Does High Temperature Superconductivity Reside in Plane or Charge Reservoir (CR) Oxygen, in YBa2Cu3O7 (YBC)? One of the outstanding problems in contemporary solid state physics concerns the mechanism of high temperature superconductivity (HTS). In particular, what binds charges that normally repel one another, into (Cooper) pairs? Closely related to this question is where the superconductivity resides in the material. We aim to answer the latter question in the much studied prototypical HTS YBa2 ....Does High Temperature Superconductivity Reside in Plane or Charge Reservoir (CR) Oxygen, in YBa2Cu3O7 (YBC)? One of the outstanding problems in contemporary solid state physics concerns the mechanism of high temperature superconductivity (HTS). In particular, what binds charges that normally repel one another, into (Cooper) pairs? Closely related to this question is where the superconductivity resides in the material. We aim to answer the latter question in the much studied prototypical HTS YBa2Cu3O7. In doing so we expect to demonstrate that phonons, widely believed not to play a role in HTS are in fact an important component in the HTS pairing mechanism.Read moreRead less
Quantum transport in carbon-based materials. Carbon-based molecular materials will play an important role to frontier nanoelectronics industries. Building on our existing expertise and infrastructure for nanoscience, and employing new facilities at the Australian synchrotron, we aim to develop a unique approach to molecular-scale quantum device engineering utilising pure-carbon materials. New protocols for materials control of electronic structure at the molecular level will be developed to demo ....Quantum transport in carbon-based materials. Carbon-based molecular materials will play an important role to frontier nanoelectronics industries. Building on our existing expertise and infrastructure for nanoscience, and employing new facilities at the Australian synchrotron, we aim to develop a unique approach to molecular-scale quantum device engineering utilising pure-carbon materials. New protocols for materials control of electronic structure at the molecular level will be developed to demonstrate carbon as a quantum material, a high profile objective that will place Australia at the forefront of a new area of surface and device science. Read moreRead less
Photoemission studies of Fermi surfaces, of wide bandgap semi-conductors and quasi crystals. Knowledge of the detailed shape of the Fermi surface of a conducting material is vital for an understanding of its electrical and magnetic properties. We will use angle resolved photo-emission in conjunction with synchrotron radiation to explore the Fermi surfaces of technologically important magnetic alloys, the mechanism driving the occurance of charge density waaves in layer compounds and the electron ....Photoemission studies of Fermi surfaces, of wide bandgap semi-conductors and quasi crystals. Knowledge of the detailed shape of the Fermi surface of a conducting material is vital for an understanding of its electrical and magnetic properties. We will use angle resolved photo-emission in conjunction with synchrotron radiation to explore the Fermi surfaces of technologically important magnetic alloys, the mechanism driving the occurance of charge density waaves in layer compounds and the electronic properties of wide band-gap semi-conductors such as GaN, SiC and of selected quasi crystals. These measurements will be performed using a unique high resolution toroidal spectrometer currently under construction at La Trobe university.Read moreRead less
Search for spin liquids and novel physics of strongly correlated electrons. This project aims to identify new physics in quantum magnets and emergent phenomena in solids where the electrons are strongly coupled and intertwined in a complex manner. As a consequence, quantum effects are dramatically enhanced and, in certain situations, force the electrons to split into different exotic particles. Expected outcomes of this project include identification of suitable physical systems, candidate mater ....Search for spin liquids and novel physics of strongly correlated electrons. This project aims to identify new physics in quantum magnets and emergent phenomena in solids where the electrons are strongly coupled and intertwined in a complex manner. As a consequence, quantum effects are dramatically enhanced and, in certain situations, force the electrons to split into different exotic particles. Expected outcomes of this project include identification of suitable physical systems, candidate materials and appropriate conditions required for the experimental observation of this phenomena with neutron scattering methods. Such particles host an unexplored potential for future electronic devices and might be key for next generation technologies. The advanced materials and exotic particles identified in this project will inform the development of next generation technologies, becoming the quantum bits in future quantum computers.Read moreRead less
Cooperativity in Spin-Crossover Systems: Memory, Magnetism and Microporosity. Spin-crossover centres are a well known form of inorganic electronic switch for which variation of temperature, pressure and irradiation leads to a change in d-electron configuration and therefore changes to structure, colour and magnetism. Here we aim to synthesise and study a wide variety of new spin-crossover systems where cooperativity between centres, induced by careful supramolecular design, will lead to molecule ....Cooperativity in Spin-Crossover Systems: Memory, Magnetism and Microporosity. Spin-crossover centres are a well known form of inorganic electronic switch for which variation of temperature, pressure and irradiation leads to a change in d-electron configuration and therefore changes to structure, colour and magnetism. Here we aim to synthesise and study a wide variety of new spin-crossover systems where cooperativity between centres, induced by careful supramolecular design, will lead to molecules and materials having memory retention, magnetic ordering and/or microporosity. The significance of these aims covers several fundamental questions in the science of electronic systems. We also identify a number of potential nanochemical switching applications for the unique systems proposed.Read moreRead less
Quantitative real-time imaging of high-temperature superconductors. This project will develop a robust technique for the quantitative real-time imaging of high-temperature superconductors. The image-analysis algorithm so obtained will be a virtual software lens, which is able to decode the information contained in data obtained by a well-established but hitherto qualitative imaging technique. We will transform this technique into one uniquely capable of obtaining two-dimensional movies of the ....Quantitative real-time imaging of high-temperature superconductors. This project will develop a robust technique for the quantitative real-time imaging of high-temperature superconductors. The image-analysis algorithm so obtained will be a virtual software lens, which is able to decode the information contained in data obtained by a well-established but hitherto qualitative imaging technique. We will transform this technique into one uniquely capable of obtaining two-dimensional movies of the current distributions, magnetic fields, and pinning defects in superconducting films. Such a quantitative characterization of these key superconductor parameters will be an important tool in the present global quest for room-temperature superconductivity.Read moreRead less
Surface doping of diamond: A new platform for 2D carbon-based spintronics. This project aims to develop the hydrogen-terminated surface of diamond as a new semiconducting platform for carbon-based spintronics. It will build upon recent experimental advances that have shown diamond to possess a two-dimensional (2D) hole-based system with strong spin-orbit coupling. As a semiconductor with unique spin properties, surface conducting diamond offers considerable advantages over other 2D materials su ....Surface doping of diamond: A new platform for 2D carbon-based spintronics. This project aims to develop the hydrogen-terminated surface of diamond as a new semiconducting platform for carbon-based spintronics. It will build upon recent experimental advances that have shown diamond to possess a two-dimensional (2D) hole-based system with strong spin-orbit coupling. As a semiconductor with unique spin properties, surface conducting diamond offers considerable advantages over other 2D materials such as graphene and topological insulators. These unique properties will be exploited to realise novel semiconductor device architectures for the manipulation of spin using electric fields, and for the study of new spin transport phenomena and quasiparticle excitations at semiconductor-superconductor interfaces.Read moreRead less
Decoherence in quantum computing and quantum electromechanical systems. Australia is one of the world leaders in fundamental studies and implementation of quantum computing and quantum electromechanical systems. By developing a framework to quantify and control noise due to decoherence in such systems, this research will facilitate progress in the development and understanding of quantum computing and quantum electromechanical devices. The project will also significantly strengthen the general r ....Decoherence in quantum computing and quantum electromechanical systems. Australia is one of the world leaders in fundamental studies and implementation of quantum computing and quantum electromechanical systems. By developing a framework to quantify and control noise due to decoherence in such systems, this research will facilitate progress in the development and understanding of quantum computing and quantum electromechanical devices. The project will also significantly strengthen the general representation of research on decoherence, a field of crucial importance to many areas of theoretical and experimental physics, in Australia. Funding of this project will enable Australia to further expand its leading position in cutting-edge science and next-generation technology.
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Development of SmCo-based High Temperature Permanent Magnets: Microstructure and Coercivity Mechanism. This project is to develop high performance permanent magnets for elevated temperature applications. Microstructure and magnetic properties will be examined using atom probe, TEM, XRD and magnetometry. The specific atom probe is the state-of-the-art technique for the characterization of nanostructure and falls in the designated National Research Priority 3, PG2 Frontier Technologies (nanotechno ....Development of SmCo-based High Temperature Permanent Magnets: Microstructure and Coercivity Mechanism. This project is to develop high performance permanent magnets for elevated temperature applications. Microstructure and magnetic properties will be examined using atom probe, TEM, XRD and magnetometry. The specific atom probe is the state-of-the-art technique for the characterization of nanostructure and falls in the designated National Research Priority 3, PG2 Frontier Technologies (nanotechnology). The magnet alloys concerned are an example of Advanced Materials (NRP3, PG3), possessing the best performance amongst such functional materials. The expertise gained in the use of the atom probe technique in this project will have broader applications in the study of nanostructured materials and other metal alloy problems within Australia.Read moreRead less
Ultracold atomic Fermi gases in the strongly interacting regime: A new frontier of quantum many-body physics. Ultra-cold atoms are one of the most rapidly developing areas in twenty-first century physics. The scientific importance of studying strongly interacting Fermi gases is indicated by the fact that five Nobel prizes in physics have been awarded in fields relevant to ultra-cold atoms in the last decade. Australia is now developing a reputation for world-class research in this new area, with ....Ultracold atomic Fermi gases in the strongly interacting regime: A new frontier of quantum many-body physics. Ultra-cold atoms are one of the most rapidly developing areas in twenty-first century physics. The scientific importance of studying strongly interacting Fermi gases is indicated by the fact that five Nobel prizes in physics have been awarded in fields relevant to ultra-cold atoms in the last decade. Australia is now developing a reputation for world-class research in this new area, with new cold-fermion experiments now underway in Melbourne. This project will build national and international cooperation in this field, provide world-class research training opportunities and advance Australia's leadership position. As well as improving scientific understanding, it has the potential to lead to new energy-saving technologies in future.Read moreRead less