Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100074
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$418,210.00
Summary
Nanoscale laser cooling in physiological environment. By developing fluorescence pattern-based 3D motion-detection technology in optical tweezers, this project aims to reveal how to achieve nanoscale laser cooling in physiological media. It plans to discover new mechanisms of cooling associated with surface phonons and energy looping in optically trapped lanthanide-doped nanoparticles. Key expected outcomes are technology and a toolset to create interaction between cooled nanoscale objects and b ....Nanoscale laser cooling in physiological environment. By developing fluorescence pattern-based 3D motion-detection technology in optical tweezers, this project aims to reveal how to achieve nanoscale laser cooling in physiological media. It plans to discover new mechanisms of cooling associated with surface phonons and energy looping in optically trapped lanthanide-doped nanoparticles. Key expected outcomes are technology and a toolset to create interaction between cooled nanoscale objects and biological samples. These are expected to create a research area of biological laser refrigeration, enabling intracellular organelles cooling, nanoscale membrane disruption and high sensitivity force-sensing for integrin study for use in single-molecule biophysics and multimodality subcellular sensing.Read moreRead less
Laser-free on-chip super-resolution microscopy. The project aims to develop a compact, cost-effective on-chip super-resolution microscope through an innovative combination of imaging algorithms, optics and integrated photonics. This project addresses limitations in imaging algorithms that increase laser system complexity and constrain imaging speed and applications, as well as nanostructure fabrication issues. Expected outcomes include the discovery of emitter self-interference microscopy, new k ....Laser-free on-chip super-resolution microscopy. The project aims to develop a compact, cost-effective on-chip super-resolution microscope through an innovative combination of imaging algorithms, optics and integrated photonics. This project addresses limitations in imaging algorithms that increase laser system complexity and constrain imaging speed and applications, as well as nanostructure fabrication issues. Expected outcomes include the discovery of emitter self-interference microscopy, new knowledge in imaging, photonics and biophysics, the world’s fastest super-resolution technology, compact on-chip nanoscopy that can be added to existing technology and proof of concept in three areas. Benefits are anticipated in commercialisation, improved photonics devices and usage in biophysics.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100079
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$411,918.00
Summary
Anisotropic single-particle transducers. The project aims to tackle a major challenge in techniques that manipulate tiny particles – increasing the performance of transducer devices that convert magnetic forces to mechanical movement. It will centre on interactions on the surface of particular particles, bypassing a known scientific limit. Expected outcomes include a fundamental understanding of key factors that have recently been shown to enhance magnetic responsivity and efficient mechanical m ....Anisotropic single-particle transducers. The project aims to tackle a major challenge in techniques that manipulate tiny particles – increasing the performance of transducer devices that convert magnetic forces to mechanical movement. It will centre on interactions on the surface of particular particles, bypassing a known scientific limit. Expected outcomes include a fundamental understanding of key factors that have recently been shown to enhance magnetic responsivity and efficient mechanical manipulation and sensing in a magnetic field. The project outcomes will benefit developers by, for example, advanced nanoscale devices for robotics, sensing and molecular bioassays; controlling biophysical processes; and fundamental mechanobiology research.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics. The CNBP brings together physicists, chemists and biologists focused on a grand challenge controlling nanoscale interactions between light and matter to probe the complex and dynamic nanoenvironments within living organisms. The emerging convergence of nanoscience and photonics offers the opportunity of using light to interrogate nanoscale domains, providing unprecedentedly localised measurements. This will allow biological scientists to unde ....ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics. The CNBP brings together physicists, chemists and biologists focused on a grand challenge controlling nanoscale interactions between light and matter to probe the complex and dynamic nanoenvironments within living organisms. The emerging convergence of nanoscience and photonics offers the opportunity of using light to interrogate nanoscale domains, providing unprecedentedly localised measurements. This will allow biological scientists to understand how single cells react to and communicate with their surroundings. This science will underpin a new generation of devices capable of probing the response of cells within individuals to environmental conditions or treatment, creating innovative and powerful new sensing platforms.Read moreRead less
Replicating the cartilage micromechanical environment. Through a novel, image-guided mechanical evaluation of cell- and tissue-level remodelling, this project aims to unlock new insights into the complex mechanical microenvironment of cartilage and directly influence new strategies in tissue engineering. The research will reveal contributions of cells and extracellular matrix components to mechanical integrity over time. It will build a world-first strain map of the cartilage microenvironment an ....Replicating the cartilage micromechanical environment. Through a novel, image-guided mechanical evaluation of cell- and tissue-level remodelling, this project aims to unlock new insights into the complex mechanical microenvironment of cartilage and directly influence new strategies in tissue engineering. The research will reveal contributions of cells and extracellular matrix components to mechanical integrity over time. It will build a world-first strain map of the cartilage microenvironment and quantification of dynamic structural remodelling that occurs, providing key targets to improve tissue engineering strategies. The project will also drive innovation in micromechanical testing technology, deliver functional solutions in mechanobiology and advance materials for biological integration.Read moreRead less
Dynamic substrates for surface-enhanced Raman scattering: piezoelectric actuated nanotextures with phase-locked signal processing. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering shows great promise for sensitive detection of a wide range of chemical and biological compounds. Novel electronic devices will be produced to actively tune the nanometre scale structures that generate the scattering signal, resulting in an improved fundamental understanding and control of the effect.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100030
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$541,705.00
Summary
National facility for nanoscale characterisation of luminescent materials. The project aims to establish a national facility for nanoscale characterisation of advanced optoelectronic materials, including atomically-thin materials, luminescent nanocrystals, metamaterials, and plasmonic nanostructures. The combination of a highly focused electron beam, and novel light detection optics, will enable temperature-dependent, angle, polarisation and time-resolved luminescence analysis with unprecedented ....National facility for nanoscale characterisation of luminescent materials. The project aims to establish a national facility for nanoscale characterisation of advanced optoelectronic materials, including atomically-thin materials, luminescent nanocrystals, metamaterials, and plasmonic nanostructures. The combination of a highly focused electron beam, and novel light detection optics, will enable temperature-dependent, angle, polarisation and time-resolved luminescence analysis with unprecedented resolution. It is expected this will yield discoveries in nanoscale physics and materials science. It will create interdisciplinary collaborations by linking Australian scientists who use high-resolution multimodal characterisation methods to innovate and develop materials and device technologies.Read moreRead less
Non-classical motion of a macroscopic mechanical resonator. This project will create the experimental tools to fully control the motion of a mechanical oscillator at the single-quanta level, opening a rich avenue for fundamental research and the development of quantum physics enhanced applications. This project will prepare a quantum state of a macroscopic mechanical resonator exhibiting quantum interference fringes at at an unprecedented mass scale. The observation of these fringes will enable ....Non-classical motion of a macroscopic mechanical resonator. This project will create the experimental tools to fully control the motion of a mechanical oscillator at the single-quanta level, opening a rich avenue for fundamental research and the development of quantum physics enhanced applications. This project will prepare a quantum state of a macroscopic mechanical resonator exhibiting quantum interference fringes at at an unprecedented mass scale. The observation of these fringes will enable the study of the intricacies of quantum decoherence and ultimately even probe quantum gravitational phenomena. To achieve these goals it will employ micro-scale optical resonators fabricated by established techniques, that also provide the ideal platform for scalable mechanical-oscillator-based quantum information applications.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100934
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$439,082.00
Summary
Taming the light: full control in polarisation, space, and time. This project aims to develop two prototype optical beam shaping systems, culminating in the demonstration of new high-power optical fibre amplifiers. This novel ability to control all the properties of light enables the generation of optical beams that were only theoretical ideas but never previously implemented experimentally. This advanced technology can potentially open new ways in which objects can be probed using light. Expect ....Taming the light: full control in polarisation, space, and time. This project aims to develop two prototype optical beam shaping systems, culminating in the demonstration of new high-power optical fibre amplifiers. This novel ability to control all the properties of light enables the generation of optical beams that were only theoretical ideas but never previously implemented experimentally. This advanced technology can potentially open new ways in which objects can be probed using light. Expected outcomes include the creation of an optical platform that the optical community at large may utilise for their specific applications. Besides the intellectual property benefits of such optical devices directly, this project should bridge the gap between the developed knowledge and commercial opportunities.Read moreRead less
Control of light in space and time in multimode optical fibres. This project aims to create devices to measure and manipulate the spatial and temporal properties of light. The ability to control or measure the spatial and/or temporal properties of light is a fundamental feature of many applications, including biomedical imaging, astronomy, telecommunications, high-power lasers and quantum computing. This project will develop five prototype systems to control the spatiotemporal properties of ligh ....Control of light in space and time in multimode optical fibres. This project aims to create devices to measure and manipulate the spatial and temporal properties of light. The ability to control or measure the spatial and/or temporal properties of light is a fundamental feature of many applications, including biomedical imaging, astronomy, telecommunications, high-power lasers and quantum computing. This project will develop five prototype systems to control the spatiotemporal properties of light in ways that were previously not possible. This would affect fundamental and applied applications where the inability to sufficiently control light’s spatial and/or temporal properties is an impediment. Examples include imaging deep into ‘opaque’ objects such as human skin or brain, high-power lasers for material processing and manufacturing, optical telecommunications and quantum computation.Read moreRead less