Characterisation and fabrication of nanophotonic devices based on multi-layer stacks. The aim of this proposal is to continue the existing collaborative project on fabrication and characterisation of nanophotonic devices based on the multi-layer stack method. The project will integrate the state-of-the-art techniques in the respective collaborating universities to fabricate a nano-probe which can produce an evanescent field approximately four orders of magnitude stronger than that under the conv ....Characterisation and fabrication of nanophotonic devices based on multi-layer stacks. The aim of this proposal is to continue the existing collaborative project on fabrication and characterisation of nanophotonic devices based on the multi-layer stack method. The project will integrate the state-of-the-art techniques in the respective collaborating universities to fabricate a nano-probe which can produce an evanescent field approximately four orders of magnitude stronger than that under the conventional condition. This novel probe provides a key to the successful fabrication of innovative nanophotonic devices including photonic transistors, photonic circuits, high-density data storage disks and drives, nano-motors and biochips, which underpin biotechnology, information technology and optical computing technology.Read moreRead less
Terahertz optoelectronics based on spintronics materials. Spintronic devices have many advantages which include non-volatility, permitting data retention in non-powered conditions, increased integration densities, high data processing speeds, low electrical energy demands, and a fabrication process compatible with those currently used in semiconductor microelectronics. The low energy consumption of spintronic devices also leads to economic and environmental benefits. Spintronic devices will help ....Terahertz optoelectronics based on spintronics materials. Spintronic devices have many advantages which include non-volatility, permitting data retention in non-powered conditions, increased integration densities, high data processing speeds, low electrical energy demands, and a fabrication process compatible with those currently used in semiconductor microelectronics. The low energy consumption of spintronic devices also leads to economic and environmental benefits. Spintronic devices will help to meet the sensing and storage demands of information technology in the decades to come. The project will enhance the international competitiveness and export power of Australian industry in the areas of information technology, quantum computing, magnetic recording and optoelectronics.Read moreRead less
High-temperature Elastic Wave Speeds of Mantle Minerals and their Seismological Implications. Laboratory measurements of elastic wave speeds are critical for the interpretation of seismological models for the Earth's deep interior. During the past several years, research groups at ANU and Stony Brook University have separately been proving novel experimental techniques for measurement of the temperature dependence of elastic wave speeds. Now a timely collaboration is proposed in which we would ....High-temperature Elastic Wave Speeds of Mantle Minerals and their Seismological Implications. Laboratory measurements of elastic wave speeds are critical for the interpretation of seismological models for the Earth's deep interior. During the past several years, research groups at ANU and Stony Brook University have separately been proving novel experimental techniques for measurement of the temperature dependence of elastic wave speeds. Now a timely collaboration is proposed in which we would exploit access to similar temperature ranges under two very different pressure regimes to examine the mixed pressure-temperature dependence of wave speeds that is so critical for the inference of chemical composition, mineralogical make-up, and temperature variations within the Earth's mantle.Read moreRead less
Quantum Photonics with continuous laser beams - travel award. Quantum information and communication is a new paradigm in information technology which utilises quantum physics to improve current limitations in speed, security and fidelity of information transmission and processing, extending the present Electronics and Photonics devices. Future applications will include teleportation, cryptography and ultimately quantum computation. We propose to investigate these applications using continuous (C ....Quantum Photonics with continuous laser beams - travel award. Quantum information and communication is a new paradigm in information technology which utilises quantum physics to improve current limitations in speed, security and fidelity of information transmission and processing, extending the present Electronics and Photonics devices. Future applications will include teleportation, cryptography and ultimately quantum computation. We propose to investigate these applications using continuous (CW) laser beams and the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) quantum entanglement, which is generated via a pair of optical parametric oscillators. The advantage of CW over the established single photon technology is better detection efficiency, wider data bandwidth and a compatibility with existing photonics technology.Read moreRead less
Photon induced nonlinear absorption and transport in semiconductor nanostructures. Photon induced transport in electronic systems is of great importance in fundamental science and in development of new optoelectronics devices. In this project we aim to study the microwave radiation induced dc transport and nonlinear absorption in high mobility systems. The result will shed light on newly discoveredzero-resistance state in semiconductor nanostructures. The expected outcome is an improved underst ....Photon induced nonlinear absorption and transport in semiconductor nanostructures. Photon induced transport in electronic systems is of great importance in fundamental science and in development of new optoelectronics devices. In this project we aim to study the microwave radiation induced dc transport and nonlinear absorption in high mobility systems. The result will shed light on newly discoveredzero-resistance state in semiconductor nanostructures. The expected outcome is an improved understanding on the mechanism of reducing dc resistance in low-dimensional electronic systems.Read moreRead less
ARENA: Antarctic Research, a European Network for Astronomy. With compelling evidence now growing that the world's best astronomical observing sites for optical/infrared astronomy are located on the high plateau of Australia's Antarctic Territory, a race is underway to establish the first major observing facilities there. The European Union have recently funded a network of 20 leading research institutes to coordinate the development of enabling technologies and astronomical programs in Antarct ....ARENA: Antarctic Research, a European Network for Astronomy. With compelling evidence now growing that the world's best astronomical observing sites for optical/infrared astronomy are located on the high plateau of Australia's Antarctic Territory, a race is underway to establish the first major observing facilities there. The European Union have recently funded a network of 20 leading research institutes to coordinate the development of enabling technologies and astronomical programs in Antarctica, with a view to constructing a so-called 'Great Observatory'. Australia's participation in this network ensures continued technology exchange and builds our knowledge base in robotics, harsh-environment engineering and computational fluid dynamics, while creating important new astronomical opportunities.Read moreRead less
A novel spectrum encoding technology using nanoparticles for high-density, high-speed information coding and retrieval. The key-sector in high tech markets has been the photonics industry over the last decade, and it will continue to revolutionise our ways of information storage, processing and transfer for the next 10 to 20 years. The current project of novel spectrum-encoding technology will prove to be the key technological innovation in photonics (one of the National Research Priorities), w ....A novel spectrum encoding technology using nanoparticles for high-density, high-speed information coding and retrieval. The key-sector in high tech markets has been the photonics industry over the last decade, and it will continue to revolutionise our ways of information storage, processing and transfer for the next 10 to 20 years. The current project of novel spectrum-encoding technology will prove to be the key technological innovation in photonics (one of the National Research Priorities), which will not only meet the growing demands of the consumer market, but also continue to drive the industry and create new markets. This is in line with the Priority Goals set by the Minister for Education, Science and Training, as it will put Australia into the unique position in the information age.Read moreRead less
Development of an integrated methodology to assess dewatering system performance in solid-liquid separation. 3D visualisations of microstructures are possible with techniques such as confocal laser microscopy and high resolution X-ray microtomography. Data obtained in-situ enable direct computation of solids assembly properties and their permeability to fluids. A specific application involving aggregate formation and sediment networks could be evaluated through micro-scale analysis combined with ....Development of an integrated methodology to assess dewatering system performance in solid-liquid separation. 3D visualisations of microstructures are possible with techniques such as confocal laser microscopy and high resolution X-ray microtomography. Data obtained in-situ enable direct computation of solids assembly properties and their permeability to fluids. A specific application involving aggregate formation and sediment networks could be evaluated through micro-scale analysis combined with robust fluid flow simulations. The method can potentially be utilized to predict trends such as filtration behaviour of materials under different states of compression. This offers significant benefits in formulating the design of flocculated systems pertinent to a number of industrial sectors wishing to design optimum solid-liquid separation processes.Read moreRead less
Optical circuits for quantum non-locality with single photons. This collaborative project between the University of Queensland and Hokkaido University will investigate fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics concerned with non-locality. The results will have direct relevance to the emerging field of quantum technology - new technologies based exploiting the quantum mechanical nature of physical systems. Through the collaboration Australia will gain access to world-class single photon generation ....Optical circuits for quantum non-locality with single photons. This collaborative project between the University of Queensland and Hokkaido University will investigate fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics concerned with non-locality. The results will have direct relevance to the emerging field of quantum technology - new technologies based exploiting the quantum mechanical nature of physical systems. Through the collaboration Australia will gain access to world-class single photon generation facilities that will be replicated here. A strong link between Japanese and Australian researchers, including students, will be formed.Read moreRead less
Adaptive aberration compensation in high refractive index materials for next-generation active microphotonic devices. The method proposed in this project is a very promising and versatile method to compensate the strong aberration in a high refractive index material. The successful compensation of such aberration will allow people to fabricate microdevices directly inside high refractive index materials. This project will greatly advance optical fabrication techniques and expand the national kno ....Adaptive aberration compensation in high refractive index materials for next-generation active microphotonic devices. The method proposed in this project is a very promising and versatile method to compensate the strong aberration in a high refractive index material. The successful compensation of such aberration will allow people to fabricate microdevices directly inside high refractive index materials. This project will greatly advance optical fabrication techniques and expand the national knowledge in the area of nonlinear PhCs (photonic crystals) and related applications. It is expected that the project will provide many chances for postgraduate students to be involved. In future, nonlinear PhCs and related devices may be widely used in daily life and this project may provide some opportunities for industry.Read moreRead less