Designing a spectrometer to search for life on extrasolar planets. Finding indicators of life on extrasolar planets is one of the greatest science questions of our time. Astronomers have found rocky, earth-like exoplanets; now we need powerful spectrometers to search for biomarkers in their atmospheres, detecting the faint imprints from molecules associated with life in the colour spectrum of stars. This project will develop the instruments and technologies required to enable spectroscopy with m ....Designing a spectrometer to search for life on extrasolar planets. Finding indicators of life on extrasolar planets is one of the greatest science questions of our time. Astronomers have found rocky, earth-like exoplanets; now we need powerful spectrometers to search for biomarkers in their atmospheres, detecting the faint imprints from molecules associated with life in the colour spectrum of stars. This project will develop the instruments and technologies required to enable spectroscopy with massively multiplexed telescopes. A spectrometer design with large spectral bandwidth and high resolution, optimised for a facility consisting of thousands of small telescopes, and novel optical fibres to link them, will open the door for breakthrough science requiring an entirely new class of telescope.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence in Optical Microcombs for Breakthrough Science. ARC Centre of Excellence in Optical Microcombs for Breakthrough Science. This Centre aims to explore the society wide transformations that will flow from optical frequency combs - thousands of highly pure light signals precisely spaced across the entire optical spectrum - by leveraging and building upon the latest breakthroughs in physics, materials science and nanofabrication. It expects to generate a wide new base of know ....ARC Centre of Excellence in Optical Microcombs for Breakthrough Science. ARC Centre of Excellence in Optical Microcombs for Breakthrough Science. This Centre aims to explore the society wide transformations that will flow from optical frequency combs - thousands of highly pure light signals precisely spaced across the entire optical spectrum - by leveraging and building upon the latest breakthroughs in physics, materials science and nanofabrication. It expects to generate a wide new base of knowledge in fields as diverse as astronomy, spectroscopy, chemical sensors, and precision measurement. Expected outcomes include the capability to realise complete comb systems on a chip the size of a fingernail, tailored to specific applications, with significant benefits spanning from imaging live cells to autonomous vehicles, satellite communications, and the search for exoplanets.Read moreRead less
3D integrated crystalline UV optical lens-fiber couplers for astronomy. This project aims to create micro-optics for astronomical and bio medical applications by 3D sculpturing them out of crystals by ultra-short pulse lasers. This project will introduce a new 3D fabrication approach of optical probes which have self-aligned micro-optical elements and optical fibres for a wide spectral range and with high quality optical surfaces. Expected outcomes of this project include building new capabiliti ....3D integrated crystalline UV optical lens-fiber couplers for astronomy. This project aims to create micro-optics for astronomical and bio medical applications by 3D sculpturing them out of crystals by ultra-short pulse lasers. This project will introduce a new 3D fabrication approach of optical probes which have self-aligned micro-optical elements and optical fibres for a wide spectral range and with high quality optical surfaces. Expected outcomes of this project include building new capabilities in micro-optical probes for industrial environments, establishing new solutions for international astronomy partners, and developing new techniques to image through optical fibres. This should provide significant benefits by improving astronomical instrumentation and also lead to less invasive endoscopy.Read moreRead less