Advancing x-ray imaging into new dimensions using interferometry and phase-space tomography. Synchrotron science and nanofabrication technologies are priority investment areas for most industrial countries including Australia. This research program takes advantages of recent progress in these fields and aims to advance x-ray imaging techniques of high sensitivity and low radiation dose and retrieve all extractable information of an object encoded in a wavefield. The development of these techniqu ....Advancing x-ray imaging into new dimensions using interferometry and phase-space tomography. Synchrotron science and nanofabrication technologies are priority investment areas for most industrial countries including Australia. This research program takes advantages of recent progress in these fields and aims to advance x-ray imaging techniques of high sensitivity and low radiation dose and retrieve all extractable information of an object encoded in a wavefield. The development of these techniques is critical to future opportunities of frontier discoveries of the biological, nano and atomic world. Its application includes structural biology, medical diagnosis, biomedicine, material sciences and many other fields.Read moreRead less
Singular optics of polychromatic light. This project targets fundamental research in the emerging field of nonlinear singular optics with polychromatic light. It underpins new technological advances in the field of photonics, where Australia has built strong expertise and plays a significant role in the international development. This research will assist in the development of new type of photonic applications, where the spatial and spectral coherence of light plays a key role. Therefore our pro ....Singular optics of polychromatic light. This project targets fundamental research in the emerging field of nonlinear singular optics with polychromatic light. It underpins new technological advances in the field of photonics, where Australia has built strong expertise and plays a significant role in the international development. This research will assist in the development of new type of photonic applications, where the spatial and spectral coherence of light plays a key role. Therefore 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 by building experimental and theoretical basis for new photonic technologies.Read moreRead less
Low threshold photonic crystal microlasers. The aims of this project are to develop detailed finite-difference time-domain numerical models of active photonic crystal structures, and to use them to optimise the design and performance of photonic-crystal-based devices, especially micro-cavity lasers. Photonic crystal microlasers have the potential to provide very efficient and low noise laser sources in micron-sized cavities, however the simplistic structures used to realise these lasers to date ....Low threshold photonic crystal microlasers. The aims of this project are to develop detailed finite-difference time-domain numerical models of active photonic crystal structures, and to use them to optimise the design and performance of photonic-crystal-based devices, especially micro-cavity lasers. Photonic crystal microlasers have the potential to provide very efficient and low noise laser sources in micron-sized cavities, however the simplistic structures used to realise these lasers to date provide sub-optimal performance. Innovative designs with improved performance will be developed by tailoring both the optical and thermal properties of planar photonic crystal stuctures. Devices designed during this project will subsequently be fabricated at facilities in France.Read moreRead less
Light control in nonlinear periodic structures. New technologies for precise control of light in microstructured periodic materials hold promises for breakthroughs in all-optical computing and communication areas. This project will develop novel concepts and innovative techniques to dynamically induce periodic structures in highly nonlinear materials for active control of light by light itself. It will combine experiment and theory to reveal and engineer the key aspects of light propagation in t ....Light control in nonlinear periodic structures. New technologies for precise control of light in microstructured periodic materials hold promises for breakthroughs in all-optical computing and communication areas. This project will develop novel concepts and innovative techniques to dynamically induce periodic structures in highly nonlinear materials for active control of light by light itself. It will combine experiment and theory to reveal and engineer the key aspects of light propagation in these structures, such as beam shaping and interactions. The outcome of this fundamental research will open-up new directions for technological advances in the photonics industry, with applications in all-optical switching and information storage.Read moreRead less
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
Non-Interferometric Phase Measurement of Exotic Waves. Phase is a key concept in all aspects of physics from biological microscopy through to length measurement and on to industrial inspection. The University of Melbourne has developed a new class of phase measurement techniques that possesses unprecedented flexibility. The aim of this project is to build on the international leadership of the Australian team so as to fully explore and develop these techniques.
Solitons and localised structures in nonlocal nonlinear media. Solitons - localised waves existing in nonlinear media may propagate without changing their shape and interact with each other as real particles. They are ubiquitous in nature - exist in any system exhibiting dispersion and nonlinearity. This project aims to study theoretically and experimentally properties of beams and solitons in non-local nonlinear systems. It will lay out theoretical foundations of the nonlocal solitons and d ....Solitons and localised structures in nonlocal nonlinear media. Solitons - localised waves existing in nonlinear media may propagate without changing their shape and interact with each other as real particles. They are ubiquitous in nature - exist in any system exhibiting dispersion and nonlinearity. This project aims to study theoretically and experimentally properties of beams and solitons in non-local nonlinear systems. It will lay out theoretical foundations of the nonlocal solitons and demonstrate experimentally their unique features. This research will have an impact on understanding of the soliton phenomena in many fields including optics and matter waves, providing knowledge which may be subsequently transferred to practical technologies, such as in formation of optical circuits.Read moreRead less
Matter-wave vortices in engineered nanostructures. This project tackles some of the key problems which must be solved before any applications of manipulating and controlling Bose-Einstein condensates with nanostructures can be realised. This project is therefore of National Benefit for its advances in critical fundamental research and for the potential applications which may be ultimately derived from harnessing the power of this new state of matter. Australia is at the forefront of this revol ....Matter-wave vortices in engineered nanostructures. This project tackles some of the key problems which must be solved before any applications of manipulating and controlling Bose-Einstein condensates with nanostructures can be realised. This project is therefore of National Benefit for its advances in critical fundamental research and for the potential applications which may be ultimately derived from harnessing the power of this new state of matter. Australia is at the forefront of this revolution in quantum technology. This project furthers Australia's competitive position and opens up new opportunities for ground-breaking research and applications in an area which has the potential to be as revolutionary as the development of the laser.Read moreRead less
Developments in Optical Sciences. The applicant leads a highly motivated and successful group of young investigators doing internationally leading work on complete recovery of phase information. This work is able to provide new approaches to fundamental research problems at the basis of quantum mechanics, as well as leading to important new applications in biomedical and industrial imaging. The proposed work has already led to one start-up company and it is expected that the commercial developme ....Developments in Optical Sciences. The applicant leads a highly motivated and successful group of young investigators doing internationally leading work on complete recovery of phase information. This work is able to provide new approaches to fundamental research problems at the basis of quantum mechanics, as well as leading to important new applications in biomedical and industrial imaging. The proposed work has already led to one start-up company and it is expected that the commercial development will continue. The proposed program will lead to an involvement in an international space project, enhance synchrotron-based research in Australia and lead to new developments in microfabrication technologies.Read moreRead less
Active Control of Light for Nonlinear Photonic Devices. In free space, light travels in a straight line, but since ancient times mankind has always sought to direct its propagation. Controlling light is an enduring problem in modern photonic technologies. The ultimate goal is to actively manipulate light propagation in space and time with a great accuracy. With this project we will investigate the fundamental science of active control of light in periodic structures and will provide a unique pla ....Active Control of Light for Nonlinear Photonic Devices. In free space, light travels in a straight line, but since ancient times mankind has always sought to direct its propagation. Controlling light is an enduring problem in modern photonic technologies. The ultimate goal is to actively manipulate light propagation in space and time with a great accuracy. With this project we will investigate the fundamental science of active control of light in periodic structures and will provide a unique platform for exploration of ground breaking optical physics, ensuring Australia remains a world leader in the field. Precision manipulation of light will form the basis of new techniques for all-optical signal processing and computing, with great impact on Australian photonic and defense industries.Read moreRead less