivity and accuracy not found in other OPMs or in commercially available devices such as fluxgate and proton precession magnetometers. The performance of the proposed magnetometer is highly dependent on custom instrumentation electronics, requiring performance far exceeding that of commercial off-the-shelf solutions. For this reason, the research will also focus on developing these instruments alongside the OPM to achieve unparalleled performance, which will be offered in a portable package, pushing the technology readiness level. This device will be validated through a range of trials, including space weather monitoring, detection of geophysical transients such as lightning strikes, and GNSS-denied positioning via magnetic map matching. 

The researcher

Dr Mrozowski received his PhD in 2023 and, since then, has worked as a Research Associate at the University of Strathclyde within the Ultracold Matter and Quantum Technology group. His motivation for this project stems from a deep interest in quantum sensing and precision electronics. He believes that the full potential of a sensor can only be realised when it is coupled with custom, purpose-built electronics that surpass the performance of commercial off-the-shelf solutions, which often represent the limiting factor in system capability.

Academic profile