Self-assembled surface arrays of mesoscale plasmonic devices for switchable control of coloured surfaces. This project has a well-defined outcome with potentially significant commercial interest. The proposed device is novel and the development of it will enhance the science and technology infrastructure within Australia, taking it into original and exciting directions. A successful demonstration of it will enhance Australia's competitive position in the field of nanotechnology and could conceiv ....Self-assembled surface arrays of mesoscale plasmonic devices for switchable control of coloured surfaces. This project has a well-defined outcome with potentially significant commercial interest. The proposed device is novel and the development of it will enhance the science and technology infrastructure within Australia, taking it into original and exciting directions. A successful demonstration of it will enhance Australia's competitive position in the field of nanotechnology and could conceivably lead to a manufacturing activity either located in Australia or in which Australian entities have an interest. Envisaged applications include optical circuitry, 'smart' windows and display surfaces on consumer devices.Read moreRead less
Preparation of silica-based thin film materials with large optical nonlinearity. There is currently a lack of advanced thin film materials suitable for fabricating integrated electro-optic devices to use in optical telecommunication. Such materials will be produced, and their application will be developed through this project. The physical mechanism of the marvelous optical nonlinearities of the materials will also be investigated. Thus the achievement of this project will bring great advancemen ....Preparation of silica-based thin film materials with large optical nonlinearity. There is currently a lack of advanced thin film materials suitable for fabricating integrated electro-optic devices to use in optical telecommunication. Such materials will be produced, and their application will be developed through this project. The physical mechanism of the marvelous optical nonlinearities of the materials will also be investigated. Thus the achievement of this project will bring great advancement in both scientific knowledge and technologies for Australia, and provide huge opportunities to boost Australian telecommunication industries, which are developing quickly in recent years.Read moreRead less
Integrated magneto-optic waveguide materials and devices. We aim to develop chalcogenide glass films for fabricating integrated waveguide magneto-optic (MO) devices as a radical alternative to the use of crystalline MO materials that have proven difficult to manufacture in integrated form. Using our ultra-fast pulsed laser deposition (UFPLD) technique we will produce a wide range of chalcogenide glass compositions through combinatorial materials synthesis and assess them for magneto-optic activ ....Integrated magneto-optic waveguide materials and devices. We aim to develop chalcogenide glass films for fabricating integrated waveguide magneto-optic (MO) devices as a radical alternative to the use of crystalline MO materials that have proven difficult to manufacture in integrated form. Using our ultra-fast pulsed laser deposition (UFPLD) technique we will produce a wide range of chalcogenide glass compositions through combinatorial materials synthesis and assess them for magneto-optic activity. UFPLD will also be used to deposit high optical quality films for device prototyping. We will design and fabricate prototype MO components which are essential, but currently unavailable, for use as optical isolators in integrated optics.Read moreRead less
Intermolecular interactions revisited-Flaws in the fabric and applications to lower-dimensional structures. This project aims to capitalise on recent developments, that have shown that previously accepted theories are deeply flawed, in various applications in fundamental physics and in unsolved problems in biology that involve electromagnetic fields. Interactions driven
by electromagnetic fluctuation forces, and real photon exchange, between molecules will be investigated. The project will inv ....Intermolecular interactions revisited-Flaws in the fabric and applications to lower-dimensional structures. This project aims to capitalise on recent developments, that have shown that previously accepted theories are deeply flawed, in various applications in fundamental physics and in unsolved problems in biology that involve electromagnetic fields. Interactions driven
by electromagnetic fluctuation forces, and real photon exchange, between molecules will be investigated. The project will investigate how dispersion interactions change in mesoscopic pores, in electrolytes, and at finite temperatures. Applications involve
catalysis, molecular formation, and quantum logic. The project also aims to develop a unified theory for energy and charge transfer, relevant for photosynthesis and the way biological molecules transfer information.Read moreRead less
The first critical tests of many-body and correlated Quantum Electro-Dynamics (QED) in medium-Z atomic systems. Major difficulties are being encountered in the computation of high-order and correlated terms of Quantum Electro-Dynamical effects in atoms. We will make the first measurements for medium-Z atoms critically sensitive to two-electron QED, and the first tests of QED in this region accurate to 1%. This accuracy will allow new insight into two-electron systems, theoretical approaches, and ....The first critical tests of many-body and correlated Quantum Electro-Dynamics (QED) in medium-Z atomic systems. Major difficulties are being encountered in the computation of high-order and correlated terms of Quantum Electro-Dynamical effects in atoms. We will make the first measurements for medium-Z atoms critically sensitive to two-electron QED, and the first tests of QED in this region accurate to 1%. This accuracy will allow new insight into two-electron systems, theoretical approaches, and recent observed discrepancies between QED theory and experiment. This proposal follows recent successful experimental work using new capabilities of Electron-Beam Ion Traps (EBITs). Our recent publications have proven that this novel approach can yield new insight into the interaction of light with matter.Read moreRead less
Photonic routing with liquid crystals. Liquid crystals became a household item but their unequaled nonlocal optical properties are much less known and studied, although the breathtaking prospects of their future applications in photonics inspire many experts around the world. We will bring to Australia the state of the art research approach, theoretical and experimental, aiming to uncover and realize the potential of long range interaction between laser light and nonlocal liquid crystals for fut ....Photonic routing with liquid crystals. Liquid crystals became a household item but their unequaled nonlocal optical properties are much less known and studied, although the breathtaking prospects of their future applications in photonics inspire many experts around the world. We will bring to Australia the state of the art research approach, theoretical and experimental, aiming to uncover and realize the potential of long range interaction between laser light and nonlocal liquid crystals for futuristic all-optical devices. This project will promote and enhance the rapid development of photonics in Australia, as well as deliver foremost practical expertise and outstanding training of young researchers.Read moreRead less
Nonlinear photonic crystals. Photonic crystals have recently became very attractive for photonic technology, that uses light instead of slow electrons as the information carriers replacing electronics in communications and information management. This project has the purpose to develop the fundamental concept of nonlinear photonic crystals and demonstrate their possible applications analysing the properties of the nonlinearity-induced light localization, nonlinear transmission, and frequency co ....Nonlinear photonic crystals. Photonic crystals have recently became very attractive for photonic technology, that uses light instead of slow electrons as the information carriers replacing electronics in communications and information management. This project has the purpose to develop the fundamental concept of nonlinear photonic crystals and demonstrate their possible applications analysing the properties of the nonlinearity-induced light localization, nonlinear transmission, and frequency conversion in band-gap materials with the intensity-dependent optical response. This will allow the possibility realising in practice nonlinear switching even for sharply bent waveguides, providing an effective way to control the flow of light in band-gap photonic circuits.Read moreRead less
Solitons and localised structures in nonlocal nonlinear media. Solitons - localised waves existing in nonlinear media may propagate without changing their shape and interact with each other as real particles. They are ubiquitous in nature - exist in any system exhibiting dispersion and nonlinearity. This project aims to study theoretically and experimentally properties of beams and solitons in non-local nonlinear systems. It will lay out theoretical foundations of the nonlocal solitons and d ....Solitons and localised structures in nonlocal nonlinear media. Solitons - localised waves existing in nonlinear media may propagate without changing their shape and interact with each other as real particles. They are ubiquitous in nature - exist in any system exhibiting dispersion and nonlinearity. This project aims to study theoretically and experimentally properties of beams and solitons in non-local nonlinear systems. It will lay out theoretical foundations of the nonlocal solitons and demonstrate experimentally their unique features. This research will have an impact on understanding of the soliton phenomena in many fields including optics and matter waves, providing knowledge which may be subsequently transferred to practical technologies, such as in formation of optical circuits.Read moreRead less
Advancing x-ray imaging into new dimensions using interferometry and phase-space tomography. Synchrotron science and nanofabrication technologies are priority investment areas for most industrial countries including Australia. This research program takes advantages of recent progress in these fields and aims to advance x-ray imaging techniques of high sensitivity and low radiation dose and retrieve all extractable information of an object encoded in a wavefield. The development of these techniqu ....Advancing x-ray imaging into new dimensions using interferometry and phase-space tomography. Synchrotron science and nanofabrication technologies are priority investment areas for most industrial countries including Australia. This research program takes advantages of recent progress in these fields and aims to advance x-ray imaging techniques of high sensitivity and low radiation dose and retrieve all extractable information of an object encoded in a wavefield. The development of these techniques is critical to future opportunities of frontier discoveries of the biological, nano and atomic world. Its application includes structural biology, medical diagnosis, biomedicine, material sciences and many other fields.Read moreRead less
International collaboration in gravitational wave data analysis, simulations and third generation detectors. The project brings together seven outstanding international researchers into close collaboration with an Australian team to develop new techniques for finding gravitational wave signals in the vast archive of data they have helped to collect, as well as developing and testing theory for improved detectors that operate with sensitivity beyond the limits set by classical physics. The projec ....International collaboration in gravitational wave data analysis, simulations and third generation detectors. The project brings together seven outstanding international researchers into close collaboration with an Australian team to develop new techniques for finding gravitational wave signals in the vast archive of data they have helped to collect, as well as developing and testing theory for improved detectors that operate with sensitivity beyond the limits set by classical physics. The project will utilize a state of the art supercomputer and the superb national facility for high power laser interferometry at Gingin, Western Australia. Read moreRead less