Terahertz lasers in the fight against illicit substances. This project aims to investigate the application of cutting-edge terahertz laser technology with new spectroscopic methods, for detection of illicit substances. Using a collaborative approach, the project aims to bring together expertise in laser physics, spectroscopy, law enforcement and instrumentation, and seeks to develop new sources and detection protocols which will offer new capabilities to law enforcement, aiding in detection and ....Terahertz lasers in the fight against illicit substances. This project aims to investigate the application of cutting-edge terahertz laser technology with new spectroscopic methods, for detection of illicit substances. Using a collaborative approach, the project aims to bring together expertise in laser physics, spectroscopy, law enforcement and instrumentation, and seeks to develop new sources and detection protocols which will offer new capabilities to law enforcement, aiding in detection and identification protocols for illicit substances.Read moreRead less
Advanced eyesafe Er:YAG short pulsed lasers for remote sensing applications. This project will develop state-of-the-art tunable pulsed Er:YAG laser systems that will represent a significant advance for eyesafe remote sensing and range finder technologies. It will render obsolete, current state-of-the-art systems for laser ranging and enable remote sensing of a critical greenhouse gas.
Producing optimally short pulses at long wavelengths. This project aims to make the fluoride glass fibre platform the preferred material for generating ultrashort pulses at 2.8 nm and beyond. High power and efficiency from simple device architectures are essential for industry, medicine and defence. Modern sources of short pulses of light emitting mid-infrared wavelengths are complicated and inefficient. This project will improve fibre sources emitting short pulses and create the essential build ....Producing optimally short pulses at long wavelengths. This project aims to make the fluoride glass fibre platform the preferred material for generating ultrashort pulses at 2.8 nm and beyond. High power and efficiency from simple device architectures are essential for industry, medicine and defence. Modern sources of short pulses of light emitting mid-infrared wavelengths are complicated and inefficient. This project will improve fibre sources emitting short pulses and create the essential building blocks for future all-fibre arrangements that will be more robust. The sources are expected to have applications in non-linear optics and materials modification.Read moreRead less
Laser threshold sensing. This project aims to create a new class of room-temperature ultra-sensitive magnetometers based on laser threshold magnetometry. By using nitrogen-vacancy colour centres in diamond, these magnetometers will demonstrate at least femto-Tesla per root Hertz sensitivity, and could replace SQUID magnetometers. This project aims to develop its theoretical concept into a platform for advanced sensing with applications in magneto-encephalography, nerve sensing, MRI imaging, mini ....Laser threshold sensing. This project aims to create a new class of room-temperature ultra-sensitive magnetometers based on laser threshold magnetometry. By using nitrogen-vacancy colour centres in diamond, these magnetometers will demonstrate at least femto-Tesla per root Hertz sensitivity, and could replace SQUID magnetometers. This project aims to develop its theoretical concept into a platform for advanced sensing with applications in magneto-encephalography, nerve sensing, MRI imaging, mining and aircraft guidance systems.Read moreRead less
Non-Gaussian states and entanglement distillation for Continuous Variable quantum information protocols. Amplifiers are important devices for electronic, computer as well as telecommunication industries. In the quantum world where light's corpuscular nature is prominent, amplification of a beam of light will have its associated noise penalty. This noise penalty sets limit to many quantum optical applications. This proposal aims to use a method based on conditional detection to realize a 'noisel ....Non-Gaussian states and entanglement distillation for Continuous Variable quantum information protocols. Amplifiers are important devices for electronic, computer as well as telecommunication industries. In the quantum world where light's corpuscular nature is prominent, amplification of a beam of light will have its associated noise penalty. This noise penalty sets limit to many quantum optical applications. This proposal aims to use a method based on conditional detection to realize a 'noiseless linear amplifier' that has no noise penalty probabilistically. Realization of this key device is central to extending the range of quantum communication, such as quantum cryptography. It also has applications in quantum computing and the potential to enhance sensitive measurements.Read moreRead less
Studies of near-field optical emission from waveguides and photonic crystals. Advanced optical materials and photonic devices require microscopic feature sizes close to the wavelength of light, challenging the limits of conventional fabrication and characterisation techniques (often developed in parallel). With extensive expertise in near-field optical modelling, Dr Rahmani will target specific problems associated with the characterisation of actual photonic devices. This will improve device de ....Studies of near-field optical emission from waveguides and photonic crystals. Advanced optical materials and photonic devices require microscopic feature sizes close to the wavelength of light, challenging the limits of conventional fabrication and characterisation techniques (often developed in parallel). With extensive expertise in near-field optical modelling, Dr Rahmani will target specific problems associated with the characterisation of actual photonic devices. This will improve device design and fabrication, enabling the development of more efficient, compact lasers and other devices. Economic and social benefits are expected from resulting improvements in optical processing, and the potential for new jobs and industries in this field.Read moreRead less
Quantum and atom optics. The applicant leads a highly successful group of young investigators, achieving internationally acclaimed work in quantum optics. Photonics technology is now at the brink of using the full advantage of quantum mechanics, through the concept of quantum information in optical and atomic systems. The experiments at the ANU group can provide new applications to the photonics industry, in particular in communication, sensing and microscopy. The proposed work is expected to ....Quantum and atom optics. The applicant leads a highly successful group of young investigators, achieving internationally acclaimed work in quantum optics. Photonics technology is now at the brink of using the full advantage of quantum mechanics, through the concept of quantum information in optical and atomic systems. The experiments at the ANU group can provide new applications to the photonics industry, in particular in communication, sensing and microscopy. The proposed work is expected to create fundamental research and generate future commercial opportunities in an area where Australian science is at the leading edge of research and the international demand is rising.Read moreRead less
Advances in Quantum Imaging and Quantum Memory using Squeezed Light and Entanglement. Maintaining a leading position in fundamental research will always result in directly related technologies or spin-offs. Being the first to demonstrate a Quantum Memory and spatial entanglement will guarantee Australia a leading role in two promising quantum research fields. High sensitive position measurements as used in Atomic Force Microscopy can directly benefit from developments of this project. The demons ....Advances in Quantum Imaging and Quantum Memory using Squeezed Light and Entanglement. Maintaining a leading position in fundamental research will always result in directly related technologies or spin-offs. Being the first to demonstrate a Quantum Memory and spatial entanglement will guarantee Australia a leading role in two promising quantum research fields. High sensitive position measurements as used in Atomic Force Microscopy can directly benefit from developments of this project. The demonstration of a Quantum Memory for continuous variables will boost the progress in the realisation of a future quantum network. The participation at a high level in the Quantum research community will bring worldwide recognition to Australia.Read moreRead less
The Standard Quantum Limit and Beyond. The uncertainty principle sets limits on the sensitivity to which any measurement can be made - the standard quantum limit (SQL). This limit is yet to be reached on a macroscopic object and, until recently, was regarded as unsurpassable. Due to the rapid improvement in optical measurement technology developed for Gravitational Wave Astronomy, there is now the prospect of experimentally reaching the standard quantum limit within this decade. This project wi ....The Standard Quantum Limit and Beyond. The uncertainty principle sets limits on the sensitivity to which any measurement can be made - the standard quantum limit (SQL). This limit is yet to be reached on a macroscopic object and, until recently, was regarded as unsurpassable. Due to the rapid improvement in optical measurement technology developed for Gravitational Wave Astronomy, there is now the prospect of experimentally reaching the standard quantum limit within this decade. This project will harness much of this technology to achieve the SQL. It will also experimentally develop new quantum measurement techniques to surpass this limit.Read moreRead less
Continuous Variable Quantum Information Experiments. Quantum information is a research field that exploits the richness of modern quantum theory for measurement, communication and information processing. This fellowship aims at using quantum optics to demonstrate a range of exciting communication and metrological applications that are otherwise impossible with classical physics. Example applications are: Quantum teleportation - a method for the noiseless transport of quantum information; Qua ....Continuous Variable Quantum Information Experiments. Quantum information is a research field that exploits the richness of modern quantum theory for measurement, communication and information processing. This fellowship aims at using quantum optics to demonstrate a range of exciting communication and metrological applications that are otherwise impossible with classical physics. Example applications are: Quantum teleportation - a method for the noiseless transport of quantum information; Quantum cryptography - a crypto-communication system that has absolute security and; Nano-imaging - optical imaging techniques that offer resolution beyond the diffraction limit. These "quantum technology" are predicted to revolutionize information and communication technologies. Read moreRead less