Novel graphene nanostructures: modelling, synthesis, fabrication and characterisation. As a key nanomaterial for future electronics, graphene is rapidly becoming one of the most promising frontier areas of nanotechnology throughout the world. This project aims to develop a new class of graphene nanostructures that hold great potential for large-scale applications in the next generation nanoelectronic devices, sensors, solar cells and light emitting devices. This project will significantly enhan ....Novel graphene nanostructures: modelling, synthesis, fabrication and characterisation. As a key nanomaterial for future electronics, graphene is rapidly becoming one of the most promising frontier areas of nanotechnology throughout the world. This project aims to develop a new class of graphene nanostructures that hold great potential for large-scale applications in the next generation nanoelectronic devices, sensors, solar cells and light emitting devices. This project will significantly enhance the international competitiveness of Australia in the areas of new materials and nanotechnology and will help place Australia at the forefront of nanotechnology. This project will produce high quality PhD students in nanotechnology.Read moreRead less
Theoretical and Numerical Analyses on Smart-Cut Technology. Smart-cut is an innovative and effective technique for fabricating high quality silicon-on-insulator structures which are widely used in the semiconductor and microelectronics industries. The quantification of the effects of processing parameters and the optimization of smart-cut process will be conducted in this project. The results are expected to make significant contributions to reducing cost, increasing efficiency and optimizing pr ....Theoretical and Numerical Analyses on Smart-Cut Technology. Smart-cut is an innovative and effective technique for fabricating high quality silicon-on-insulator structures which are widely used in the semiconductor and microelectronics industries. The quantification of the effects of processing parameters and the optimization of smart-cut process will be conducted in this project. The results are expected to make significant contributions to reducing cost, increasing efficiency and optimizing procedure by providing a theoretical and quantitative design methodology to improve the smart-cut technique. Consequently, the outcomes and results of the project will bring many benefits to and encourage further R&D in the semiconductor and microelectronics industries in Australia.Read moreRead less
Microelectronic Applications of Improved Silicon Light Emission. While semiconductor silicon chips have been the workhorse of the microelectronics revolution, more complex semiconductor materials have driven the communications revolution. Australian developments during 2001 have largely dispelled the myth that silicon is fundamentally a poor emitter of light. This project aims to build on this work by developing silicon light emitters suitable for integration into high density integrated circu ....Microelectronic Applications of Improved Silicon Light Emission. While semiconductor silicon chips have been the workhorse of the microelectronics revolution, more complex semiconductor materials have driven the communications revolution. Australian developments during 2001 have largely dispelled the myth that silicon is fundamentally a poor emitter of light. This project aims to build on this work by developing silicon light emitters suitable for integration into high density integrated circuits, adding a new dimension to the capabilities of these circuits, driving microelectronics and the information age to the next stage of development.Read moreRead less
Diamond glass: An all-carbon technology for neural networks and biosensing. This project aims to use plasma deposition to synthesise diamond glass with the highest purity and the most diamond-like character so that it meets the strict requirements for emerging device applications. The extreme properties of diamond glass arise from the diamond-like bonding of the majority of its atoms. This amorphous, wide bandgap semiconductor is also the hardest known glass. The maximum diamond-like content pos ....Diamond glass: An all-carbon technology for neural networks and biosensing. This project aims to use plasma deposition to synthesise diamond glass with the highest purity and the most diamond-like character so that it meets the strict requirements for emerging device applications. The extreme properties of diamond glass arise from the diamond-like bonding of the majority of its atoms. This amorphous, wide bandgap semiconductor is also the hardest known glass. The maximum diamond-like content possible in diamond glass coatings is unknown, so determining its ultimate performance is difficult. Expected applications include medical diagnostics, non-volatile memories and programmable chips.Read moreRead less
Dynamic signal processing with currents. Today's digital computers and communications devices, such as mobile phones, contain continuous time filters as necessary and important components. We will investigate an integrated circuit design methodology for the creation of fully programmable versions of such filters. Currently these filters are redesigned for each application and are often external to the IC. This increases the size and cost of the design. Another outcome of the methodology is a cur ....Dynamic signal processing with currents. Today's digital computers and communications devices, such as mobile phones, contain continuous time filters as necessary and important components. We will investigate an integrated circuit design methodology for the creation of fully programmable versions of such filters. Currently these filters are redesigned for each application and are often external to the IC. This increases the size and cost of the design. Another outcome of the methodology is a current domain signal processor. This will be capable of modelling complex systems such as biological neurons and stock option pricing. We will build these systems and interface them with digital computers.Read moreRead less
Auditory perception in neural electronics. This project aims to develop a practical alternative to conventional electronic design. Faster and more powerful devices have resulted from placing ever more transistors on a computer chip, but this is reaching its physical limits. This project will develop a new way of designing smart electronic devices by taking inspiration from signal processing in biological brains, and applying it to the processing of audio signals. Expected outcomes are a device t ....Auditory perception in neural electronics. This project aims to develop a practical alternative to conventional electronic design. Faster and more powerful devices have resulted from placing ever more transistors on a computer chip, but this is reaching its physical limits. This project will develop a new way of designing smart electronic devices by taking inspiration from signal processing in biological brains, and applying it to the processing of audio signals. Expected outcomes are a device that recognises sounds, without needing remote computers to do the processing. These techniques can be applied to other senses, such as vision, advancing machine perception and enabling smarter devices.Read moreRead less
A Skin Detection Micro-Sensor for Face Identification using Color and Stereo Information. The objective of this research is to develop a micro-sensor for face identification, using color and stereo information. The micro-sensor chip performs a real-time search of the scene to locate human skin for subsequent face detection. This micro-sensor could also be used for gesture recognition, lip reading, monitoring driver's hypo-vigilance or tracking a person in a crowd. The chip image-recognition capa ....A Skin Detection Micro-Sensor for Face Identification using Color and Stereo Information. The objective of this research is to develop a micro-sensor for face identification, using color and stereo information. The micro-sensor chip performs a real-time search of the scene to locate human skin for subsequent face detection. This micro-sensor could also be used for gesture recognition, lip reading, monitoring driver's hypo-vigilance or tracking a person in a crowd. The chip image-recognition capabilities will spur the development of a new generation of consumer products with "intelligent eyes".
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Design Methodology for Low- and Ultra-Low Power Integrated Circuits. This project will develop low-power and ultra low-power technology that is applicable to wide range of products and electronic devices. The results will benefit many areas, for example, wireless sensors employed in environmental monitoring, bio and life monitoring, bio-sensors to improve patient care, reduce medical costs, implantable devices and bio-interfaces that will enhance the quality of life and public health. This proje ....Design Methodology for Low- and Ultra-Low Power Integrated Circuits. This project will develop low-power and ultra low-power technology that is applicable to wide range of products and electronic devices. The results will benefit many areas, for example, wireless sensors employed in environmental monitoring, bio and life monitoring, bio-sensors to improve patient care, reduce medical costs, implantable devices and bio-interfaces that will enhance the quality of life and public health. This project will benefit Australia by developing frontier technologies with a strong potential for global impact. Bringing these solutions to the public and realizing their financial benefits will add a valuable component of economic diversity to the country in addition to positioning Australia as a leader in this field.Read moreRead less
A neuromorphic binaural hearing sensor. A neuromorphic binaural hearing sensor will be created. The system includes two cochleae and targeted processing pathways in the auditory brainstem that aid in solving the Cocktail Party Problem: i.e. foreground-background sound separation, sound localisation, and sound recognition. The VLSI circuits will enable real-time implementation of complex auditory models. As we develop our VLSI binaural ear, we will experiment with afferent (feed forward) and ....A neuromorphic binaural hearing sensor. A neuromorphic binaural hearing sensor will be created. The system includes two cochleae and targeted processing pathways in the auditory brainstem that aid in solving the Cocktail Party Problem: i.e. foreground-background sound separation, sound localisation, and sound recognition. The VLSI circuits will enable real-time implementation of complex auditory models. As we develop our VLSI binaural ear, we will experiment with afferent (feed forward) and efferent (feed back) auditory signal processing that is similar to real auditory systems and that demonstrate efficient, effective, and low-power signal processing algorithms for binaural (two-sensor) hearing systems.Read moreRead less
Investigation of vertical magneto-transport in infrared detector structures based on InAs/GaSb type-II superlattices. Infrared sensors and systems are finding increasing use in Australia's core industries: particularly defence, mineral exploration, environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, homeland security, and medical diagnostics. Due to the reduced cooling requirements, the Infrared detector structures to be investigated in this project have the potential to deliver high performance in ....Investigation of vertical magneto-transport in infrared detector structures based on InAs/GaSb type-II superlattices. Infrared sensors and systems are finding increasing use in Australia's core industries: particularly defence, mineral exploration, environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, homeland security, and medical diagnostics. Due to the reduced cooling requirements, the Infrared detector structures to be investigated in this project have the potential to deliver high performance infrared technology at a significantly lower cost and, hence, widening its applications. The new science proposed in this project, and new technological knowledge expected from its application, will allow Australian researchers to participate and significantly contribute to the international effort in this field and to exploit any developed intellectual property. Read moreRead less