The Identification and Development of Strategies for Increasing Engineering Enrolments. There is a continuing nation-wide decline in high school student enrolment in higher level mathematics and science. This is already leading to a reduction in the number of students undertaking university engineering programs in Australia and the situation is expected to worsen. This project is directed toward a better understanding of the reasons for the trend and the development of strategies to reverse it. ....The Identification and Development of Strategies for Increasing Engineering Enrolments. There is a continuing nation-wide decline in high school student enrolment in higher level mathematics and science. This is already leading to a reduction in the number of students undertaking university engineering programs in Australia and the situation is expected to worsen. This project is directed toward a better understanding of the reasons for the trend and the development of strategies to reverse it. It aims to 1. Evaluate the most effective strategies that increase student's interests and understanding of engineering and increase participation in engineering studies. 2. Develop an optimised national communication strategy for promoting engineering studies to secondary students.Read moreRead less
A novel approach to direct nanopatterning of silicon for advanced phase-changed devices. This project will exploit key research developments at ANU in the field of nanotechnology, specifically nanofabrication of entirely new devices. In particular, this work will be exploited by a new Australian high-tech company, WRiota, to produce novel silicon phase change devices. The instrumentation developments will be commercialized by a leading nanoindentation company and the materials and device-related ....A novel approach to direct nanopatterning of silicon for advanced phase-changed devices. This project will exploit key research developments at ANU in the field of nanotechnology, specifically nanofabrication of entirely new devices. In particular, this work will be exploited by a new Australian high-tech company, WRiota, to produce novel silicon phase change devices. The instrumentation developments will be commercialized by a leading nanoindentation company and the materials and device-related outcomes and IP will be retained and used by WRiota. This project will further provide valuable opportunities for a number of research students and ECRs to gain experience in both the industrial and academic worlds.Read moreRead less
Tailoring the microwave dielectric properties of promising electroceramics for use in wireless telecommunication components and devices. This project aims to develop and tailor the microwave dielectric properties of promising electroceramic materials specifically targeting next generation wireless telecommunications applications. The partnership between the ANU and the Australian company Microwave and Materials Designs has the potential to enable new microwave electroceramic materials to be disc ....Tailoring the microwave dielectric properties of promising electroceramics for use in wireless telecommunication components and devices. This project aims to develop and tailor the microwave dielectric properties of promising electroceramic materials specifically targeting next generation wireless telecommunications applications. The partnership between the ANU and the Australian company Microwave and Materials Designs has the potential to enable new microwave electroceramic materials to be discovered and then incorporated into new microwave components and/or devices developed in response to the requirements of the international wireless telecommunications market. The requested PhD student will gain experience in both the industrial and academic worlds and the skills needed to be part of Australia's high-tech workforce. Read moreRead less
Spray-on Hydrogenated Films for Solar Cells. A successful project will contribute to a reduction in the cost of photovoltaic solar energy. This goal might be reached directly, via the development of spray-on hydrogenated films, or indirectly, through an improved knowledge of hydrogen passivation. Either way, the project will provide Australian Partner Investigator, Spark Solar, with a manufacturing edge over its global competitors. In so doing, it will support the burgeoning photovoltaic industr ....Spray-on Hydrogenated Films for Solar Cells. A successful project will contribute to a reduction in the cost of photovoltaic solar energy. This goal might be reached directly, via the development of spray-on hydrogenated films, or indirectly, through an improved knowledge of hydrogen passivation. Either way, the project will provide Australian Partner Investigator, Spark Solar, with a manufacturing edge over its global competitors. In so doing, it will support the burgeoning photovoltaic industry in Australia, providing jobs in manufacturing and research, and increasing the viability of photovoltaic energy as an alternative to fossil fuels. The project will also help keep Australia at the forefront of advances in photovoltaics and semiconductors.Read moreRead less
Overcoming performance limitations in multicrystalline silicon solar cells. This project aims to address the major impediments to improved efficiency of multicrystalline silicon solar cells, the most prevalent in industry today. Three key areas have been identified: understanding the fundamental source of carrier recombination in this material, the application of plasma silicon nitride to reducing this recombination, and developing a suitable technique for texturing the front surface of the cell ....Overcoming performance limitations in multicrystalline silicon solar cells. This project aims to address the major impediments to improved efficiency of multicrystalline silicon solar cells, the most prevalent in industry today. Three key areas have been identified: understanding the fundamental source of carrier recombination in this material, the application of plasma silicon nitride to reducing this recombination, and developing a suitable technique for texturing the front surface of the cells. By using novel, advanced techniques to gain a deeper physical understanding of these issues, it will be possible to develop new, cost-effective processes that improve efficiency and are applicable in industry.Read moreRead less
Low temperature fabrication of silicon-based thin film transistors (TFTs) for flat panel displays - an entirely new approach. This project represents an entirely new approach to low temperature crystallization of amorphous silicon, and its application to TFT fabrication in flat panel displays, and involves a partnership with the Australian high-tech company, WRiota. The research is in a field of high national priority, namely nanotechnology, since the technology is based on materials modificati ....Low temperature fabrication of silicon-based thin film transistors (TFTs) for flat panel displays - an entirely new approach. This project represents an entirely new approach to low temperature crystallization of amorphous silicon, and its application to TFT fabrication in flat panel displays, and involves a partnership with the Australian high-tech company, WRiota. The research is in a field of high national priority, namely nanotechnology, since the technology is based on materials modification at the nanoscale by nanoindentation. This project will further provide valuable opportunities for a number of research students and ECRs to gain experience in both the industrial and academic worlds and skills needed for Australia's nanotechnology workforce.Read moreRead less
LANGUAGES OF SECURITY IN THE ASIAN REGION AND AUSTRALIA. Recognising that the challenge of 'safeguarding Australia' must take account of Australia's regional environment, the project will explore the different vocabulary, concepts, axioms and norms relating to security issues in Asian societies and Australia. It will consider the way different security understandings can help to explain divergent state and non-state action in approaches to defence matters as well as terrorism and transnational ....LANGUAGES OF SECURITY IN THE ASIAN REGION AND AUSTRALIA. Recognising that the challenge of 'safeguarding Australia' must take account of Australia's regional environment, the project will explore the different vocabulary, concepts, axioms and norms relating to security issues in Asian societies and Australia. It will consider the way different security understandings can help to explain divergent state and non-state action in approaches to defence matters as well as terrorism and transnational crime. Collaboration with the Industry Partner will assist the Project to be developed (e.g. in the identification of key concepts) and communicated in a way that will be of maximum use to Australian government and its agencies.Read moreRead less
Advanced Siloxane Waveguide Devices for Telecommunications. This project will develop new methods for fabricating compact, high performance photonic integrated circuits (PICs) for use in future telecommunications networks in films of proprietary Inorganic Polymer Glasses (IPGs) commercialised by RPO Pty Ltd. New fabrication methods are required to overcome limitations of the current approach to patterning IPGs used by RPO Pty Ltd. Research will concentrate on hard contact lithography in conjunct ....Advanced Siloxane Waveguide Devices for Telecommunications. This project will develop new methods for fabricating compact, high performance photonic integrated circuits (PICs) for use in future telecommunications networks in films of proprietary Inorganic Polymer Glasses (IPGs) commercialised by RPO Pty Ltd. New fabrication methods are required to overcome limitations of the current approach to patterning IPGs used by RPO Pty Ltd. Research will concentrate on hard contact lithography in conjunction with dry (plasma) etching as well as ion beam milling; laser machining or UV writing for grating production. IPGs present special challenges for these technologies. The project outcomes will include new approaches to processing and the demonstration of the fabrication of innovative PICs in IPGs.Read moreRead less
From genotype to phenotype: Molecular photofitting for criminal investigations. DNA found at crime scenes has the potential to provide a physical description of the donor in the same way as an eyewitness statement can be used to make a facial reconstruction. This project will investigate those physical traits which can be derived from the analysis of DNA present in samples collected in relation to criminal activities.
A 60% efficient solar microconcentrator for electricity and hot water. The aim of this project is to develop a microconcentrator for deployment on house roofs that will produce both solar hot water and solar electricity with a combined efficiency above 60%. The system will have a low profile and will be nearly invisible from the street. The system will track the sun. Concentration will be accomplished by a mixture of refraction and reflection. About 20% of the sunlight will be converted to elect ....A 60% efficient solar microconcentrator for electricity and hot water. The aim of this project is to develop a microconcentrator for deployment on house roofs that will produce both solar hot water and solar electricity with a combined efficiency above 60%. The system will have a low profile and will be nearly invisible from the street. The system will track the sun. Concentration will be accomplished by a mixture of refraction and reflection. About 20% of the sunlight will be converted to electricity using lines of tiny solar cells, with the balance being converted to heat which is removed by cooling fluid and stored in hot water tanks.Read moreRead less