New physics with strongly correlated and spin-orbit-coupled electrons. This project aims to identify new physics in quantum magnets and emergent phenomena in solids where the electrons are strongly coupled and intertwined in a complex manner. As a consequence, quantum effects are dramatically enhanced and, in certain situations, force the electrons to split into different exotic particles. This project expects to identify suitable physical systems, candidate materials and appropriate conditions ....New physics with strongly correlated and spin-orbit-coupled electrons. This project aims to identify new physics in quantum magnets and emergent phenomena in solids where the electrons are strongly coupled and intertwined in a complex manner. As a consequence, quantum effects are dramatically enhanced and, in certain situations, force the electrons to split into different exotic particles. This project expects to identify suitable physical systems, candidate materials and appropriate conditions required for the experimental observation of this phenomena with neutron scattering methods. The advanced materials and exotic particles identified in this project will inform the development of next generation technologies, becoming the quantum bits in future quantum computers.Read moreRead less
Precise atomic-scale structure determination in thick nanostructures. This project aims to tackle a great challenge of atomic-scale characterisation: quantitative structure determination. Powerful new electron microscopes offer a window into the atomic world, but complex electron multiple scattering has limited reliable structure determination to ultrathin materials. This project expects to overcome this barrier. Anticipated outcomes include methods that use the latest detector technology to det ....Precise atomic-scale structure determination in thick nanostructures. This project aims to tackle a great challenge of atomic-scale characterisation: quantitative structure determination. Powerful new electron microscopes offer a window into the atomic world, but complex electron multiple scattering has limited reliable structure determination to ultrathin materials. This project expects to overcome this barrier. Anticipated outcomes include methods that use the latest detector technology to determine structure and interatomic bonding in much thicker nanostructures than hitherto possible. This should benefit academic and industrial researchers by giving them new tools to understand and design high-performance materials for applications ranging from catalysis to energy storage to next-generation electronics.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100291
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$414,000.00
Summary
Conferring life-like functions to protocells. For life to have arisen, simple self-assembled chemicals must have performed key life-like functions. This project aims to generate new knowledge in the fields of soft condensed matter physics and astrobiology by understanding how primitive life could have obtained nutrients and completed “cell” division without proteins. This ambitious goal is expected to not only contribute towards understanding the origins of life, one of the grand challenges in s ....Conferring life-like functions to protocells. For life to have arisen, simple self-assembled chemicals must have performed key life-like functions. This project aims to generate new knowledge in the fields of soft condensed matter physics and astrobiology by understanding how primitive life could have obtained nutrients and completed “cell” division without proteins. This ambitious goal is expected to not only contribute towards understanding the origins of life, one of the grand challenges in science, but also to elucidate principles in membrane biophysics and self-assembly. The fundamental scientific findings will be applied to making responsive capsules that can confer advanced functionalities to soft materials. Several international collaborations are anticipated.Read moreRead less
Hot Topic: Quantum Design of Phononic Heat Filters. Heat management is critical to many technologies for sustainable energy, electronics, protective equipment and energy-efficient buildings. The phonon is the quantum particle representing a travelling vibration and is responsible for the transmission of heat in solids. This project will study the new mechanisms for phonon transport in solids modified with embedded nanoparticles, which operate as phononic filters. Neutron spectroscopy provides a ....Hot Topic: Quantum Design of Phononic Heat Filters. Heat management is critical to many technologies for sustainable energy, electronics, protective equipment and energy-efficient buildings. The phonon is the quantum particle representing a travelling vibration and is responsible for the transmission of heat in solids. This project will study the new mechanisms for phonon transport in solids modified with embedded nanoparticles, which operate as phononic filters. Neutron spectroscopy provides a tool to measure the phonon density of states which is critical for developing a mathematical model of thermal boundary resistance. This is expected to identify mechanisms for ultra-low thermal conductivity leading to potential applications in thermoelectric generators and heat-resistant materials.Read moreRead less
Meta-microscopy of insect tissue: How nature grows bicontinuous nanosolids. Several butterfly species grow a complex nano-sculptured matrix whose chiral network structure confers remarkable optical properties, including jewel-like reflections. The formation process remains mysterious and a spectacular case of bottom-up self-assembly at far larger scales than accessible in the lab. The project aims to decipher this process, by (a) tomography of a species where arrested growth sites represent time ....Meta-microscopy of insect tissue: How nature grows bicontinuous nanosolids. Several butterfly species grow a complex nano-sculptured matrix whose chiral network structure confers remarkable optical properties, including jewel-like reflections. The formation process remains mysterious and a spectacular case of bottom-up self-assembly at far larger scales than accessible in the lab. The project aims to decipher this process, by (a) tomography of a species where arrested growth sites represent time-frozen snapshots of the development, and (b) by a combination of micron-resolved in-vivo microscopy of a developing butterfly wing with a growth model to infer nanometer-scale information. This insight will lead to blueprints for self-assembly strategies and shed light on function and form of inner-cellular membranes. Read moreRead less
Single spin molecular microscope. This project aims to create a new tool for imaging and analysing material at the atomic level. The tool is based on individual quantum coherent spins in diamond which can be manipulated and optically read. The project expects to generate knowledge in quantum metrology and an understanding of molecular dynamics at the nanoscale. The expected outcome is a new type of device capable of imaging complex physical systems at the level of their individual constituent co ....Single spin molecular microscope. This project aims to create a new tool for imaging and analysing material at the atomic level. The tool is based on individual quantum coherent spins in diamond which can be manipulated and optically read. The project expects to generate knowledge in quantum metrology and an understanding of molecular dynamics at the nanoscale. The expected outcome is a new type of device capable of imaging complex physical systems at the level of their individual constituent components. This has significant benefits in improving designer materials, energy production, information storage, and drug design.Read moreRead less
Formation and manipulation of ferroelectric domains with ultrafast light. This project aims to study the fundamental processes governing interaction of ultrafast light pulses with an important class of ferroelectric materials. In particular, it will investigate the physics of light-induced ferroelectric domain reversal in various types of ferroelectrics. Project outcomes will lead to the development of a novel, ultrafast laser domain patterning technique for application in nonlinear photonics, o ....Formation and manipulation of ferroelectric domains with ultrafast light. This project aims to study the fundamental processes governing interaction of ultrafast light pulses with an important class of ferroelectric materials. In particular, it will investigate the physics of light-induced ferroelectric domain reversal in various types of ferroelectrics. Project outcomes will lead to the development of a novel, ultrafast laser domain patterning technique for application in nonlinear photonics, optical memories, and photovoltaics. This technique will be employed to create the first example of three-dimensional domain patterns for versatile wave interactions. This project expects to expand Australia's knowledge in ultrafast laser engineering of materials and contribute towards its rapid uptake by industries, with great potential for commercialisation.Read moreRead less
Metal Halide Perovskite Spin-Orbit Torque Devices. This project aims to demonstrate a new, highly efficient spin-based electronic device by developing a fundamental understanding into the generation and transport of spin in metal halide perovskite based heterostructures. Using an interdisciplinary approach, this project expects to exploit the beneficial spin properties, low cost and scalable production methods of metal halide perovskites. It is expected that this project will deliver new functio ....Metal Halide Perovskite Spin-Orbit Torque Devices. This project aims to demonstrate a new, highly efficient spin-based electronic device by developing a fundamental understanding into the generation and transport of spin in metal halide perovskite based heterostructures. Using an interdisciplinary approach, this project expects to exploit the beneficial spin properties, low cost and scalable production methods of metal halide perovskites. It is expected that this project will deliver new functionality to these emerging materials to enable their application in highly efficient spintronic devices. These outcomes should provide significant benefits to the Australian advanced manufacturing sector by developing new knowledge, advanced technology and training skilled professionals.Read moreRead less
Dopant engineering of diamond for quantum sensing technologies. Doped diamonds are central to a growing range of quantum-sensing technologies for future industries, including medical and defence. These diamonds must be doped with both an electron donors and active 'quantum-defects' to operate. Within existing devices, the electronic donors also create parasitic magnetic noise, due to their magnetic-spin properties. In this project we aim to investigate the growth of diamond with new electronic d ....Dopant engineering of diamond for quantum sensing technologies. Doped diamonds are central to a growing range of quantum-sensing technologies for future industries, including medical and defence. These diamonds must be doped with both an electron donors and active 'quantum-defects' to operate. Within existing devices, the electronic donors also create parasitic magnetic noise, due to their magnetic-spin properties. In this project we aim to investigate the growth of diamond with new electronic donors, aiming for spin-free and thus noise-free dopant properties. This should provide significant benefits to defence capability, through enhanced magnetic anomaly detection in naval environments, and health outcomes, through neural sensing of brain signals at room temperature.Read moreRead less
Magnonics with skyrmions. Skyrmions – nanoscale topologically protected spin textures, are considered as ideal candidates for encoding and transmitting bits of information. This burgeoning research field, however, suffers from the same limitations of all spintronic concepts – the high currents needed to move skyrmions. Magnonics is yet another emerging approach, which main aim is to investigate the behaviour of spin waves in magnetic nanostructures. In essence, spin waves are a propagating re-or ....Magnonics with skyrmions. Skyrmions – nanoscale topologically protected spin textures, are considered as ideal candidates for encoding and transmitting bits of information. This burgeoning research field, however, suffers from the same limitations of all spintronic concepts – the high currents needed to move skyrmions. Magnonics is yet another emerging approach, which main aim is to investigate the behaviour of spin waves in magnetic nanostructures. In essence, spin waves are a propagating re-ordering of the magnetisation and therefore use the least amount of power, making them perfect for driving skyrmions. This project fuses skyrmions with magnonics. The central goal is the formulation of model for the magnon assisted manipulation of skyrmions and their lattices.Read moreRead less