Scaling-up microstructured fibres for terahertz radiation. Terahertz radiation is the last region of the electromagnetic spectrum to be fully utilised. Many applications have been identified but their practicality has been limited by a lack of low-loss flexible waveguides. The waveguides to be developed in this project will build on Australia's existing international lead and investments in photonics as well as extend the dynamic field of microstructured optical fibres, indentified as the 'futur ....Scaling-up microstructured fibres for terahertz radiation. Terahertz radiation is the last region of the electromagnetic spectrum to be fully utilised. Many applications have been identified but their practicality has been limited by a lack of low-loss flexible waveguides. The waveguides to be developed in this project will build on Australia's existing international lead and investments in photonics as well as extend the dynamic field of microstructured optical fibres, indentified as the 'future' of optical fibres. Low-loss flexible waveguides will enable imaging and spectroscopy applications that can reveal and object's internal structure and composition. This will have immediate applications in security, quality control, medical imaging and other safety or industrial applications.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0453879
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$184,163.00
Summary
Electron beam induced deposition and ablation nanofabrication facility. Electron beam induced deposition and ablation(EBIDA) is rapidly emerging as a new technology capable of fabricating three-dimensional nanostructures on nearly any substrate with very high precision. This proposal aims to establish a nanoscale EBIDA facility by integrating a specialized nanolithography attachment with an existing state-of-the-art 1nm resolution high current variable pressure scanning electron microscope. This ....Electron beam induced deposition and ablation nanofabrication facility. Electron beam induced deposition and ablation(EBIDA) is rapidly emerging as a new technology capable of fabricating three-dimensional nanostructures on nearly any substrate with very high precision. This proposal aims to establish a nanoscale EBIDA facility by integrating a specialized nanolithography attachment with an existing state-of-the-art 1nm resolution high current variable pressure scanning electron microscope. This combination of instrumentation will enable the high-speed production of conductive and insulating structures with 1-to-10nm dimensions. The unique facility will be used to manufacture and prototype novel nanoscale devices and structures and will enable measurement of their physical and chemical properties.Read moreRead less
Development of direct-write focussed electron beam processing techniques for nano-fabrication applications. The burgeoning disciplines of nanotechnology and biotechnology have the potential to deliver breakthroughs in science and engineering that will revolutionise many aspects of everyday life. Progress in these emerging fields, however, requires parallel advances in the techniques used to fabricate, manipulate and characterise materials and devices at the nanoscale. This project will provide s ....Development of direct-write focussed electron beam processing techniques for nano-fabrication applications. The burgeoning disciplines of nanotechnology and biotechnology have the potential to deliver breakthroughs in science and engineering that will revolutionise many aspects of everyday life. Progress in these emerging fields, however, requires parallel advances in the techniques used to fabricate, manipulate and characterise materials and devices at the nanoscale. This project will provide such enabling tools and fill a major gap in the research infrastructure urgently required by these exciting new technologies.Read moreRead less
Rare isotopes as tracers of prosthesis debris. The incidence of knee replacement surgery in Australia is 30,000 per year. Limited by wear debris, the lifespan of knee implants is only 10-15 years and can be much shorter. Due to increasing life expectancy, many patients need several surgical procedures. As a multi-disciplinary team of materials-, isotope-tracing- and medical-experts, we aim to understand and monitor wear debris in prostheses. Knee replacement surgery alone imposes a high burden o ....Rare isotopes as tracers of prosthesis debris. The incidence of knee replacement surgery in Australia is 30,000 per year. Limited by wear debris, the lifespan of knee implants is only 10-15 years and can be much shorter. Due to increasing life expectancy, many patients need several surgical procedures. As a multi-disciplinary team of materials-, isotope-tracing- and medical-experts, we aim to understand and monitor wear debris in prostheses. Knee replacement surgery alone imposes a high burden of annually half a billion dollars on the Australian health budget. Controlling and reducing wear debris in prosthesis joints would reduce these costs and improve patients' quality of life.Read moreRead less
Nanoparticle fluorescent labels as a platform for high throughput data gathering. Recent developments in genomics require gathering of vast amounts of information in a rapid and cost-effective fashion. To this aim we will develop a new fluorescent labelling technology with adequate throughput and high level of multiplexing. We will exploit recent advances in nanoparticle science combined with our own discoveries concerning rare earth ions as fluorescence activators. Our approach promises a combi ....Nanoparticle fluorescent labels as a platform for high throughput data gathering. Recent developments in genomics require gathering of vast amounts of information in a rapid and cost-effective fashion. To this aim we will develop a new fluorescent labelling technology with adequate throughput and high level of multiplexing. We will exploit recent advances in nanoparticle science combined with our own discoveries concerning rare earth ions as fluorescence activators. Our approach promises a combination of great technological simplicity, low fabrication costs, cutting edge performance and gives an additional time-resolved modality. Our fluorescent labels will be field-tested to search for yet unknown microorganisms.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0219038
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$320,000.00
Summary
Focused Ion Beam System for multidisciplinary applications. A Focused Ion Beam (FIB)system to be housed in a central facility and configured for maximum flexibility and utility over a very wide range of disciplines and applications. It will be used for micromachining and nanoscale fabrication, as an imaging device sensitive to crystal orientation and as a preparation device for scanning and transmission electron microscopy. It will support research including electronic and opto-electronic mater ....Focused Ion Beam System for multidisciplinary applications. A Focused Ion Beam (FIB)system to be housed in a central facility and configured for maximum flexibility and utility over a very wide range of disciplines and applications. It will be used for micromachining and nanoscale fabrication, as an imaging device sensitive to crystal orientation and as a preparation device for scanning and transmission electron microscopy. It will support research including electronic and opto-electronic materials, nanotechnology, complex mesoscale structures, earth sciences, small system optics, fracture behaviour of polymers and biocomposites.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989127
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,000.00
Summary
A High-Throughput Neutron Spectrometer for The Study of Atomic and Molecular Motion at ANSTO. Neutron scattering enables new science across a broad range of disciplines, and for this reason it is undergoing major expansion in the USA, Europe, Japan and Australia. Various diffactometers and spectrometers have recently been built at ANSTO, but an instrumental option for a high-throughput cross-discipline spectroscopy is urgently needed. Fortunately, it is fairly straightforward to add this type of ....A High-Throughput Neutron Spectrometer for The Study of Atomic and Molecular Motion at ANSTO. Neutron scattering enables new science across a broad range of disciplines, and for this reason it is undergoing major expansion in the USA, Europe, Japan and Australia. Various diffactometers and spectrometers have recently been built at ANSTO, but an instrumental option for a high-throughput cross-discipline spectroscopy is urgently needed. Fortunately, it is fairly straightforward to add this type of option to an existing spectrometer that will broaden its user-base from specialised applications in physics to more general applications in physics, chemistry, materials-science and biology. This additional option provides a totally new way for Australian scientists to study atomic and molecular motions. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0560850
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$295,320.00
Summary
Scanning Cathodoluminescence Microscopy and Spectroscopy Facility. Cathodoluminescence (CL), the emission of light during electron irradiation, has emerged as a unique analytical tool to characterise luminescence centres and study luminescence mechanisms in technologically important materials at the nano-scale. The main aim of this project is to establish a state-of-the-art scanning CL microscopy and spectroscopy facility in Australia. The facility will enable high spatial resolution CL analysis ....Scanning Cathodoluminescence Microscopy and Spectroscopy Facility. Cathodoluminescence (CL), the emission of light during electron irradiation, has emerged as a unique analytical tool to characterise luminescence centres and study luminescence mechanisms in technologically important materials at the nano-scale. The main aim of this project is to establish a state-of-the-art scanning CL microscopy and spectroscopy facility in Australia. The facility will enable high spatial resolution CL analysis of technologically important semiconductors and novel nano-structured materials, e.g. quantum dots and ceramic nano-crystals. These studies will facilitate a deeper understanding of the physics of light emission from nano-structured materials and enable the fabrication of higher quality opto-electronic materials.Read moreRead less
Molecular Fingerprinting: Forensic Spectroscopy of Trace Gases. Safeguarding Australia from terrorism, crime and invasive diseases is essential to securing our national infrastructure. This project will develop national capabilities in anticipating and responding to critical threats to society. The scientific instrumentation developed from this effort will enhance Australia's potential aid for early detection of explosive and chemical weaponry and also in the analysis of crime scenes. This rese ....Molecular Fingerprinting: Forensic Spectroscopy of Trace Gases. Safeguarding Australia from terrorism, crime and invasive diseases is essential to securing our national infrastructure. This project will develop national capabilities in anticipating and responding to critical threats to society. The scientific instrumentation developed from this effort will enhance Australia's potential aid for early detection of explosive and chemical weaponry and also in the analysis of crime scenes. This research will significantly improve our abilities to maintain the operational advantage of Australia's security agencies through superior capabilities in threat detection.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989492
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$350,000.00
Summary
Dynamic Texture Measurement Facility. A texture goniometer is an advanced tool for texture characterisation of steels, light alloys, nanomaterials, superconductors and minerals. The ability to conduct dynamic texture measurements will significantly enhance the effectiveness of four material-based research institutes at the University of Wollongong and at Deakin University, as well as collaborative research with BlueScope Steel. The research is directly aligned to the National Research Priority o ....Dynamic Texture Measurement Facility. A texture goniometer is an advanced tool for texture characterisation of steels, light alloys, nanomaterials, superconductors and minerals. The ability to conduct dynamic texture measurements will significantly enhance the effectiveness of four material-based research institutes at the University of Wollongong and at Deakin University, as well as collaborative research with BlueScope Steel. The research is directly aligned to the National Research Priority of Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industry. The equipment will provide a valuable resource for industries in the Illawarra region of NSW and in regional South-West Victoria.Read moreRead less