Hollow-core microstructured polymer fibres for optical sensing applications. A range of remarkable new optical fibres will be fabricated utilising the capabilities of a unique polymer fibre fabrication facility and focussing on the highly demanding class of microstructured fibres in which guidance in a hollow core is achieved through photonic band gap or Bragg guidance. Long lengths of low-loss fibres of this type will be developed, and applications in optical gas sensing, spectroscopy, voltage ....Hollow-core microstructured polymer fibres for optical sensing applications. A range of remarkable new optical fibres will be fabricated utilising the capabilities of a unique polymer fibre fabrication facility and focussing on the highly demanding class of microstructured fibres in which guidance in a hollow core is achieved through photonic band gap or Bragg guidance. Long lengths of low-loss fibres of this type will be developed, and applications in optical gas sensing, spectroscopy, voltage sensing and telecommunications will be explored.Read moreRead less
Enabling next-generation high-efficiency visible laser sources through advanced waveguide engineering. Lithium niobate has the potential to become the silicon of the optoelectronic industry. In order to realise its potential, fundamental problems associated with long term stability and cost of integration need to be solved. This project will develop a new hybrid fabrication platform that circumvents the traditional approaches pursued in the past for introducing waveguides into a lithium niobate ....Enabling next-generation high-efficiency visible laser sources through advanced waveguide engineering. Lithium niobate has the potential to become the silicon of the optoelectronic industry. In order to realise its potential, fundamental problems associated with long term stability and cost of integration need to be solved. This project will develop a new hybrid fabrication platform that circumvents the traditional approaches pursued in the past for introducing waveguides into a lithium niobate chip. This platform will enable the production of robust, low cost light sources for fields as diverse as biotechnology, environmental sensing and displays. This project will lead to new IP that will establish Australia as a leader in this field.Read moreRead less
Laser Micro-Fabrication of Optoelectronic Devices. The project aims to develop new techniques of laser direct-write fabrication of microstructures (1-100 micron in size) in crystalline materials, and to apply these to fabricating periodically-poled nonlinear crystals for optical frequency conversion. These techniques will use laser ablative surface profiling with subsequent electric field poling, and a completely new process of laser temperature profiling with simultaneous field poling, to writ ....Laser Micro-Fabrication of Optoelectronic Devices. The project aims to develop new techniques of laser direct-write fabrication of microstructures (1-100 micron in size) in crystalline materials, and to apply these to fabricating periodically-poled nonlinear crystals for optical frequency conversion. These techniques will use laser ablative surface profiling with subsequent electric field poling, and a completely new process of laser temperature profiling with simultaneous field poling, to write periodic domains in lithium niobate. Such laser direct-write processing is well suited to rapid prototyping and will enable investigation of novel periodically-poled structures, for example, chirped, fanned and multiplexed structures for nonlinear spectral and temporal conversion.Read moreRead less
Creation of New Precision Optical and Microwave Technologies and their Application to Testing the Fundamental of Physics. Clocks and oscillators are crucial for the highest precision scientific and industrial measurements and are the foundation of modern communications technology. Recent developments in laser-cooled optical clocks promise a wave of revolutionary changes to global navigation, timekeeping and precision measurement. Our group has already achieved world's-best performance in this f ....Creation of New Precision Optical and Microwave Technologies and their Application to Testing the Fundamental of Physics. Clocks and oscillators are crucial for the highest precision scientific and industrial measurements and are the foundation of modern communications technology. Recent developments in laser-cooled optical clocks promise a wave of revolutionary changes to global navigation, timekeeping and precision measurement. Our group has already achieved world's-best performance in this field. To stay at the forefront of this wave we propose a broad-ranging program of research aimed at:
- new clocks of 100 times higher performance than any existing clock,
- development of extremely low noise photonic oscillators,
- the application of these new technologies to test the foundations of Physics, including involvement in a space-based experiment.
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Improved fibre Bragg grating sensors for detection of structural hot spots. Structural integrity monitoring, to anticipate and prevent failure, is a multi-billion dollar effort worldwide. Detailed assessment of the capability of fibre Bragg gratings to measure strain profiles along the grating length, i.e. intragrating sensing, and thereby detect structural ?hot spots? before failure is essential for effective systems. They will be used to determine strain gradients similar to those found in com ....Improved fibre Bragg grating sensors for detection of structural hot spots. Structural integrity monitoring, to anticipate and prevent failure, is a multi-billion dollar effort worldwide. Detailed assessment of the capability of fibre Bragg gratings to measure strain profiles along the grating length, i.e. intragrating sensing, and thereby detect structural ?hot spots? before failure is essential for effective systems. They will be used to determine strain gradients similar to those found in common problem areas, such as the tips of elliptic notches and disbonding at the ends of composite joints. Additionally, grating refractive index profiles will be characterised using imaging techniques, to assess performance and possible changes to gratings after prolonged use.Read moreRead less
Worldwide Collaboration for the Creation of New Frequency Standards, and their Application to testing the Foundations of Physics. Frequency standards are crucial for the highest precision scientific measurements as well as in modern communication and information technology (C&IT). Having already achieved world-best performance for short-term frequency stability, our research team is seeking support to participate in a broad international program with three particular objectives:
(i) create ne ....Worldwide Collaboration for the Creation of New Frequency Standards, and their Application to testing the Foundations of Physics. Frequency standards are crucial for the highest precision scientific measurements as well as in modern communication and information technology (C&IT). Having already achieved world-best performance for short-term frequency stability, our research team is seeking support to participate in a broad international program with three particular objectives:
(i) create new frequency standards based on laser-cooled atoms,
(ii) develop femtosecond laser technology for generating low noise microwave and optical signals,
(iii) develop microwave technology suitable for operation in space.
Improved frequency standards will allow decisive measurements on several fundamental scientific questions, as well as leading to commercial applications in C&IT.
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Liquid light: aqueous bio-sensing in microstructured polymer optical fibres. This project builds on Australia's world-leading position in the development of microstructured polymer optical fibres, and applies the unique benefits they provide to for ultra- sensitive bio-sensing. By using the microstructure to simultaneously confine light and liquid, microstructured optical fibres provide a unique platform for ultra-sensitive spectroscopy and structural studies of biomolecules in solution. The wor ....Liquid light: aqueous bio-sensing in microstructured polymer optical fibres. This project builds on Australia's world-leading position in the development of microstructured polymer optical fibres, and applies the unique benefits they provide to for ultra- sensitive bio-sensing. By using the microstructure to simultaneously confine light and liquid, microstructured optical fibres provide a unique platform for ultra-sensitive spectroscopy and structural studies of biomolecules in solution. The work has profound implications both for fundamental science and applications, particularly in medical diagnostics.Read moreRead less
Exploring Synergies between Frontier Microphotonics and Advanced Time and Frequency Technology. Recently scientists have developed the means to manufacture objects that are on the same microscopic scale as light itself. These structures can deliver exquisite control of the properties of the light beams. Our existing research has been aimed at developing some of the world's most precise measurement tools based on clocks and the pure colours generated by lasers. By combining these two technologie ....Exploring Synergies between Frontier Microphotonics and Advanced Time and Frequency Technology. Recently scientists have developed the means to manufacture objects that are on the same microscopic scale as light itself. These structures can deliver exquisite control of the properties of the light beams. Our existing research has been aimed at developing some of the world's most precise measurement tools based on clocks and the pure colours generated by lasers. By combining these two technologies, both of which lie at the extreme limit of precision, we will develop a new generation of technology for fundamental science objectives as well as for industrial needs.Read moreRead less
Nanoparticle-enabled photorefractive digital holography: toward the next generation ultrafast and multi-colour three dimensional display technology. The cutting-edge knowledge in nanoparticle-enabled photorefractive polymers will provide an innovative material for green-photonics industry. The new generation ultrafast and multi-colour digital holographic three dimensional display technology will be potentially beneficial to entertainment sectors, remote education and medical diagnosis and photov ....Nanoparticle-enabled photorefractive digital holography: toward the next generation ultrafast and multi-colour three dimensional display technology. The cutting-edge knowledge in nanoparticle-enabled photorefractive polymers will provide an innovative material for green-photonics industry. The new generation ultrafast and multi-colour digital holographic three dimensional display technology will be potentially beneficial to entertainment sectors, remote education and medical diagnosis and photovoltaics.Read moreRead less
Nanodiamond in glass: a new approach to nanosensing. This work will develop optical materials enriched with diamond nanoparticles. This will enable the magnetic field sensitivity of diamond nanoparticles to be combined with the capacity of micro/nanostructured optical fibres to enhance the interaction of light with matter. The outcome will be tools for probing biological processes on the nanoscale.