Enhancing the performance of thin-film photovoltaic cells via the application of luminescent down-shifting layers. Photovoltaic (PV) devices convert sunlight directly into electricity. For decades, the dominant PV technology has been based on thick, costly silicon wafers. However, due to higher energy conversion efficiencies and manufacturing processes, thin film PV cells can provide lower price than of the conventional wafer-based technologies. This project takes one of the leading thin film ....Enhancing the performance of thin-film photovoltaic cells via the application of luminescent down-shifting layers. Photovoltaic (PV) devices convert sunlight directly into electricity. For decades, the dominant PV technology has been based on thick, costly silicon wafers. However, due to higher energy conversion efficiencies and manufacturing processes, thin film PV cells can provide lower price than of the conventional wafer-based technologies. This project takes one of the leading thin film technologies and couples it with a passive optical layer, which will result in a 30% performance enhancement by overcoming internal absorption losses. It is anticipated that the increased performance will enable the thin film PV technology to be far more commercially viable and attractive for future commercialisation, and hence reduce the cost of solar power.Read moreRead less
Removing the blur: Guidestar lasers for the space industry . The speed and quality of transferring information between earth and space can be greatly enhanced by adaptive optical systems that provide correction for atmospheric aberrations. The laser-generated guidestars that lie at the heart of these systems must be bright, preferably multi-coloured and with low background. By taking advantage of the unique optical properties of diamond, this project aims to develop lasers that produce these adv ....Removing the blur: Guidestar lasers for the space industry . The speed and quality of transferring information between earth and space can be greatly enhanced by adaptive optical systems that provide correction for atmospheric aberrations. The laser-generated guidestars that lie at the heart of these systems must be bright, preferably multi-coloured and with low background. By taking advantage of the unique optical properties of diamond, this project aims to develop lasers that produce these advanced features to fulfil the needs of the space industry sector. These outcomes are expected to create new services and products in the areas of space situational awareness, space debris management and satellite communications, and have major spin-off benefits to astronomy and defence.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100067
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$150,000.00
Summary
A femtosecond Mmd-IR optical parametric amplifier source for waveguide nonlinear optics. The mid-infrared is an immensely important region of the optical spectrum for sensing toxic or illicit molecules or pollutants using their spectral fingerprints. The equipment will facilitate the development of new techniques for sensing based on nonlinear processes in waveguides.
Nonlinear optics of soft matter. This project will develop new strategies for the use and control of soft-matter systems by exploiting nonlinear interactions with light, and therefore falls into the Designated Research Priority 3: Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries - Breakthrough Science. With soft matter research being increasingly important for applications within industry and medicine, the emergence of new technology for control of nanoparticles could pr ....Nonlinear optics of soft matter. This project will develop new strategies for the use and control of soft-matter systems by exploiting nonlinear interactions with light, and therefore falls into the Designated Research Priority 3: Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries - Breakthrough Science. With soft matter research being increasingly important for applications within industry and medicine, the emergence of new technology for control of nanoparticles could provide significant benefits for the scientific community as well as Australian companies.
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Optical and matter-wave vortices in nonlinear and inhomogeneous media. Wave phenomena of diverse nature have a strikingly similar feature of vorticity, with the energy or matter spiralling around isolated phase singularities. This project targets the fundamental theoretical research in an interdisciplinary field of singular waves transporting vortices in nonlinear and inhomogeneous media. Our project will contribute to the designated priority area "Frontier Technologies for Building and Transfor ....Optical and matter-wave vortices in nonlinear and inhomogeneous media. Wave phenomena of diverse nature have a strikingly similar feature of vorticity, with the energy or matter spiralling around isolated phase singularities. This project targets the fundamental theoretical research in an interdisciplinary field of singular waves transporting vortices in nonlinear and inhomogeneous media. Our project will contribute to the designated priority area "Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries" by providing fundamental understanding of novel physical phenomena and underpinning technological advances in the fields of photonics, atom, and electron optics, where Australia has built strong expertise and plays a significant role in the international development.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668398
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$177,900.00
Summary
Advanced Microwave Facility for Quantum-Atom Optics. Atoms can be controlled using light in visible and infra-red regions, as well as electromagnetic waves of longer wavelength in the microwave (MW) and radiofrequency (RF) part of the spectrum. We presently use optical radiation to control atoms at the quantum level where they can behave like waves and can interact with light to store and manipulate information. The MW and RF facility will extend our abilities and enable more complete control of ....Advanced Microwave Facility for Quantum-Atom Optics. Atoms can be controlled using light in visible and infra-red regions, as well as electromagnetic waves of longer wavelength in the microwave (MW) and radiofrequency (RF) part of the spectrum. We presently use optical radiation to control atoms at the quantum level where they can behave like waves and can interact with light to store and manipulate information. The MW and RF facility will extend our abilities and enable more complete control of the atoms, which will help us develop the first generation quantum technology. This will enable the creation of quantum devices such as atom lasers, atom interferometers and quantum information networks for communication and ultra-sensitive measurement applications.Read moreRead less
Singular photonics: twisted light and optical vortices.
This project will help to establish and support a world-leading research team in Australia in the field of singular photonics and the physics of twisted light; it will help to return the leading positions of the Australian physics in the field of singular optics, and it will initiate a design of a novel generation of photonic devices operating with vortex beams. The project will promote this field in order to enhance its rapid development ....Singular photonics: twisted light and optical vortices.
This project will help to establish and support a world-leading research team in Australia in the field of singular photonics and the physics of twisted light; it will help to return the leading positions of the Australian physics in the field of singular optics, and it will initiate a design of a novel generation of photonic devices operating with vortex beams. The project will promote this field in order to enhance its rapid development and facilitate the emergence of novel technologies in Australia; it will be combined with an extensive collaboration with top overseas groups attracting strong interest from industry.Read moreRead less
Digital Interferometry: A platform technology for robust optical measurements. Digital interferometry is a new concept which will allow the measurement precision of interferometry to be applied in otherwise inaccessible or unsuitable environments. It will enhance the performance of major scientific instruments, such as gravitational wave detectors and optical telescopes, whilst reducing the cost, giving Australia a high profile in the quest to understand the universe. When applied to everyday ....Digital Interferometry: A platform technology for robust optical measurements. Digital interferometry is a new concept which will allow the measurement precision of interferometry to be applied in otherwise inaccessible or unsuitable environments. It will enhance the performance of major scientific instruments, such as gravitational wave detectors and optical telescopes, whilst reducing the cost, giving Australia a high profile in the quest to understand the universe. When applied to everyday situations, such as surveillance, traffic flow or vibration monitoring, it can give Australian industry a economic and social advantage, increasing the wealth and security of the nation. Read moreRead less
Quantum technologies based on crystalline rare-earth ion doped optical waveguides and resonators. Quantum information processing is a powerful emerging technology that aims to fully exploit the properties of quantum mechanics to perform computations and securely transmit information. This project will develop an essential component for this technology that will enable for the first time the direct and reversible transfer of quantum information between solid-state quantum systems and light. Succ ....Quantum technologies based on crystalline rare-earth ion doped optical waveguides and resonators. Quantum information processing is a powerful emerging technology that aims to fully exploit the properties of quantum mechanics to perform computations and securely transmit information. This project will develop an essential component for this technology that will enable for the first time the direct and reversible transfer of quantum information between solid-state quantum systems and light. Successful completion of this project will provide a route to fully scalable quantum computing and long range quantum networks. This project will help secure Australia's leading role in this strategically important new generation technology.Read moreRead less
Quantum opto-mechanics with whispering gallery modes in crystalline materials. Deep understanding and fine control of quantum phenomena will be increasingly important in 21st century technology. This Discovery Project aims to develop cutting edge expertise in ultra-precision machining for the realization of crystalline ring resonators that have very high optical and mechanical Q-factors. These structures will enable novel experiments in non-linear optics, quantum state generation, precision met ....Quantum opto-mechanics with whispering gallery modes in crystalline materials. Deep understanding and fine control of quantum phenomena will be increasingly important in 21st century technology. This Discovery Project aims to develop cutting edge expertise in ultra-precision machining for the realization of crystalline ring resonators that have very high optical and mechanical Q-factors. These structures will enable novel experiments in non-linear optics, quantum state generation, precision metrology and quantum opto-mechanical coupling. Results of our investigations will lead to compact devices for quantum information technologies, new geometries for single atom detection, and a deeper understanding of meso-scale quantum mechanical systems.Read moreRead less