Microscopic Origin of the Enhanced Flux Pinning in Nano-Doped MgB2 Superconductors. Magnesium diboride (MgB2) has advantages over other superconductors in terms of high performance and low costs for a wide range of applications, such as superconducting power cables, superconducting magnetic energy-storage devices, transformers, fault current limiters and motors. Besides the apparent economic benefits, the application of superconductivity will significantly reduce the green-house gas emission. Th ....Microscopic Origin of the Enhanced Flux Pinning in Nano-Doped MgB2 Superconductors. Magnesium diboride (MgB2) has advantages over other superconductors in terms of high performance and low costs for a wide range of applications, such as superconducting power cables, superconducting magnetic energy-storage devices, transformers, fault current limiters and motors. Besides the apparent economic benefits, the application of superconductivity will significantly reduce the green-house gas emission. This project will advance the practical applications of MgB2 by understanding the mechanism to improve critical current density.Read moreRead less
Material boundaries in ultrasonics: New methods and in vitro studies in biomedical phantoms. Ultrasound is an indispensable part of healthcare worldwide. The next wave of applications will see ultrasound pulses used to closely probe suspected disease sites and to directly manipulate bioactive agents. For safe and effective use of such techniques it is essential to know the ultrasound field at the disease site. This project will develop simulation methods to achieve the fast, accurate and case-sp ....Material boundaries in ultrasonics: New methods and in vitro studies in biomedical phantoms. Ultrasound is an indispensable part of healthcare worldwide. The next wave of applications will see ultrasound pulses used to closely probe suspected disease sites and to directly manipulate bioactive agents. For safe and effective use of such techniques it is essential to know the ultrasound field at the disease site. This project will develop simulation methods to achieve the fast, accurate and case-specific results required. Community healthcare will benefit, through better diagnostic capabilities and customized treatment. Australia is well placed to profit further from this research, in view of the growing worldwide demand for more sophisticated, knowledge-based techniques in medicine.Read moreRead less
The effect of vessel wall structures on ultrasonic flow velocity measurements. The flow velocity within a nearly cylindrical vessel is often measured using an external ultrasound transducer via the Doppler principle. Thick vessel walls may present acoustically mismatched structures. This project aims to determine how such walls redistribute the energy in an interrogating ultrasound beam, and how this in turn affects the measurement of flow velocities. This is a fundamental issue, especially imp ....The effect of vessel wall structures on ultrasonic flow velocity measurements. The flow velocity within a nearly cylindrical vessel is often measured using an external ultrasound transducer via the Doppler principle. Thick vessel walls may present acoustically mismatched structures. This project aims to determine how such walls redistribute the energy in an interrogating ultrasound beam, and how this in turn affects the measurement of flow velocities. This is a fundamental issue, especially important in vascular disease where blood flow and blood vessels are affected by wall irregularities and lesions. The new knowledge generated by this project will have practical importance and, by identifying achievable outcomes, potentially major cost savings, in medical ultrasound.Read moreRead less
Implementing large-scale solid-state quantum computation. The goal of quantum computing research is to harness the properties of quantum mechanics to build computers that are exponentially more powerful than the computers of today. Along the way, many spin-off technologies for conventional computing and nanotechnology are expected. Realising the quantum computing dream is a daunting experimental challenge requiring both theoretical assurance that it is possible in principle, and theoretical guid ....Implementing large-scale solid-state quantum computation. The goal of quantum computing research is to harness the properties of quantum mechanics to build computers that are exponentially more powerful than the computers of today. Along the way, many spin-off technologies for conventional computing and nanotechnology are expected. Realising the quantum computing dream is a daunting experimental challenge requiring both theoretical assurance that it is possible in principle, and theoretical guidance as to the best method. We seek to provide this theoretical support for solid-state systems, and broaden the range of problems that such systems are demonstrably suited to tackle.Read moreRead less
Atom Location by Channelling Enhanced Microanalysis using Inner-shell Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy. The technique of Atom Location by Channelling Enhanced Microanalysis (ALCHEMI) has been explored extensively using Electron Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) measurements by many authors. The extension of this method to Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) is difficult due to the more complicated formulation of inner-shell ionization required under such experimental conditions. Issues such ....Atom Location by Channelling Enhanced Microanalysis using Inner-shell Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy. The technique of Atom Location by Channelling Enhanced Microanalysis (ALCHEMI) has been explored extensively using Electron Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) measurements by many authors. The extension of this method to Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) is difficult due to the more complicated formulation of inner-shell ionization required under such experimental conditions. Issues such as the "delocalization" of the ionization interaction and the significance of channelling of the scattered electron need to be addressed so that this method may be generally applicable. It is the aim of this project to extend this commonly used method to the topical field of EELS.Read moreRead less
The phase and inverse scattering problem for electrons multiply scattered by non-periodic solids. Theoretical methods for the inversion of multiple scattering of electrons in non-periodic solids will be obtained. This will vastly extend the range of utility of atomic resolution electron microscopy and electron tomography, where single scattering conditions are usually assumed. We will further develop our recent novel solutions to the phase problem from images and diffraction patterns (needed as ....The phase and inverse scattering problem for electrons multiply scattered by non-periodic solids. Theoretical methods for the inversion of multiple scattering of electrons in non-periodic solids will be obtained. This will vastly extend the range of utility of atomic resolution electron microscopy and electron tomography, where single scattering conditions are usually assumed. We will further develop our recent novel solutions to the phase problem from images and diffraction patterns (needed as a prelude to the inversion) that are robust in the presence of discontinuities in the phase (such as vortices). These phase retrieval methods will be useful not only for problems in electron optics but also in visible, x-ray, neutron and atom optics.Read moreRead less
Atomic resolution imaging and spectroscopy. This project will enhance Australia's reputation in atomic resolution imaging, positioning Australia as a major contributor to significant world research outcomes in the physical sciences. It contributes to the quality of our culture through the advancement of knowledge through the solution of problems of high scientific merit, provides training at the postdoctoral level and will produce several PhD graduates of the highest quality. This project streng ....Atomic resolution imaging and spectroscopy. This project will enhance Australia's reputation in atomic resolution imaging, positioning Australia as a major contributor to significant world research outcomes in the physical sciences. It contributes to the quality of our culture through the advancement of knowledge through the solution of problems of high scientific merit, provides training at the postdoctoral level and will produce several PhD graduates of the highest quality. This project strengthens collaborative international links with one of the worlds leading research facilities located at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The potential practical applications of this work should lead to direct economic benefits to Australia.Read moreRead less
Imaging in three dimensions beyond the nanoscale. After two decades of research the first wave of applications in nanotechnology and nanobiology is breaking. The economic stakes are high: nanostructured electronics and photonics will be the next epoch after transistors (1947) and the microprocessor (1971), and designer therapies and drugs will be in high demand. Immediately key to further progress in both areas is the ability to characterize structure in three dimensions at and beyond the nanosc ....Imaging in three dimensions beyond the nanoscale. After two decades of research the first wave of applications in nanotechnology and nanobiology is breaking. The economic stakes are high: nanostructured electronics and photonics will be the next epoch after transistors (1947) and the microprocessor (1971), and designer therapies and drugs will be in high demand. Immediately key to further progress in both areas is the ability to characterize structure in three dimensions at and beyond the nanoscale. This research project places Australia at the forefront in this endeavour, builds on the national knowledge and skills base in atomic resolution imaging and expands international collaborative research links.Read moreRead less
Many-body problems. The discovery of new superheavy elements, chemical evolution of the Universe, nuclear reactions deep under the Coulomb barrier in nuclear reactors, in stars and during the Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, accuracy of precise atomic clocks, consistency of the Standard Model in strong fields are among the most vital problems of modern science. This project suggests several new ideas in these areas, which are based on knowledge accumulated in different research fields. The outcomes of ....Many-body problems. The discovery of new superheavy elements, chemical evolution of the Universe, nuclear reactions deep under the Coulomb barrier in nuclear reactors, in stars and during the Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, accuracy of precise atomic clocks, consistency of the Standard Model in strong fields are among the most vital problems of modern science. This project suggests several new ideas in these areas, which are based on knowledge accumulated in different research fields. The outcomes of the research will help Australia to build up a "critical mass" of scientific expertise, which is necessary to place and keep it among leaders in these frontier areas of physics, and to train the next generation of experts in these fields.Read moreRead less
Quantum and Geometric Aspects of Gauge Theories, Supergravity and String Theory. A central problem of modern high-energy physics is the unification of gravity with the other fundamental interactions that is consistent at the quantum level. Led by a team of internationally recognized experts, this project will yield breakthroughs in supergravity and string theory - crucial ingredients of current approaches to unification. As well as putting Australia at the forefront of this mainstream activity, ....Quantum and Geometric Aspects of Gauge Theories, Supergravity and String Theory. A central problem of modern high-energy physics is the unification of gravity with the other fundamental interactions that is consistent at the quantum level. Led by a team of internationally recognized experts, this project will yield breakthroughs in supergravity and string theory - crucial ingredients of current approaches to unification. As well as putting Australia at the forefront of this mainstream activity, a fertile environment will be provided for the training of graduate students. They will be ideally placed to lead Australia's involvement in the revolution sparked by the expected experimental confirmation of supersymmetry with the Large Hadron Collider. Read moreRead less