High-average-power all-solid-state lasers based on new crystalline Raman materials. We have recently made significant advances in development of all-solid-state intracavity Raman lasers generating multiwatt average powers in the near infrared and (by frequency doubling) visible spectrum, with important applications in biomedicine and remote sensing. A new generation of Raman crystals, especially tungstates, offer superior optical, mechanical and thermal properties, promising high Raman gains and ....High-average-power all-solid-state lasers based on new crystalline Raman materials. We have recently made significant advances in development of all-solid-state intracavity Raman lasers generating multiwatt average powers in the near infrared and (by frequency doubling) visible spectrum, with important applications in biomedicine and remote sensing. A new generation of Raman crystals, especially tungstates, offer superior optical, mechanical and thermal properties, promising high Raman gains and choice of Stokes frequency shift. The project will investigate a range of key issues for these materials including control of the Stokes wavelength, associated polarisation control, and pump-resonator configurations giving maximum Raman laser power and efficiency. The project will lead to state-of-the-art source technology with outstanding prospects for commercialisation and practical application.Read moreRead less
Optical supercontinuum generation from high pulse-energy optical sources. The aim of this project is to develop a broadband and high brightness optical fibre source based on optical supercontinuum generation (i.e. low-coherence optical signals with octave or more bandwidth). Unlike similar sources demonstrated recently which rely on expensive bulk femtosecond pump lasers, this source will be pumped by a large pulse-energy optical fibre laser and use stimulated Raman scattering to seed the contin ....Optical supercontinuum generation from high pulse-energy optical sources. The aim of this project is to develop a broadband and high brightness optical fibre source based on optical supercontinuum generation (i.e. low-coherence optical signals with octave or more bandwidth). Unlike similar sources demonstrated recently which rely on expensive bulk femtosecond pump lasers, this source will be pumped by a large pulse-energy optical fibre laser and use stimulated Raman scattering to seed the continuum generation. The primary outcome will be a compact low-cost all-fibre supercontinuum source with a wide range of applications in areas such as optical metrology, optical coherence tomography, and high resolution non-contact position and motion sensing.Read moreRead less
Universal quantum imaging. This project will integrate quantum technology with the rapidly advancing techniques of spatial light modulation utilised in LCD displays and video projectors. We will develop, for the first time, broadly versatile imaging technology based on quantum mechanics, enabling both important applications in future medical diagnostic devices and communication systems; and fundamental advances in the biological and quantum sciences. Quantum technologies offer the promise to rev ....Universal quantum imaging. This project will integrate quantum technology with the rapidly advancing techniques of spatial light modulation utilised in LCD displays and video projectors. We will develop, for the first time, broadly versatile imaging technology based on quantum mechanics, enabling both important applications in future medical diagnostic devices and communication systems; and fundamental advances in the biological and quantum sciences. Quantum technologies offer the promise to revolutionise many aspects of modern life, from computing and communications, to medical imaging and metrology. This project will put Australia at the international forefront of quantum imaging, enhancing Australia's already significant international presence in the area.Read moreRead less
Microcharacterisation of rare-earth-doped optical fibres. Rare-earth-doped optical fibres continue to play a central role in optical telecommunication systems and are increasingly being used as elements in optical fibre sensing devices and as fibre lasers. The aim of this project is the application of new high spatial resolution techniques for determining the physical properties of such fibres. These methods will permit unprecedented knowledge of the precise distribution of rare-earth ions in th ....Microcharacterisation of rare-earth-doped optical fibres. Rare-earth-doped optical fibres continue to play a central role in optical telecommunication systems and are increasingly being used as elements in optical fibre sensing devices and as fibre lasers. The aim of this project is the application of new high spatial resolution techniques for determining the physical properties of such fibres. These methods will permit unprecedented knowledge of the precise distribution of rare-earth ions in the fibre and its relationship with the fibre's refractive index profile. This information is critical to understanding the performance of rare-earth-doped fibres in a variety of applications and the outcomes of this work will inform the design of fibres optimised for use in specific applications.Read moreRead less
A wavelength-versatile visible laser for ophthalmic instrumentation. Treatment of a wide range of retinal disorders can be enhanced by a range of treatment modalities using laser beams of different colours. The outcome of this project will be a new laser technology for ophthalmic applications which is unique in its versatility while reducing size and cost. This will allow our partner, Opto Global, to gain a unique market position for its ophthalmic products with flow-on benefits to the Austral ....A wavelength-versatile visible laser for ophthalmic instrumentation. Treatment of a wide range of retinal disorders can be enhanced by a range of treatment modalities using laser beams of different colours. The outcome of this project will be a new laser technology for ophthalmic applications which is unique in its versatility while reducing size and cost. This will allow our partner, Opto Global, to gain a unique market position for its ophthalmic products with flow-on benefits to the Australian economy and ultimately benefits to the community through improved clinical efficacy and patient outcomes. The frontier technology represented by these new laser devices is also applicable to other industries including medical aesthetics, colour projection and display, and defence systems.Read moreRead less
Advanced Atomic Sources for Precision Measurement. Many advances in our technology-driven society rely on the precision measurement of quantities such as accelerations, magnetic and electric fields. A higher level of measurement precision leads to a clear economic or strategic advantage. We expect to provide the Australian industrial and government sectors with new and better methods for making precise measurements with accelerometers, gyroscopes and gravity gradiometers. This proposal will pla ....Advanced Atomic Sources for Precision Measurement. Many advances in our technology-driven society rely on the precision measurement of quantities such as accelerations, magnetic and electric fields. A higher level of measurement precision leads to a clear economic or strategic advantage. We expect to provide the Australian industrial and government sectors with new and better methods for making precise measurements with accelerometers, gyroscopes and gravity gradiometers. This proposal will place Australia with only a handful of other countries as an international leader in the new technology of coherent atom interferometry. It is expected that this proposal will lead to innovative prototype devices as well as significant patentable technology. Read moreRead less
The New Atom Laser: Theory of Quantum Atom Optical Sources. The atom laser is a new device which produces a coherent source of ultracold atoms. A practical atom laser will be a revolutionary source for atom optics. This project will develop a comprehensive and practical quantum theory of a new generation of atom lasers which can produce a continuous beam. This will require a different and more complicated theoretical approach to that which worked for optical lasers, but the result will be a d ....The New Atom Laser: Theory of Quantum Atom Optical Sources. The atom laser is a new device which produces a coherent source of ultracold atoms. A practical atom laser will be a revolutionary source for atom optics. This project will develop a comprehensive and practical quantum theory of a new generation of atom lasers which can produce a continuous beam. This will require a different and more complicated theoretical approach to that which worked for optical lasers, but the result will be a device with a spectral flux which is orders of magnitude better than the current state of the art.Read moreRead less
Solid Light: Frontiers and applications of solid-state Cavity Quantum Electro-Dynamics. Our understanding of quantum mechanics directly fuels new technology. We are on the verge of a new revolution in technology, where the aspects of quantum physics that we haven't been able to understand are now within technological reach. Our concept of solid-light joins two of the most important branches of physics, and in so doing develops a new technology of diamond-based quantum processors that will be b ....Solid Light: Frontiers and applications of solid-state Cavity Quantum Electro-Dynamics. Our understanding of quantum mechanics directly fuels new technology. We are on the verge of a new revolution in technology, where the aspects of quantum physics that we haven't been able to understand are now within technological reach. Our concept of solid-light joins two of the most important branches of physics, and in so doing develops a new technology of diamond-based quantum processors that will be built in Australia. This will benefit the Australian scientific community by providing devices to solve important quantum problems, and benefit the wider community by growing a new industry based around diamond quantum nanoscience.Read moreRead less
Detection and Control of Ultracold Atoms. Australia is at the forefront of research into atom lasers, a device that may be as important to science and technology this century as the laser was in the last. This project will provide important theoretical tools for developing the atom laser from an object of intrinsic interest to a useful tool. It will develop Australian scientific expertise in this area, and provide training for the next generation of Australian scientists.
Novel aspects and applications of quantum measurement theory. The first aim is to develop further a novel formalism for quantum measurement theory based on retrodiction (rather than prediction). The second is to apply this theory to non-Markovian systems (in which the measurement is smeared-out in time). The third is to combine quantum measurement theory with natural selection better to understand the appearance of the everyday world. The expected outcomes include a deeper understanding of quant ....Novel aspects and applications of quantum measurement theory. The first aim is to develop further a novel formalism for quantum measurement theory based on retrodiction (rather than prediction). The second is to apply this theory to non-Markovian systems (in which the measurement is smeared-out in time). The third is to combine quantum measurement theory with natural selection better to understand the appearance of the everyday world. The expected outcomes include a deeper understanding of quantum physics and the establishment of new techniques for analysing problems in quantum communication and quantum-limited technologies. These advances are significant both fundamentally and, at the dawn of the quantum information age, in practice.Read moreRead less