Fracture-Resistant Highly Insulating Vacuum Glazing. Vacuum glazing can provide thermal and sound insulation for windows that achieve the benefits of double glazing without the increased thickness by incorporating a vacuum space between two sheets of glass. The gap is maintained by pillars under high compressive stress due to atmospheric pressure. In this project, we will study the effect of pillar designs and materials on the U-value and the mechanical performance of these complex structures. D ....Fracture-Resistant Highly Insulating Vacuum Glazing. Vacuum glazing can provide thermal and sound insulation for windows that achieve the benefits of double glazing without the increased thickness by incorporating a vacuum space between two sheets of glass. The gap is maintained by pillars under high compressive stress due to atmospheric pressure. In this project, we will study the effect of pillar designs and materials on the U-value and the mechanical performance of these complex structures. Detailed simulations and measurements of stress distributions in the pillars, edge seals and glass sheets, under static and dynamic loading conditions, will allow us to develop glazing structures with greatly increased mechanical strength.Read moreRead less
Crossing quantum-classical boundaries in a single particle. This project is aimed at constructing and observing an individual quantum system that can exhibit chaotic behaviour under controllable conditions. It is a long-sought goal of modern physics that can become reality for the first time in the world, thanks to the unique availability in Australia of the most quantum-coherent single spin ever made and a long history of theoretical advances in the field. Turning a spin into a chaotic system w ....Crossing quantum-classical boundaries in a single particle. This project is aimed at constructing and observing an individual quantum system that can exhibit chaotic behaviour under controllable conditions. It is a long-sought goal of modern physics that can become reality for the first time in the world, thanks to the unique availability in Australia of the most quantum-coherent single spin ever made and a long history of theoretical advances in the field. Turning a spin into a chaotic system will uncover the true nature of the quantum-classical boundary, and verify whether an underlying classical chaotic dynamics ultimately influences the behaviour of quantum systems. It is expected that the discoveries made will illuminate the path towards the technological exploitation of increasingly complex quantum devices.Read moreRead less
The acoustics of reed instruments during transients and vibrato: elements of excellence. In the hands and mouth of an expert player, a woodwind reed instrument (for example, clarinet and oboe) can produce a subtle and beautiful sound. Using techniques only available in this lab, this project will determine the physics of the interactions between a player's vocal tract, the vibrating reed and the instrument bore. The project will determine how an expert player can control the initial, final and s ....The acoustics of reed instruments during transients and vibrato: elements of excellence. In the hands and mouth of an expert player, a woodwind reed instrument (for example, clarinet and oboe) can produce a subtle and beautiful sound. Using techniques only available in this lab, this project will determine the physics of the interactions between a player's vocal tract, the vibrating reed and the instrument bore. The project will determine how an expert player can control the initial, final and slurred transients that give grace, elegance and other desired qualities. The project will also study how sustained notes vary with time, with special attention to timbre vibrato, which gives 'warmth' and a lively, 'glowing' quality to their sound. This study will yield important practical results, which can be converted into advances in music teaching.Read moreRead less
The Surface Science of Vacuum Glazing. In order to achieve a stable vacuum in evacuated glazing, high temperature baking during evacuation is required. The high temperature processing prevents the use of strengthened glass, such as tempered glass. However, samples made at low temperatures suffer from poor vacuum characteristics, particularly when exposed to UV radiation. In this project, we aim to discover the chemical and physical processes occurring on the glass surface responsible for vacuum ....The Surface Science of Vacuum Glazing. In order to achieve a stable vacuum in evacuated glazing, high temperature baking during evacuation is required. The high temperature processing prevents the use of strengthened glass, such as tempered glass. However, samples made at low temperatures suffer from poor vacuum characteristics, particularly when exposed to UV radiation. In this project, we aim to discover the chemical and physical processes occurring on the glass surface responsible for vacuum degradation. We will use this knowledge to develop a low temperature manufacturing process that can be used with tempered glass and results in a high-quality vacuum, stable over the device service life.Read moreRead less
The physics and art of expressive performance on wind instruments. This project aims to understand the non-linear physics underlying how musicians produce beautiful, expressive phrases. Elegant, expressive playing is much more than just the right notes. Using techniques unique to this team, we will give a deeper understanding of how breath pressure, mouth geometry and forces, tongue action and finger motions interact to communicate expression in musical phrases on a wind instrument. The outcome ....The physics and art of expressive performance on wind instruments. This project aims to understand the non-linear physics underlying how musicians produce beautiful, expressive phrases. Elegant, expressive playing is much more than just the right notes. Using techniques unique to this team, we will give a deeper understanding of how breath pressure, mouth geometry and forces, tongue action and finger motions interact to communicate expression in musical phrases on a wind instrument. The outcome will be the understanding of how varying control parameters interact at the physical level and how this communicates expression to listeners. Understanding interactions that expert players perform unconsciously will have significant benefits to music learning and teaching.Read moreRead less
The acoustics of a wide-range autonomous oscillator: how do brass players do it? While brass instruments are well understood, the complexities of the interaction with the player are not. This study will analyse how the player's lips and vocal tract interact with the instrument, leading to an understanding not only of the interesting physics involved, but to insight that will benefit players, teachers and students.
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354821
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$30,000.00
Summary
Innovative Materials Production, Processing and Analysis Network. Materials science and engineering is decidedly interdisciplinary, covering a diverse spectrum of research from biology to construction, with an equally broad applications span encompassing all manufacturing industry. Australia has distinct strengths in materials but it has been difficult to promote sufficient interaction across discipline boundaries to fully exploit such strengths. The current network focuses on interdisciplinar ....Innovative Materials Production, Processing and Analysis Network. Materials science and engineering is decidedly interdisciplinary, covering a diverse spectrum of research from biology to construction, with an equally broad applications span encompassing all manufacturing industry. Australia has distinct strengths in materials but it has been difficult to promote sufficient interaction across discipline boundaries to fully exploit such strengths. The current network focuses on interdisciplinary materials interactions nationally by: i) bringing the materials community together at an annual workshop, ii) exposing PhD students and young researchers to cross-disciplinary research initiatives and facilities, iii) identifying common infrastructure needs, iv) linking with industry networks, eg AMTN, and to the international community.Read moreRead less
The humanity of man and animal in Ancient Greece. This project aims to explore how the line between humans and animals is drawn and re-drawn in a number of ancient world texts and contexts, including language, history, literature, art, religion and science. As the real and imagined cradle of Western civilisation, the ancient Greek world is frequently invoked in current debates about what separates humans from animals. Yet, in the modern debate the ancient position is restricted mainly to philoso ....The humanity of man and animal in Ancient Greece. This project aims to explore how the line between humans and animals is drawn and re-drawn in a number of ancient world texts and contexts, including language, history, literature, art, religion and science. As the real and imagined cradle of Western civilisation, the ancient Greek world is frequently invoked in current debates about what separates humans from animals. Yet, in the modern debate the ancient position is restricted mainly to philosophy. The expected outcome of this project is a comprehensive study of the place of the animal in ancient Greek conceptions of humanity. It will refocus classical scholarship and prompt the re-evaluation of our contemporary understanding of what makes us human.Read moreRead less
Photonic Crystal Quantum Dot Lasers. Nanotechnology is expected to make a major impact in all industry sectors. This research has the potential to develop patentable technologies of interest to Australian industries in the fields of computers, communications, defence, environmental and medical sensing. This project will enhance Australia's international links with UK, France, Canada, Korea and USA and allow us to train skilled personnel essential for the development of high tech industries in ....Photonic Crystal Quantum Dot Lasers. Nanotechnology is expected to make a major impact in all industry sectors. This research has the potential to develop patentable technologies of interest to Australian industries in the fields of computers, communications, defence, environmental and medical sensing. This project will enhance Australia's international links with UK, France, Canada, Korea and USA and allow us to train skilled personnel essential for the development of high tech industries in Australia. Read moreRead less
A versatile optical wavelength and mode switching device for future telecommunication networks. This project will develop a next generation switching device for future fibre optical communication networks that will divide their information among several modes of specialty fibre. This device will be a key component for allowing network operators to move to these novel mode-multiplexed networks in order to overcome the looming capacity crunch.