Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130101033
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
An ultrafast mid-infrared fiber laser: short pulses at long wavelengths. This project will result in the creation of a unique laser system, operating in the mid-infrared wavelength range and generating short bursts of light, which will have a potentially revolutionary impact in many areas of physics, health, defence and astronomy.
Using high-resolution lasers to test quantum electrodynamics. High-precision laser-based measurements of atomic and molecular structure are benchmarks for our fundamental understanding of matter. This project will undertake state-of-the-art experiments on atomic helium, to test and challenge current theoretical predictions of fundamental quantum-electrodynamic properties for helium and for more complex atoms.
Shape-Shifting Molecules: Photoisomerization Action Spectroscopy. This project aims to examine molecules that change shape in response to light in order to gain insight into the biological processes they control. Many biological systems, including the human visual apparatus and bacterial photosynthesis, depend on molecules that change shape in response to light. The project plans to probe shape-shifting molecules with laser light while they are propelled through gas by an electric field. Light-i ....Shape-Shifting Molecules: Photoisomerization Action Spectroscopy. This project aims to examine molecules that change shape in response to light in order to gain insight into the biological processes they control. Many biological systems, including the human visual apparatus and bacterial photosynthesis, depend on molecules that change shape in response to light. The project plans to probe shape-shifting molecules with laser light while they are propelled through gas by an electric field. Light-induced changes in molecular shape produce detectable variations in drift speed. The ensuing knowledge would help calibrate computational approaches for predicting molecular function. It would also establish foundations for understanding essential biological molecules, including retinals, carotenes and peptides, and for developing new light-activated molecular motors and switches.Read moreRead less
Ions in the Fire: Laser Spectroscopy of Cryogenically Cooled Molecular Ions. This project will combine sophisticated laser and mass spectrometric techniques to probe the structure and function of cryogenically cooled biological molecules that are the core operational units for vision, photosynthesis and protein labelling. Knowledge gained from the project will be used to calibrate modern computational approaches to describing and predicting molecular function. It is expected that the project wil ....Ions in the Fire: Laser Spectroscopy of Cryogenically Cooled Molecular Ions. This project will combine sophisticated laser and mass spectrometric techniques to probe the structure and function of cryogenically cooled biological molecules that are the core operational units for vision, photosynthesis and protein labelling. Knowledge gained from the project will be used to calibrate modern computational approaches to describing and predicting molecular function. It is expected that the project will provide foundations for understanding and optimising the biological systems upon which life depends, and for developing new light-activated molecular devices including molecular motors, switches and energy harvesting systems.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101187
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Adapting industrial plasma-processing chemistries through electron collisions to meet emerging technological and environmental requirements. This project involves performing experimental measurements to determine how low-energy electrons interact with highly reactive species, namely free radicals. These interactions play important roles in many industrial applications relating to the manufacture of materials.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130101628
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Efficient high-order harmonic generation using dissociating molecular ions with controlled inter-nuclear separation. This project aims to use extremly short laser pulses to generate strong coherent light of attosecond duration. We expect to produce more attosecond XUV light with the same pump energy by using inter-nuclear distance controlled molecules as generating medium.
Stealth for atoms: tune-out wavelengths to test quantum electrodynamics. This project aims to measure the tune-out and magic wavelengths for the helium atom to challenge quantum electrodynamics. The project will use a technique to measure the potential confining ultracold atoms which, combined with high accuracy wavelength determination, will enable measurements of unprecedented precision. This project aims to advance fundamental understanding of atomic structure, and yield new insights with pot ....Stealth for atoms: tune-out wavelengths to test quantum electrodynamics. This project aims to measure the tune-out and magic wavelengths for the helium atom to challenge quantum electrodynamics. The project will use a technique to measure the potential confining ultracold atoms which, combined with high accuracy wavelength determination, will enable measurements of unprecedented precision. This project aims to advance fundamental understanding of atomic structure, and yield new insights with potential benefits including more accurate atomic clocks.Read moreRead less
Laser spectroscopy of functional molecules. Frontier techniques of molecular laser spectroscopy and mass spectrometry will be developed and deployed to investigate the structure and function of molecules that underpin biological processes, drugs, and single molecule devices, including molecular motors, molecular switches, and energy harvesting systems.
Getting the drift - new frontiers in ion spectroscopy. This project will develop and harness ultra-sensitive techniques to understand the action of photo-active molecules involved in human vision, molecular motors and molecular memory. The new techniques will also help explore and exploit the properties of carbon and silicon nanoparticles, and may assist detection of exotic molecules in space.
Signature of vibrational motions encoded into small polyatomic spectra. Using revolutionary state-of-the-art spectrometers, the project plans to search for signatures of large-amplitude vibrational motions that transform one chemical species to another. Bond-breaking chemical reactions necessarily involve highly vibrationally excited reactants and/or products that move the energy of the system away from equilibrium. It is now possible for direct measurements to be made of the changes that a mole ....Signature of vibrational motions encoded into small polyatomic spectra. Using revolutionary state-of-the-art spectrometers, the project plans to search for signatures of large-amplitude vibrational motions that transform one chemical species to another. Bond-breaking chemical reactions necessarily involve highly vibrationally excited reactants and/or products that move the energy of the system away from equilibrium. It is now possible for direct measurements to be made of the changes that a molecule undergoes as it transits across a chemical potential energy barrier. The project plans to examine the long-standing problem of vinylidene-acetylene isomerisation in order to verify the long-suspected existence of large amplitude vibrational motion in small molecules, which are thought to be the signatures of a particular class of chemical dynamics. These would provide a rational basis for future control of unimolecular chemical reactions.Read moreRead less