Cell Membrane Coated Photonic Crystal to study Receptor-Ligand Interactions. The current gold-standard assays for examining receptor-ligand interactions require expensive and costly fluorescent or radioactive labels or proteomics processes. This project aims to develop Artificial Photonic Cells by directly coating photonic crystals with cell membranes. The Artificial Photonic Cells retain the protein receptors in their native cell membrane environment and allow for label-free monitoring of the r ....Cell Membrane Coated Photonic Crystal to study Receptor-Ligand Interactions. The current gold-standard assays for examining receptor-ligand interactions require expensive and costly fluorescent or radioactive labels or proteomics processes. This project aims to develop Artificial Photonic Cells by directly coating photonic crystals with cell membranes. The Artificial Photonic Cells retain the protein receptors in their native cell membrane environment and allow for label-free monitoring of the receptor-ligand interactions using inexpensive miniature spectrometers - radically transforming these assays. This would generate fundamental and applied knowledge of materials sciences, photonic, and biointerfaces for label-free, ultra-sensitive, and selective assays to enable future drug and diagnostics target discovery. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100848
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$437,299.00
Summary
Quantum control of sound with light. This project aims to build the first photonic architecture capable of controlling the quantum properties of acoustic waves travelling in crystalline materials and quantum fluids. This level of control is expected to herald new capabilities in sensing applications, quantum information and quantum computing. The project seeks to develop a silicon-based photonic platform that enables the preparation of non-classical states of sound within superfluid helium. This ....Quantum control of sound with light. This project aims to build the first photonic architecture capable of controlling the quantum properties of acoustic waves travelling in crystalline materials and quantum fluids. This level of control is expected to herald new capabilities in sensing applications, quantum information and quantum computing. The project seeks to develop a silicon-based photonic platform that enables the preparation of non-classical states of sound within superfluid helium. This new platform will also be used to develop an ultra-compact silicon-chip based laser. The project outcomes should provide a deeper understanding of quantum fluids and quantum mechanics, and enable the realisation of new quantum technologies with substantial commercialisation potential.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100318
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$368,554.00
Summary
Superfluid optomechanics with quantised vortices. This project aims to develop new technologies to probe and control the flow of superfluid helium at size-scales never before possible. Superfluid helium is the only quantum liquid, characterised by flow without dissipation and quantised vortices. Leveraging the techniques of cavity optomechanics, this project aims to demonstrate control of superfluid helium properties at the quantum level, including the first demonstration of laser-cooling of a l ....Superfluid optomechanics with quantised vortices. This project aims to develop new technologies to probe and control the flow of superfluid helium at size-scales never before possible. Superfluid helium is the only quantum liquid, characterised by flow without dissipation and quantised vortices. Leveraging the techniques of cavity optomechanics, this project aims to demonstrate control of superfluid helium properties at the quantum level, including the first demonstration of laser-cooling of a liquid into its quantum ground-state. The devices developed in this project will also serve as probes of unprecedented sensitivity for the study of 2D superfluid helium. The new technologies developed will have potential for broad uptake in the scientific community and generation of intellectual property and patents for quantum technology and inertial sensors.Read moreRead less
Optomechanical metrology: pushing optical sensing to its limit. This project aims to pioneer technologies to observe and control the microscopic world with unprecedented precision, and apply them to realise practical sensors with unrivalled performance. Nano- and micro-scale sensors will be developed that resolve motion smaller than an atomic nucleus, in a classical spin-off from international efforts to study quantum physics at the nanoscale. Record precision will be achieved in thermometry and ....Optomechanical metrology: pushing optical sensing to its limit. This project aims to pioneer technologies to observe and control the microscopic world with unprecedented precision, and apply them to realise practical sensors with unrivalled performance. Nano- and micro-scale sensors will be developed that resolve motion smaller than an atomic nucleus, in a classical spin-off from international efforts to study quantum physics at the nanoscale. Record precision will be achieved in thermometry and magnetometry. New tools will be developed for lab-on-a-chip medical diagnosis and thermal imaging, that in future could allow femtolitre diagnosis of blood diseases such as malaria, on-chip genomic analysis, more efficient airport screening, and more precise satellite maps of global and atmospheric temperature.Read moreRead less
Optomechanical refrigeration of electronic circuits. The project aims to apply laser light to reduce the temperature of electronic circuits. This aims to greatly suppress electronic noise, and enable a new class of technologies for future telecommunication systems. By developing new techniques to confine light, electric fields and vibrations at sub-micron scale on a silicon chip, devices such as ultralow noise amplifiers, clocks and radio frequency receivers will be realised, along with ultra-ef ....Optomechanical refrigeration of electronic circuits. The project aims to apply laser light to reduce the temperature of electronic circuits. This aims to greatly suppress electronic noise, and enable a new class of technologies for future telecommunication systems. By developing new techniques to confine light, electric fields and vibrations at sub-micron scale on a silicon chip, devices such as ultralow noise amplifiers, clocks and radio frequency receivers will be realised, along with ultra-efficient optical modulators. In future, these technologies could reduce energy consumption and improve reliability in telecommunication networks. They could improve the range of satellite communication, robustness of GPS against cosmic radiation, and performance of surveillance systems such as radar and sonar.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101637
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$345,000.00
Summary
Plasmonic nanofocusing for super-resolution DNA imaging. Plasmonics (waves in a metal's electrons) can focus light to extreme concentrations that enable imaging techniques to resolve features well beyond the optical barrier known as the diffraction limit. This project aims to develop a routine methodology capable of extracting precise information from single DNA molecules by incorporating plasmonic components into a lab-on-a-chip device for use under conventional optical microscopes. The configu ....Plasmonic nanofocusing for super-resolution DNA imaging. Plasmonics (waves in a metal's electrons) can focus light to extreme concentrations that enable imaging techniques to resolve features well beyond the optical barrier known as the diffraction limit. This project aims to develop a routine methodology capable of extracting precise information from single DNA molecules by incorporating plasmonic components into a lab-on-a-chip device for use under conventional optical microscopes. The configuration would have the convenience and technological maturity associated with microscopes whilst being able to capture details of biomolecules with unprecedented detail. New DNA analyses will be made possible by the platform, such as studying the genomic diversity within a population of tumour cells.Read moreRead less
New generation nanostructured coatings with combined control of spectral and angular emissivity. The aim of this project is to generate a complete scientific understanding of a new generation of hybrid, tri-layered, optically-selective coatings. The new design paradigm combines the very different attributes of smooth and nanostructured layers so that superior and simultaneous control of both spectral and angular properties of light can be achieved. Existing theory will be extended so that quanti ....New generation nanostructured coatings with combined control of spectral and angular emissivity. The aim of this project is to generate a complete scientific understanding of a new generation of hybrid, tri-layered, optically-selective coatings. The new design paradigm combines the very different attributes of smooth and nanostructured layers so that superior and simultaneous control of both spectral and angular properties of light can be achieved. Existing theory will be extended so that quantitative analyses of these new systems and other hybrids become possible and new and improved fabrication techniques will be developed. The work will unlock new technological possibilities for coating performance and application and is likely to be associated with significant improvements in energy conservation and generation. Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics. The CNBP brings together physicists, chemists and biologists focused on a grand challenge controlling nanoscale interactions between light and matter to probe the complex and dynamic nanoenvironments within living organisms. The emerging convergence of nanoscience and photonics offers the opportunity of using light to interrogate nanoscale domains, providing unprecedentedly localised measurements. This will allow biological scientists to unde ....ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics. The CNBP brings together physicists, chemists and biologists focused on a grand challenge controlling nanoscale interactions between light and matter to probe the complex and dynamic nanoenvironments within living organisms. The emerging convergence of nanoscience and photonics offers the opportunity of using light to interrogate nanoscale domains, providing unprecedentedly localised measurements. This will allow biological scientists to understand how single cells react to and communicate with their surroundings. This science will underpin a new generation of devices capable of probing the response of cells within individuals to environmental conditions or treatment, creating innovative and powerful new sensing platforms.Read moreRead less