Overcoming Transistor Performance Issues for Emerging Millimetre-Wave Applications. The operation of transistors for emerging millimeter-wave applications, such as point to point communications and automotive radar, will be researched. The aim is to develop circuit design methodologies that extract better performance from a given fabrication process, thus giving a competitive advantage to local industry, which shares the process with other international companies. Transistor operating range, lin ....Overcoming Transistor Performance Issues for Emerging Millimetre-Wave Applications. The operation of transistors for emerging millimeter-wave applications, such as point to point communications and automotive radar, will be researched. The aim is to develop circuit design methodologies that extract better performance from a given fabrication process, thus giving a competitive advantage to local industry, which shares the process with other international companies. Transistor operating range, linearity and characterisation will be enhanced. New models and demonstrator circuits will be produced. The project will skill postgraduates in microwave theory and techniques applied to the development of high performance circuits.Read moreRead less
Listen and see: Remote sensing and imaging of insect pests. Australia is the third largest market for termite control, after the USA and Japan. It has been estimated by CSIRO that about one in three Australian houses will be attacked by termites at some stage. Currently, an Australian designed, patented and manufactured product is the only reliable termite detector. This research, developing a novel sensor array and imaging technology, will further consolidate Australia's world leading position ....Listen and see: Remote sensing and imaging of insect pests. Australia is the third largest market for termite control, after the USA and Japan. It has been estimated by CSIRO that about one in three Australian houses will be attacked by termites at some stage. Currently, an Australian designed, patented and manufactured product is the only reliable termite detector. This research, developing a novel sensor array and imaging technology, will further consolidate Australia's world leading position in termite detection technology, revolutionise how termite behavioural research will be conducted and significantly increase the world-wide capability in termite control and hence reduce the costs of termite damage. It will deliver significant economic and environmental benefits to Australia.Read moreRead less
Engineering the Next Generation of Broadband Terahertz Technologies. This project proposes a new broadband, high-power, laser technology for THz sensing. This semiconductor laser based THz technology is crucial for a wide range of applications requiring the acquisition of THz spectral signatures of materials and high-frame rate hyper-spectral THz imaging. We propose two pathways to engineer this novel THz technology: using a tuneable, coupled-cavity quantum cascade semiconductor laser and by c ....Engineering the Next Generation of Broadband Terahertz Technologies. This project proposes a new broadband, high-power, laser technology for THz sensing. This semiconductor laser based THz technology is crucial for a wide range of applications requiring the acquisition of THz spectral signatures of materials and high-frame rate hyper-spectral THz imaging. We propose two pathways to engineer this novel THz technology: using a tuneable, coupled-cavity quantum cascade semiconductor laser and by creating the broad emission spectra through active mode locking in a THz semiconductor laser. The THz laser coupled with the self-detection technique is the key to realising this, and will be explored both in model and experiment.Read moreRead less
Future generation high-performance radio communications circuits in gallium nitride technology. Techniques will be developed to exploit the potential of an emerging commercial gallium nitride technology for future communication systems. By establishing new knowledge and skill to expand international competitiveness, it will position Australia among the leaders in high performance circuit design, strengthen international collaboration, and allow the development of future high performance wireless ....Future generation high-performance radio communications circuits in gallium nitride technology. Techniques will be developed to exploit the potential of an emerging commercial gallium nitride technology for future communication systems. By establishing new knowledge and skill to expand international competitiveness, it will position Australia among the leaders in high performance circuit design, strengthen international collaboration, and allow the development of future high performance wireless systems. This is an opportunity to diversify to a new technology on a competitive basis. This circuit design business is suited to distance working within the international sector. Improved circuit performance will enable breakthrough discoveries in areas like medical imaging, radar, detection, and instrumentation.Read moreRead less
High performance, optimized chip-scale packaging for millimetre wave and THz integrated circuits. This project aims to revolutionise electronic packaging by depositing a thin, protective layer of diamond on top of high-performance, millimetre-wave and THz integrated circuits. Leveraging existing technology for removing heat from high-powered optical electronics, the project aims to deliver a miniaturised packaged chip, protected from the environment and ready for mounting in a system, without se ....High performance, optimized chip-scale packaging for millimetre wave and THz integrated circuits. This project aims to revolutionise electronic packaging by depositing a thin, protective layer of diamond on top of high-performance, millimetre-wave and THz integrated circuits. Leveraging existing technology for removing heat from high-powered optical electronics, the project aims to deliver a miniaturised packaged chip, protected from the environment and ready for mounting in a system, without seriously degrading the circuit's performance as occurs in current packaging technologies. The project aims to enable cheaper and more energy-efficient applications as wide ranging as wireless HD video, multi-gigabit telecommunications, and black-body passive imaging technologies for security, defence, medical and agricultural applications.Read moreRead less
Radio Frequency Camera for Low-Complexity and High-Resolution Radar Imaging. This project aims to develop the theory and enabling techniques to realise a low-complexity and high-resolution radar imaging system with uncoordinated illumination. New scientific breakthroughs include fundamental radar imaging theory, advanced radio frequency frontend design and fast signal processing algorithms. These will lead to a paradigm shift in active and passive imaging technologies. A proof-of-concept prototy ....Radio Frequency Camera for Low-Complexity and High-Resolution Radar Imaging. This project aims to develop the theory and enabling techniques to realise a low-complexity and high-resolution radar imaging system with uncoordinated illumination. New scientific breakthroughs include fundamental radar imaging theory, advanced radio frequency frontend design and fast signal processing algorithms. These will lead to a paradigm shift in active and passive imaging technologies. A proof-of-concept prototype of the proposed imaging system with 77 GHz millimetre wave will be developed to demonstrate its feasibility and performance. The expected outcomes include Australia’s scientific and technological leadership in radar imaging and enhanced capability in emergency response, defence, public safety, and healthcare industries.Read moreRead less
Circuit-based monitoring and characterisation of high performance semiconductor processes. As a frontier technology, this project extends Australia's leadership in wireless communications. Potentially this project provides the key enabling method for integrated circuits to take full advantage of future generations of semiconductor technology. National Research Priorities safeguarding Australia and promoting and maintaining good health will also be impacted through more capable circuits for def ....Circuit-based monitoring and characterisation of high performance semiconductor processes. As a frontier technology, this project extends Australia's leadership in wireless communications. Potentially this project provides the key enabling method for integrated circuits to take full advantage of future generations of semiconductor technology. National Research Priorities safeguarding Australia and promoting and maintaining good health will also be impacted through more capable circuits for defence electronics and anti-terrorism, medical remote sensing and networking. The innovations here will make Sapphicon, Australia's only commercial integrated circuit manufacturer, more competitive and indirectly benefit National ICT Australia (NICTA), Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), the National Broadband Network and a host of other high-performance electronics concerns.Read moreRead less
Interaction of light with tissues: A hyper-spectral approach . This project aims to address an important problem of noncontact assessment of tissue including skin and cartilage. By using extremely wide spectrum – between the terahertz and the near infrared – the effects of scattering and absorption arising from the variation of tissue properties from macro- to nano-scale will be explored. Spatial variations of tissue properties will be addressed in model and experiment by combining spectroscopy ....Interaction of light with tissues: A hyper-spectral approach . This project aims to address an important problem of noncontact assessment of tissue including skin and cartilage. By using extremely wide spectrum – between the terahertz and the near infrared – the effects of scattering and absorption arising from the variation of tissue properties from macro- to nano-scale will be explored. Spatial variations of tissue properties will be addressed in model and experiment by combining spectroscopy with the novel terahertz and mid-infrared Scanning Near field Optical Microscopy. The outcomes will advance fundamental understanding of light interaction with multi-layered tissues. This will provide a tool for advancing bioengineering research, terahertz technology, and development in biomedical devices.Read moreRead less
New multi-function wideband microwave and radio frequency signal conditioning based on photonic approaches. The demand for more bandwidth, more functionality and higher sensitivity creates unprecedented challenges for optimally conditioning wideband signals. The project leverages breakthroughs in photonics to develop new programmable microwave processors, with benefits to Australia in radar/antenna systems for defence and broadband wireless networks.
Self-mixing sensors based on terahertz quantum cascade lasers: a new technology for tissue characterisation. Novel laser sensors will be developed for detection and imaging of substances in a wide range of applications. Security and detection of cancer are two key areas to be explored in this project.