Atomic scale imaging with high coherence electrons and ions. This project aims to combine a cold atom electron-ion source with a commercial microscope column for atomic-scale imaging in biosciences and materials science. Nanoscale imaging with electron and ion microscopy are tools for investigating the world at the atomic scale, underpinning development in modern technologies from semiconductor devices to medical treatments. This project will use ideas from laser cooling of atoms and atom optics ....Atomic scale imaging with high coherence electrons and ions. This project aims to combine a cold atom electron-ion source with a commercial microscope column for atomic-scale imaging in biosciences and materials science. Nanoscale imaging with electron and ion microscopy are tools for investigating the world at the atomic scale, underpinning development in modern technologies from semiconductor devices to medical treatments. This project will use ideas from laser cooling of atoms and atom optics to achieve new imaging modalities for time-lapse imaging of fundamental processes at the nano-scale. It will allow increasingly small scale resolution of fundamental processes at the nano-scale.Read moreRead less
Novel advances in sub-nanometer imaging. After two decades of research the first wave of applications in nanotechnology and nanobiology is breaking. Immediately key to further progress in both areas is the ability to characterise the structure of such systems and also their evolution on very short time scales. This research project places Australia at the forefront in this endeavour.
Dynamics and correlations of many-body systems. The proposed program will greatly enhance Australian science through linking innovative
theoretical techniques with the successful ongoing Australian experimental program in atom
lasers, atom chip interferometry and ultra-cold fermions. Pioneering theoretical methods in
quantum phase-space are internationally recognized, and will be extended into new areas relevant
to Australia. These have fundamental significance to fields ranging from nanotec ....Dynamics and correlations of many-body systems. The proposed program will greatly enhance Australian science through linking innovative
theoretical techniques with the successful ongoing Australian experimental program in atom
lasers, atom chip interferometry and ultra-cold fermions. Pioneering theoretical methods in
quantum phase-space are internationally recognized, and will be extended into new areas relevant
to Australia. These have fundamental significance to fields ranging from nanotechnology to
astrophysics, as well as providing a route to improved atomic clocks and other instruments.
Combining these theoretical and computational methods from the physical sciences with biology
and genetics will provide future cross-disciplinary benefits to Australian biomedical science.Read moreRead less
Life is swirl in flatland: two dimensional turbulence in a superfluid. The project will create two-dimensional turbulence in a superfluid gas of atoms in order to observe the predicted, but counter-intuitive, growth of ordered structure out of chaotic motion. The observation of such behaviour would support its mechanism as the explanation for phenomena such as giant eddies in ocean currents and the Great Red Spot of Jupiter.
Generation and Application of Ultracold Molecules. This project will extend the techniques of laser trapping and cooling of neutral atoms to produce ensembles of ultracold molecules, specifically Rb2. The starting point will be a cold sample of atoms, followed by the photoassociative formation of ultracold molecules. The ultracold molecules will be collected in a far-detuned optical dipole trap, and subsequently probed using femtosecond time-resolved spectroscopy. This unique combination of femt ....Generation and Application of Ultracold Molecules. This project will extend the techniques of laser trapping and cooling of neutral atoms to produce ensembles of ultracold molecules, specifically Rb2. The starting point will be a cold sample of atoms, followed by the photoassociative formation of ultracold molecules. The ultracold molecules will be collected in a far-detuned optical dipole trap, and subsequently probed using femtosecond time-resolved spectroscopy. This unique combination of femtosecond spectroscopy with ultraslow molecules will extend the study of chemical processes to an entirely new temperature regime, leading to a new understanding of the quantum nature of chemical reactions.Read moreRead less
Imaging the invisible. This project aims to develop imaging technology to see and quantify objects normally invisible with X-rays. It will develop an X-ray imaging system that should provide orders of magnitude greater sensitivity to subtle changes in material composition than conventional radiography. It will devise quantitative image analysis tools for isolating specific materials of interest from complex multi-material samples, including low density components that often go undetected. Indust ....Imaging the invisible. This project aims to develop imaging technology to see and quantify objects normally invisible with X-rays. It will develop an X-ray imaging system that should provide orders of magnitude greater sensitivity to subtle changes in material composition than conventional radiography. It will devise quantitative image analysis tools for isolating specific materials of interest from complex multi-material samples, including low density components that often go undetected. Industries that could benefit significantly from this technology include airport security, the mining sector, agriculture, manufacturing quality control, and biomedical researchers studying anatomical form and function.Read moreRead less
New Multidimensional Femtosecond Spectroscopic Techniques for Complex Molecular Systems. We will develop novel multidimensional nonlinear spectroscopic techniques based on sequences of femtosecond laser pulses to investigate ultrafast processes and transient species in complex molecular systems. The molecular systems will include biologically important protein molecules, complex synthetic polymers, new semiconductor materials and semiconductor quantum structures including quantum dots. This in ....New Multidimensional Femtosecond Spectroscopic Techniques for Complex Molecular Systems. We will develop novel multidimensional nonlinear spectroscopic techniques based on sequences of femtosecond laser pulses to investigate ultrafast processes and transient species in complex molecular systems. The molecular systems will include biologically important protein molecules, complex synthetic polymers, new semiconductor materials and semiconductor quantum structures including quantum dots. This information will significantly advance our understanding of fundamental dynamical processes such as energy and charge transfer in macro- and supra-molecules, transport of oxygen in animals, photosynthesis, advanced photo-active devices, and ultrafast processes in new semiconductor materials and semiconductor quantum structures.Read moreRead less
Understanding Collisions of Cold Polar Molecules. This project is in a high impact research field and therefore has several immediate and substantial national benefits. First, this project will directly raise the quality of Australian science in ultracold atomic physics, cold polar molecules physics, and quantum chemistry. Second, it will constitute high impact research from an Australian institute which will raise the recognition of the high quality Australian science. Third, it will further ....Understanding Collisions of Cold Polar Molecules. This project is in a high impact research field and therefore has several immediate and substantial national benefits. First, this project will directly raise the quality of Australian science in ultracold atomic physics, cold polar molecules physics, and quantum chemistry. Second, it will constitute high impact research from an Australian institute which will raise the recognition of the high quality Australian science. Third, it will further develop capabilities of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum-Atom Optics (ACQAO). Fourth, this work will start high calibre international collaborations, most notably with a world renowned experimental group at Yale University among others.Read moreRead less
Ultracold atomic Fermi gases in the strongly interacting regime: A new frontier of quantum many-body physics. Ultra-cold atoms are one of the most rapidly developing areas in twenty-first century physics. The scientific importance of studying strongly interacting Fermi gases is indicated by the fact that five Nobel prizes in physics have been awarded in fields relevant to ultra-cold atoms in the last decade. Australia is now developing a reputation for world-class research in this new area, with ....Ultracold atomic Fermi gases in the strongly interacting regime: A new frontier of quantum many-body physics. Ultra-cold atoms are one of the most rapidly developing areas in twenty-first century physics. The scientific importance of studying strongly interacting Fermi gases is indicated by the fact that five Nobel prizes in physics have been awarded in fields relevant to ultra-cold atoms in the last decade. Australia is now developing a reputation for world-class research in this new area, with new cold-fermion experiments now underway in Melbourne. This project will build national and international cooperation in this field, provide world-class research training opportunities and advance Australia's leadership position. As well as improving scientific understanding, it has the potential to lead to new energy-saving technologies in future.Read moreRead less
Imbalanced superfluidity: The quantum mystery that defies solution. The project focuses on ground-breaking research in ultra-cold atomic Fermi gases, the fastest developing area in twenty-first century physics. Australia has already invested heavily in ultra-cold atomic Bose gases including atom lasers. An experimental program on atomic Fermi gases has also been initiated in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum-Atom Optics (ACQAO). Our project, if successful, will help elevate Australia to a ....Imbalanced superfluidity: The quantum mystery that defies solution. The project focuses on ground-breaking research in ultra-cold atomic Fermi gases, the fastest developing area in twenty-first century physics. Australia has already invested heavily in ultra-cold atomic Bose gases including atom lasers. An experimental program on atomic Fermi gases has also been initiated in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum-Atom Optics (ACQAO). Our project, if successful, will help elevate Australia to a major international research centre in cold Fermi gases, complementing its ongoing strength developed through the ACQAO experiments, and will bring fundamental knowledge that could have a significant and profound influence upon future technologies: for example, novel electronics, lossless power transmission and magnetic levitation.Read moreRead less