Single atom defined nanostructures: atom-electronics beyond the miniaturization limit. The emerging era of atom-electronics promises to revolutionise microelectronics in the 21st century by going beyond the conventional miniaturization limit of microelectronics. Emerging atom level fabrication and control techniques offer the promise of building devices whose fundamental components are built atom-by-atom and function under completely new rules. This Discovery Project will apply critical new theo ....Single atom defined nanostructures: atom-electronics beyond the miniaturization limit. The emerging era of atom-electronics promises to revolutionise microelectronics in the 21st century by going beyond the conventional miniaturization limit of microelectronics. Emerging atom level fabrication and control techniques offer the promise of building devices whose fundamental components are built atom-by-atom and function under completely new rules. This Discovery Project will apply critical new theoretical tools, in partnership with leading experimental groups, to enable the exploration of this technology and the creation of new and innovative applications which will have far reaching implications in all areas of society and significant national benefit.Read moreRead less
Singular photonics: twisted light and optical vortices.
This project will help to establish and support a world-leading research team in Australia in the field of singular photonics and the physics of twisted light; it will help to return the leading positions of the Australian physics in the field of singular optics, and it will initiate a design of a novel generation of photonic devices operating with vortex beams. The project will promote this field in order to enhance its rapid development ....Singular photonics: twisted light and optical vortices.
This project will help to establish and support a world-leading research team in Australia in the field of singular photonics and the physics of twisted light; it will help to return the leading positions of the Australian physics in the field of singular optics, and it will initiate a design of a novel generation of photonic devices operating with vortex beams. The project will promote this field in order to enhance its rapid development and facilitate the emergence of novel technologies in Australia; it will be combined with an extensive collaboration with top overseas groups attracting strong interest from industry.Read moreRead less
Proximity effects and new correlated phases in closely spaced quantum electronic devices. The aim of this project is to understand the interactions between quantum electronic devices when they are brought into close proximity. A detailed knowledge of these interactions and how to control them is important both for conintued miniaturisation in the semiconductor industry, and for the fundamental understanding of new quantum ground states. To achieve these goals new coupled device designs will be e ....Proximity effects and new correlated phases in closely spaced quantum electronic devices. The aim of this project is to understand the interactions between quantum electronic devices when they are brought into close proximity. A detailed knowledge of these interactions and how to control them is important both for conintued miniaturisation in the semiconductor industry, and for the fundamental understanding of new quantum ground states. To achieve these goals new coupled device designs will be engineered in collaboration with NTT's Basic Research Laboratories in Japan. Theses novel devices will be used to study fundamental correlations in quantum semiconductor systems, with the possibility of forming new correlated states of matter such as electron-hole superfluids.Read moreRead less
Electronics with spin: Investigating spin-dependent electrical properties of semiconductor nano-devices. Devices such as the integrated circuit and semiconductor lasers are products of basic research, and form the basis of new industries that have revolutionised society. Quantum physics was the science of the 20th century and is likely to become a key technology of the 21st century. This project will keep Australia at the forefront of the search for new and potentially commercially useful applic ....Electronics with spin: Investigating spin-dependent electrical properties of semiconductor nano-devices. Devices such as the integrated circuit and semiconductor lasers are products of basic research, and form the basis of new industries that have revolutionised society. Quantum physics was the science of the 20th century and is likely to become a key technology of the 21st century. This project will keep Australia at the forefront of the search for new and potentially commercially useful applications of quantum physics. The project will also provide training for Australian students to work in a cutting-edge semiconductor research facility, and involves linkages with leading international laboratories including Massey University (NZ), the University of Cambridge (UK), and NTT Basic Research Labs (Japan). Read moreRead less
Engineering and control of metamaterials with negative refraction. This project will extend significantly the research activity on metamaterials in Australia, promoting this new field and aiming to solve high priority problems and paving the way to creation of practical sub-wavelength devices. This project is therefore of national benefit for its advances in critical fundamental research and for potential applications in a large number of engineering tasks in microwave and optical devices. The p ....Engineering and control of metamaterials with negative refraction. This project will extend significantly the research activity on metamaterials in Australia, promoting this new field and aiming to solve high priority problems and paving the way to creation of practical sub-wavelength devices. This project is therefore of national benefit for its advances in critical fundamental research and for potential applications in a large number of engineering tasks in microwave and optical devices. The project will initialize collaboration with world leading experts in the area, bringing important expertise to Australia. It will provide a greater acceptance of Australia as a major world player in fundamental research.Read moreRead less
Nonlinear metamaterials and transformation optics. This research program will bring Australia to the forefront of international research in the exciting area of nonlinear metamaterials. It will provide high-level training for students in breakthrough science directions, and contribute to the uptake of frontier technologies by Australian industries for successful operation in a competitive global environment. This project will introduce and demonstrate novel concepts for dynamically controlling a ....Nonlinear metamaterials and transformation optics. This research program will bring Australia to the forefront of international research in the exciting area of nonlinear metamaterials. It will provide high-level training for students in breakthrough science directions, and contribute to the uptake of frontier technologies by Australian industries for successful operation in a competitive global environment. This project will introduce and demonstrate novel concepts for dynamically controlling and manipulating the properties of new type of materials. This research should bridge a gap between the study of metamaterials as a theoretical curiosity and their advanced applications. Our developments will underpin future developments in imaging systems and security. Read moreRead less
Engineering phase and the flow of light in nanophotonics. Optical devices on the scale of only billionths of a meter impel photonic revolution in information technologies. The extraordinary sensitivity and tunability of light confined on nano-scale is caused by the yet unexplored and poorly understood world of tiniest flows of energy, the optical vortices. In this project we will learn to manipulate optical vortices with the light itself, introducing original concepts for intelligent engineering ....Engineering phase and the flow of light in nanophotonics. Optical devices on the scale of only billionths of a meter impel photonic revolution in information technologies. The extraordinary sensitivity and tunability of light confined on nano-scale is caused by the yet unexplored and poorly understood world of tiniest flows of energy, the optical vortices. In this project we will learn to manipulate optical vortices with the light itself, introducing original concepts for intelligent engineering of nano-elements of a photonic chip. This project will deliver underpinning knowledge, foremost practical expertise, and the prominent training of young researchers to secure Australia's international leadership in the rapidly growing and competitive field of nanophotonics.Read moreRead less
Enhancing the Understanding and Performance of Passivating TiO2 Coatings for Photovoltaic Devices. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been widely used as an antireflection coating in the silicon (Si) photovoltaics industry as it exhibits excellent optical properties and low deposition cost. However, recently manufacturers have been turning to alternatives such as hydrogenated silicon nitride coatings that exhibit greatly improved electronic properties, but cost 4 - 10 times more to deposit. This proj ....Enhancing the Understanding and Performance of Passivating TiO2 Coatings for Photovoltaic Devices. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been widely used as an antireflection coating in the silicon (Si) photovoltaics industry as it exhibits excellent optical properties and low deposition cost. However, recently manufacturers have been turning to alternatives such as hydrogenated silicon nitride coatings that exhibit greatly improved electronic properties, but cost 4 - 10 times more to deposit. This project seeks to understand the fundamental limitations behind the poor surface passivation afforded by TiO2 to a Si wafer, and subsequently develop a passivating TiO2 coating that can reduce the cost of electricity generated by Si solar cells.Read moreRead less
Imaging circumstellar matter at high resolution. Within contemporary astrophysics there is a particular fascination with matter in near-stellar environments. Studies of stellar and planetary systems from formation through to eventual destruction entail observation of material, principally dust and gas, playing their parts on a very remote stage. A new generation of telescopes, known as interferometers, deliver extremely high resolutions enabling our first direct glimpses of these phenomena. Here ....Imaging circumstellar matter at high resolution. Within contemporary astrophysics there is a particular fascination with matter in near-stellar environments. Studies of stellar and planetary systems from formation through to eventual destruction entail observation of material, principally dust and gas, playing their parts on a very remote stage. A new generation of telescopes, known as interferometers, deliver extremely high resolutions enabling our first direct glimpses of these phenomena. Here I propose using a number of these devices in concert in order to dramatically enhance their scientific payoff. In addition to enabling unique studies of stellar systems, new techniques for merging disparate data into powerful combined forms will be devised.Read moreRead less
Function and evolution of optical structures in nature. Designing optical structures that simultaneously satisfy multiple and conflicting criteria and satisfy difficult manufacturing constraints is technologically challenging. However, Nature has been doing this for millions of years. This project is a systematic study of optical structures in one of Nature's most diverse range of species: butterflies. The microstructures inside butterfly scales have an amazing diversity of geometries that produ ....Function and evolution of optical structures in nature. Designing optical structures that simultaneously satisfy multiple and conflicting criteria and satisfy difficult manufacturing constraints is technologically challenging. However, Nature has been doing this for millions of years. This project is a systematic study of optical structures in one of Nature's most diverse range of species: butterflies. The microstructures inside butterfly scales have an amazing diversity of geometries that produce structural colour and are amongst the most complex naturally occurring optical structures produced by a single cell.Read moreRead less