Non-Interferometric Phase Measurement of Exotic Waves. Phase is a key concept in all aspects of physics from biological microscopy through to length measurement and on to industrial inspection. The University of Melbourne has developed a new class of phase measurement techniques that possesses unprecedented flexibility. The aim of this project is to build on the international leadership of the Australian team so as to fully explore and develop these techniques.
New quantitative methods in X-ray imaging using crystal optics. This project will enhance Australian science's international leadership in the area of x-ray imaging. This powerful type of X-ray imaging, which makes use of optical elements made of perfect crystals, is specially tailored to image samples which are invisible to conventional x-ray techniques. Such "extended x-ray vision" is extremely important for imaging in medicine, biology and materials science. Furthermore, we will train x-ray s ....New quantitative methods in X-ray imaging using crystal optics. This project will enhance Australian science's international leadership in the area of x-ray imaging. This powerful type of X-ray imaging, which makes use of optical elements made of perfect crystals, is specially tailored to image samples which are invisible to conventional x-ray techniques. Such "extended x-ray vision" is extremely important for imaging in medicine, biology and materials science. Furthermore, we will train x-ray scientists of tomorrow, whose expertise will allow Australia to capitalize on its investment in the Australian Synchrotron.Read moreRead less
Developments in Optical Sciences. The applicant leads a highly motivated and successful group of young investigators doing internationally leading work on complete recovery of phase information. This work is able to provide new approaches to fundamental research problems at the basis of quantum mechanics, as well as leading to important new applications in biomedical and industrial imaging. The proposed work has already led to one start-up company and it is expected that the commercial developme ....Developments in Optical Sciences. The applicant leads a highly motivated and successful group of young investigators doing internationally leading work on complete recovery of phase information. This work is able to provide new approaches to fundamental research problems at the basis of quantum mechanics, as well as leading to important new applications in biomedical and industrial imaging. The proposed work has already led to one start-up company and it is expected that the commercial development will continue. The proposed program will lead to an involvement in an international space project, enhance synchrotron-based research in Australia and lead to new developments in microfabrication technologies.Read moreRead less
Electron Tomography of Electromagnetic Fields, Potentials and Sources. The proliferation of technologies incorporating magnetic materials with exquisitely fine structure demands precise characterization methods, which are able to keep pace with magnetic miniaturization. However, existing techniques are unable to directly image magnetic materials at high resolution in three dimensions. We will overcome this deficiency, by combining an exciting new methodology for the three-dimensional visualisati ....Electron Tomography of Electromagnetic Fields, Potentials and Sources. The proliferation of technologies incorporating magnetic materials with exquisitely fine structure demands precise characterization methods, which are able to keep pace with magnetic miniaturization. However, existing techniques are unable to directly image magnetic materials at high resolution in three dimensions. We will overcome this deficiency, by combining an exciting new methodology for the three-dimensional visualisation of electromagnetic fields, with the latest cutting-edge electron-microscopes, thereby facilitating advances in magnetic nano-manufacturing. The anticipated applications are vast, from patterned nanomagnets and magnetic proteins, through to semiconductors and superconductors.Read moreRead less
Generalized imaging systems incorporating hybrid hardware-software optics. Fundamental optics research underpins the commercial optical technologies of tomorrow. Modern examples of such evolution, from the fundamental to the commercial, include lasers, LED traffic lights, thin-screen computer monitors and digital cameras. The recent advent of accessible powerful computers, together with recent advances in optical physics, promise a powerful merging of computing and optical technologies into so ....Generalized imaging systems incorporating hybrid hardware-software optics. Fundamental optics research underpins the commercial optical technologies of tomorrow. Modern examples of such evolution, from the fundamental to the commercial, include lasers, LED traffic lights, thin-screen computer monitors and digital cameras. The recent advent of accessible powerful computers, together with recent advances in optical physics, promise a powerful merging of computing and optical technologies into so-called virtual optical systems in which the computer processes optical information in a manner very similar to lenses. In particular, the computer may be used to decode distorted images provided by an imperfect imaging system. Read moreRead less
Moving-beam phase retrieval - a route to better microscopy! This research will benefit the nation by improving the quality of x-ray diffraction and electron microscopy techniques available to Australian scientists. It will make it possible to examine microscopic structures in more detail and therefore gain more information about the atomic positions in these structures. This will greatly benefit research that depends on finding the structure of very small objects. Such research areas include ....Moving-beam phase retrieval - a route to better microscopy! This research will benefit the nation by improving the quality of x-ray diffraction and electron microscopy techniques available to Australian scientists. It will make it possible to examine microscopic structures in more detail and therefore gain more information about the atomic positions in these structures. This will greatly benefit research that depends on finding the structure of very small objects. Such research areas include nanomaterials, biological engineering, medical science and materials science. The work is also expected to have industrial applications and to make an important contribution to the development of the synchrotron science industry in Australia.Read moreRead less
Advanced X-ray Optical Systems: From innovative idea to intelligent implementation. This project combines advances made in x-ray optics by the x-ray physics group at the University of Melbourne with sophisticated microfabrication techniques developed at Swinburne University of Technology and at the Argonne National Laboratory synchrotron. This fusion gives us immediate access into a major space science initiative - an x-ray telescope for the International Space Station. At the same time we will ....Advanced X-ray Optical Systems: From innovative idea to intelligent implementation. This project combines advances made in x-ray optics by the x-ray physics group at the University of Melbourne with sophisticated microfabrication techniques developed at Swinburne University of Technology and at the Argonne National Laboratory synchrotron. This fusion gives us immediate access into a major space science initiative - an x-ray telescope for the International Space Station. At the same time we will be building a kernel of excellence, based on new approaches to x-ray imaging, that will be strategically placed to become an integral part of the development of experimental facilities for the Australian Synchrotron.Read moreRead less
High-resolution electron diffraction imaging for the nanosciences. This project will develop new ways of seeing structure at the atomic level, to yield new imaging approaches needed for frontier developments in nano-science and nanotechnology. These areas are critical to Australia's future economic development and it is only through significant improvements in imaging capacity that we will be able to sustain this country's outstanding record in scientific innovation. The project will obtain inte ....High-resolution electron diffraction imaging for the nanosciences. This project will develop new ways of seeing structure at the atomic level, to yield new imaging approaches needed for frontier developments in nano-science and nanotechnology. These areas are critical to Australia's future economic development and it is only through significant improvements in imaging capacity that we will be able to sustain this country's outstanding record in scientific innovation. The project will obtain intellectual leverage from the expertise of the team of Chief Investigators, utilizing state-of-the-art infrastructure available in Australia and abroad, and provide a professional and broad training environment for our best and brightest graduate students.Read moreRead less
Nanometric optical sensing for characterisation of microbioreactors. Microfabrication of microfluidic based microbioreactors is a novel technology that is creating advanced tools in the fields of biology and medicine. A critically important step in the development of a microbioreactor is the ability to characterise fluid shear stress of the microenvironment without impacting on the biological system. The development of a microbioreactor in which individual or multiple cells can be cultured and ....Nanometric optical sensing for characterisation of microbioreactors. Microfabrication of microfluidic based microbioreactors is a novel technology that is creating advanced tools in the fields of biology and medicine. A critically important step in the development of a microbioreactor is the ability to characterise fluid shear stress of the microenvironment without impacting on the biological system. The development of a microbioreactor in which individual or multiple cells can be cultured and manipulated will have a significant impact on study of biological systems in cancer research and stem cell research. Read moreRead less
Multiphoton microscopy through tissue turbid media. The aim of this proposal is to conduct the collaborative project on multi-photon microscopic imaging through biological tissue, which has been recently initiated between Swinburne University of Technology (SUT) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It will integrate the special skills, two-photon fluorescence endoscopy and second-harmonic coherence tomography, investigated in the respective collaborating institutes, to develop a nove ....Multiphoton microscopy through tissue turbid media. The aim of this proposal is to conduct the collaborative project on multi-photon microscopic imaging through biological tissue, which has been recently initiated between Swinburne University of Technology (SUT) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It will integrate the special skills, two-photon fluorescence endoscopy and second-harmonic coherence tomography, investigated in the respective collaborating institutes, to develop a novel method for detecting/imaging cancer cells that are located at 1 mm below tissue surfaces, while they are still in the early stage to be cured. Consequently, a diagnostic method for early cancer detection particularly through skin tissue becomes possible.Read moreRead less