Tunable nonlinear photonic devices with liquid crystals. This project will help to initiate in Australia a systematic study of nonlinear properties of liquid crystals for applications in optical components. Taking the advantage of strong and tunable nonlinear response of liquid crystals and low threshold powers, it will analyse new opportunities for controllable light manipulation in nanoscale photonic devices, suggesting realistic designs for tunable photonic circuits. The project will promote ....Tunable nonlinear photonic devices with liquid crystals. This project will help to initiate in Australia a systematic study of nonlinear properties of liquid crystals for applications in optical components. Taking the advantage of strong and tunable nonlinear response of liquid crystals and low threshold powers, it will analyse new opportunities for controllable light manipulation in nanoscale photonic devices, suggesting realistic designs for tunable photonic circuits. The project will promote this attractive field and will facilitate the emergence of novel technologies. It will also lead to important international collaborations and bring important new expertise to Australia, complementing the core research program of the ARC Centre of Excellence CUDOS.Read moreRead less
Microwave Antennas and Waveguides in Photonic Crystals. We propose to design a revolutionary new class of microwave antennas and antenna arrays in photonic crystals, which can shield, localise and guide electromagnetic radiation in a dielectric environment. This design is completely devoid of metal, thereby eliminating skin-effect losses that are the dominant limitation for planar antenna arrays at upper microwave (millimetre-wave) frequencies. Our new design will achieve high radiation efficie ....Microwave Antennas and Waveguides in Photonic Crystals. We propose to design a revolutionary new class of microwave antennas and antenna arrays in photonic crystals, which can shield, localise and guide electromagnetic radiation in a dielectric environment. This design is completely devoid of metal, thereby eliminating skin-effect losses that are the dominant limitation for planar antenna arrays at upper microwave (millimetre-wave) frequencies. Our new design will achieve high radiation efficiencies and antenna gains not possible with existing planar technology, thereby enabling new applications of planar antenna arrays, for example to radio astronomy, as well as greatly improving existing applications.Read moreRead less
Composite magnetic conducting nanomaterials for microwave applications. Australian science and technology will be a leading participant in the creation of a new, useful technology for microwave and magnetologic applications whose properties arise from integration of metallic magnetic nanoelements with miniature nonmagnetic current conductors. Recent proof-of-concept demonstrations have inspired an explosion of activity on a global scale. In this project, young Australian scientists and research ....Composite magnetic conducting nanomaterials for microwave applications. Australian science and technology will be a leading participant in the creation of a new, useful technology for microwave and magnetologic applications whose properties arise from integration of metallic magnetic nanoelements with miniature nonmagnetic current conductors. Recent proof-of-concept demonstrations have inspired an explosion of activity on a global scale. In this project, young Australian scientists and research students will have opportunities to receive training and become involved in a National Priority Frontier Technology rich in possibilities for generation of intellectual property.Read moreRead less
Left-handed metamaterials and negative refraction. This project will establish and support the first team in Australia working in the field of left-handed metamaterials, artificial materials in which waves behave in a unique and counter-intuitive way. The project will promote this new field, enhance its rapid development, and facilitate emerging novel technologies in Australia. It will also lead to close international collaborations with active theoretical and experimental groups, and bring impo ....Left-handed metamaterials and negative refraction. This project will establish and support the first team in Australia working in the field of left-handed metamaterials, artificial materials in which waves behave in a unique and counter-intuitive way. The project will promote this new field, enhance its rapid development, and facilitate emerging novel technologies in Australia. It will also lead to close international collaborations with active theoretical and experimental groups, and bring important expertise to Australia. We believe our initial efforts of purely fundamental nature and extensive collaboration with the overseas groups will have a significant impact on the development of this field and related novel technologies in Australia, attracting strong interest from industry.Read moreRead less
Engineering and control of metamaterials with negative refraction. This project will extend significantly the research activity on metamaterials in Australia, promoting this new field and aiming to solve high priority problems and paving the way to creation of practical sub-wavelength devices. This project is therefore of national benefit for its advances in critical fundamental research and for potential applications in a large number of engineering tasks in microwave and optical devices. The p ....Engineering and control of metamaterials with negative refraction. This project will extend significantly the research activity on metamaterials in Australia, promoting this new field and aiming to solve high priority problems and paving the way to creation of practical sub-wavelength devices. This project is therefore of national benefit for its advances in critical fundamental research and for potential applications in a large number of engineering tasks in microwave and optical devices. The project will initialize collaboration with world leading experts in the area, bringing important expertise to Australia. It will provide a greater acceptance of Australia as a major world player in fundamental research.Read moreRead less
Polar Cap Region Boundary Dynamics. Geomagnetic storms have the potential to severely impair critical technology infrastructure. Consequences of strong geomagnetic activity can include power failures, pipeline corrosion, satellite failures, inaccurate GPS positioning and radio navigation. Knowledge of how, where and under which conditions this activity occurs is therefore crucial. The primary aim of this project is to extend our knowledge of the mechanisms by which this activity occurs. This wor ....Polar Cap Region Boundary Dynamics. Geomagnetic storms have the potential to severely impair critical technology infrastructure. Consequences of strong geomagnetic activity can include power failures, pipeline corrosion, satellite failures, inaccurate GPS positioning and radio navigation. Knowledge of how, where and under which conditions this activity occurs is therefore crucial. The primary aim of this project is to extend our knowledge of the mechanisms by which this activity occurs. This work will consolidate Australia's international space profile and provide excellent training in this field, helping Australia's future technology development.Read moreRead less
Light scattering in complex mesoscale systems. The aim of the proposed project is to develop tested theoretic models of, and test applications of, the scattering of light in complex mesoscale systems. This will include: light scattering by biological cells, including optical cancer detection, remote sensing of cell populations, flow cytometry and optical tweezers; optically driven micromachines, and nano- and micro-structured materials. These applications are of considerable technological, socia ....Light scattering in complex mesoscale systems. The aim of the proposed project is to develop tested theoretic models of, and test applications of, the scattering of light in complex mesoscale systems. This will include: light scattering by biological cells, including optical cancer detection, remote sensing of cell populations, flow cytometry and optical tweezers; optically driven micromachines, and nano- and micro-structured materials. These applications are of considerable technological, social, and economic importance, and significant advances are possible. Methods developed during this project will allow accurate theoretical calculations to be performed where only inadequate approximations have previously been possible.Read moreRead less
Nonlinear metamaterials and transformation optics. This research program will bring Australia to the forefront of international research in the exciting area of nonlinear metamaterials. It will provide high-level training for students in breakthrough science directions, and contribute to the uptake of frontier technologies by Australian industries for successful operation in a competitive global environment. This project will introduce and demonstrate novel concepts for dynamically controlling a ....Nonlinear metamaterials and transformation optics. This research program will bring Australia to the forefront of international research in the exciting area of nonlinear metamaterials. It will provide high-level training for students in breakthrough science directions, and contribute to the uptake of frontier technologies by Australian industries for successful operation in a competitive global environment. This project will introduce and demonstrate novel concepts for dynamically controlling and manipulating the properties of new type of materials. This research should bridge a gap between the study of metamaterials as a theoretical curiosity and their advanced applications. Our developments will underpin future developments in imaging systems and security. Read moreRead less
Engineering phase and the flow of light in nanophotonics. Optical devices on the scale of only billionths of a meter impel photonic revolution in information technologies. The extraordinary sensitivity and tunability of light confined on nano-scale is caused by the yet unexplored and poorly understood world of tiniest flows of energy, the optical vortices. In this project we will learn to manipulate optical vortices with the light itself, introducing original concepts for intelligent engineering ....Engineering phase and the flow of light in nanophotonics. Optical devices on the scale of only billionths of a meter impel photonic revolution in information technologies. The extraordinary sensitivity and tunability of light confined on nano-scale is caused by the yet unexplored and poorly understood world of tiniest flows of energy, the optical vortices. In this project we will learn to manipulate optical vortices with the light itself, introducing original concepts for intelligent engineering of nano-elements of a photonic chip. This project will deliver underpinning knowledge, foremost practical expertise, and the prominent training of young researchers to secure Australia's international leadership in the rapidly growing and competitive field of nanophotonics.Read moreRead less
New regularisation techniques in electromagnetic diffraction from cavities and related complex scatterers. Modern technology, such as radar and other imaging devices, exploits the information carried by electromagnetic waves. New technology depends centrally upon advances in the mathematics of waves to give precise, reliable and effective means of predicting how objects capture and re-radiate wave energy in the scattering environment. This project aims to develop a new mathematical approach to w ....New regularisation techniques in electromagnetic diffraction from cavities and related complex scatterers. Modern technology, such as radar and other imaging devices, exploits the information carried by electromagnetic waves. New technology depends centrally upon advances in the mathematics of waves to give precise, reliable and effective means of predicting how objects capture and re-radiate wave energy in the scattering environment. This project aims to develop a new mathematical approach to wave scattering by objects with complex scattering mechanisms, as typified by cavity structures. This new formulation is obtained by a process of analytical regularisation of the equations describing the scattering process. It generates algorithms more reliable and computationally accurate than current codes.
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