Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0346888
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$288,000.00
Summary
3-D Optical Surface Profiler. Establishing a state-of-the-science 3-D optical surface profiler will enable macroscopic, microscopic and nanoscopic profiling of surfaces over a very broad range of research programs including, laser cleaning and surface modification, laser precision microfabrication, surface, materials and device characterisation and optical physics applications. The importance and significance of these projects has already been established by the projects having competitive fundi ....3-D Optical Surface Profiler. Establishing a state-of-the-science 3-D optical surface profiler will enable macroscopic, microscopic and nanoscopic profiling of surfaces over a very broad range of research programs including, laser cleaning and surface modification, laser precision microfabrication, surface, materials and device characterisation and optical physics applications. The importance and significance of these projects has already been established by the projects having competitive funding. The instrument will undoubtedly support many additional research programs. It is similar to an Atomic-Force-Microscope or stylus profilometer but has significant additional capabilites. These include profiling much larger areas at sub-nanometre resolution and the non-contact nature of the technique. These features will enable surface characterisation that can not be achieved by other means.Read moreRead less
Adaptive optical devices by microstructuring of nanocomposite materials. This project will develop novel nanocomposite materials and use them to fabricate adaptive optical devices designed and fabricated using innovative methods. Specifically, we will develop and characterise transparent composite materials comprising a dispersion of nano-sized inclusions within a polymer host. The properties of these materials will be tailored to allow fabrication of adaptive optical devices (e.g. tunable filte ....Adaptive optical devices by microstructuring of nanocomposite materials. This project will develop novel nanocomposite materials and use them to fabricate adaptive optical devices designed and fabricated using innovative methods. Specifically, we will develop and characterise transparent composite materials comprising a dispersion of nano-sized inclusions within a polymer host. The properties of these materials will be tailored to allow fabrication of adaptive optical devices (e.g. tunable filters and optical switches), which will be key components in future high-performance optical systems. Inverse scattering design methods will be extended to design two-dimensional bandgap devices which will be fabricated by microstructuring of the composite polymer materials.Read moreRead less
NOVEL STUCTURES AND MATERIALS IN MICROSTRUCTURED POLYMER OPTICAL FIBRES. Last year we succeeded in fabricating the microstructured polymer optical fibres (MPOF). This work means that the fabrication constraints applying to similar glass fibres can be overcome, and entirely new types of structures can be investigated. As polymers can contain a much larger variety of dopants than glass the material properties of MPOF can also be fully exploited to develop new fibre functionalities. The combination ....NOVEL STUCTURES AND MATERIALS IN MICROSTRUCTURED POLYMER OPTICAL FIBRES. Last year we succeeded in fabricating the microstructured polymer optical fibres (MPOF). This work means that the fabrication constraints applying to similar glass fibres can be overcome, and entirely new types of structures can be investigated. As polymers can contain a much larger variety of dopants than glass the material properties of MPOF can also be fully exploited to develop new fibre functionalities. The combination of structural and material flexibility possible in MPOF offer the opportunity to radically redefine what is possible in microstructured fibres. It is these possibilities that we aim to explore in this project.Read moreRead less