A new generation flat screen: metasurface displays. This project aims to develop a new generation flat screen that is lighter, more efficient and with higher resolution by replacing the traditional liquid crystals (LCs) with metasurfaces that are 100-times thinner than LCs. Metasurfaces are arrays of engineered dielectric and semiconductor nanoparticles, with extraordinary characteristics. The expected outcomes will lead to flat screens with resolution enhanced by 100 times and energy consumptio ....A new generation flat screen: metasurface displays. This project aims to develop a new generation flat screen that is lighter, more efficient and with higher resolution by replacing the traditional liquid crystals (LCs) with metasurfaces that are 100-times thinner than LCs. Metasurfaces are arrays of engineered dielectric and semiconductor nanoparticles, with extraordinary characteristics. The expected outcomes will lead to flat screens with resolution enhanced by 100 times and energy consumption reduced by half, as compared to current LC-based displays (e.g. LCD and LED). This novel technology will revolutionise the dimension and performance of displays and secure Australia's position in the billion dollar market of flat displays.
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All-optical reconfigurable interconnects in nematic liquid crystals. This project aims to explore the unique features of nematic liquid crystals with giant non-local nonlinearity for shaping, routing, and guiding light for all-optical photonic devices, aiming to uncover and realise the potential of long range interaction between laser light and liquid crystals for all-optical computing.
Early-Stage Medical Diagnostics by Plasmon-Mediated Gas Sensing. This project will investigate the use plasmonic absorption of light in metal nanostructures to activate the selective oxidation/reduction of a gas molecule on a semiconductor nanoparticle. This concept will be used with the aim of developing a sensing technique capable of measuring ultra-low concentrations (ppb) of breath markers for lung cancer detection. It is expected that porous sensing films of semiconductor and metal nanopart ....Early-Stage Medical Diagnostics by Plasmon-Mediated Gas Sensing. This project will investigate the use plasmonic absorption of light in metal nanostructures to activate the selective oxidation/reduction of a gas molecule on a semiconductor nanoparticle. This concept will be used with the aim of developing a sensing technique capable of measuring ultra-low concentrations (ppb) of breath markers for lung cancer detection. It is expected that porous sensing films of semiconductor and metal nanoparticles with well-defined light absorption properties will be fabricated. Superior selectivity will be achieved by matching the wavelength of the absorbed light with the required activation energy for oxidation/reduction. Successful outcomes will enable multi-analyte fingerprint identification by on-chip devices with applications ranging from portable medical diagnostics to national security.Read moreRead less
Plasmonic nano-antennas for next-generation photon sources. Extending concepts from standard radio-frequency antenna technology down to the nanoscale will open up new applications in fields from biotechnology to telecommunications. This project will embed a light emitting particle in a nanostructured metallic device to produce an ultrabright, directional single-photon source.
Synthetic multi-dimensional integrated photonics. This project aims to develop and realise experimentally integrated circuits where light propagation mimics dynamics in arbitrarily complex imaginary photonic lattices. The project puts forward a universal and mass-fabrication compatible design concept of planar optical structures featuring unconventional synthetic multi-dimensional properties, which can also be reconfigured in real time. This underpins expected outcomes in optical detection with ....Synthetic multi-dimensional integrated photonics. This project aims to develop and realise experimentally integrated circuits where light propagation mimics dynamics in arbitrarily complex imaginary photonic lattices. The project puts forward a universal and mass-fabrication compatible design concept of planar optical structures featuring unconventional synthetic multi-dimensional properties, which can also be reconfigured in real time. This underpins expected outcomes in optical detection with fundamentally enhanced sensitivity and optical signal switching with ultra-low threshold. The benefits of such breakthrough improvements can have broad applications spanning from future optical communication networks to optical sensors for monitoring and health applications.Read moreRead less
Nitride nanowires for advanced optoelectronic and energy applications. Group III-nitride semiconductor devices, which are currently in widespread use in white, blue and green LEDs, and Bluray lasers, have a multi-billion dollar market. This project aims to address and improve the issues and challenges which still limit the true potential of these materials, by tailoring them at the nanoscale. Understanding the fundamental growth mechanisms of these nanowires and their structural, optical and ele ....Nitride nanowires for advanced optoelectronic and energy applications. Group III-nitride semiconductor devices, which are currently in widespread use in white, blue and green LEDs, and Bluray lasers, have a multi-billion dollar market. This project aims to address and improve the issues and challenges which still limit the true potential of these materials, by tailoring them at the nanoscale. Understanding the fundamental growth mechanisms of these nanowires and their structural, optical and electrical properties will allow precise and controllable synthesis of the nanowires to specific requirements. This will further allow demonstration of high efficiency UV LEDs, compact green/yellow lasers, nanowire solar cells and photoelectrodes for hydrogen generation from splitting water.Read moreRead less
Fundamental electronic transport in emerging one-dimensional nanoelectronic devices. This project aims to understand the mechanisms limiting electronic transport in one-dimensional nanoelectronic devices and structures at temperatures relevant for practical device operation. One-dimensional nanoelectronic devices will be the building blocks of future technological innovation. This project will use a characterisation approach, numerical modelling and simulation, which promise to deliver knowledge ....Fundamental electronic transport in emerging one-dimensional nanoelectronic devices. This project aims to understand the mechanisms limiting electronic transport in one-dimensional nanoelectronic devices and structures at temperatures relevant for practical device operation. One-dimensional nanoelectronic devices will be the building blocks of future technological innovation. This project will use a characterisation approach, numerical modelling and simulation, which promise to deliver knowledge and analysis tools for ongoing innovation and optimisation in semiconductor nanoelectronics.Read moreRead less
Putting stimulated Brillouin scattering to work: tailored optical-phononic interactions for on-chip signal processing. Light interacts with sound via a phenomenon called Brillouin scattering, an effect which is of major importance in modern nonlinear optics but is very difficult to control. Our pioneering project will open the door to low power optical devices and other diverse innovations that will support Australia's needs in defence and communications.
Understanding and controlling of photoferroelectricity for photoenergy uses. The project seeks to develop high performance photoferroelectric materials for a wide range of photoenergy conversion technologies like photovoltaics and photocatalytics. For the past 50 years, ferroelectric photovoltaics have only been an academic curiosity due to their low energy conversion efficiency relative to the popular semiconductor photovoltaics. This project aims to unlock the potential of ferroelectric photov ....Understanding and controlling of photoferroelectricity for photoenergy uses. The project seeks to develop high performance photoferroelectric materials for a wide range of photoenergy conversion technologies like photovoltaics and photocatalytics. For the past 50 years, ferroelectric photovoltaics have only been an academic curiosity due to their low energy conversion efficiency relative to the popular semiconductor photovoltaics. This project aims to unlock the potential of ferroelectric photovoltaics by introducing an ion co-substitution, which is coupled with electron-pinning, into promising ferroelectric materials and investigating the resultant photo-excited electronic and electrical properties. It is anticipated that the outcomes from this proposed project will provide a solution for optimal ferroelectric visible light absorption to achieve high power conversion efficiency in ferroelectric materials for practical photoenergy applications.Read moreRead less
Ultrathin III-V Solar Cells via Crack-Assisted Layer Exfoliation. III-V semiconductors are excellent photovoltaic materials with highest demonstrated solar-to-electricity conversion efficiencies, but find limited usage in terrestrial applications due to high material and fabrication costs. This project aims to improve the cost-effectiveness of III-V solar cells by developing ultrathin III-V semiconductors via crack-assisted layer transfer approach and epitaxy-free fabrication via heterojunction ....Ultrathin III-V Solar Cells via Crack-Assisted Layer Exfoliation. III-V semiconductors are excellent photovoltaic materials with highest demonstrated solar-to-electricity conversion efficiencies, but find limited usage in terrestrial applications due to high material and fabrication costs. This project aims to improve the cost-effectiveness of III-V solar cells by developing ultrathin III-V semiconductors via crack-assisted layer transfer approach and epitaxy-free fabrication via heterojunction architectures, paving the way for cost-effective, high-efficiency, flexible solar cells. The expected outcomes include a disruptive technology for integrated photovoltaics, novel contact and passivation materials, as well as new knowledge generated in materials science and optoelectronics disciplines.Read moreRead less