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
Concepts towards the next generation of dye-sensitised solar cells: tandem and plasmonic solar cells. This project aims at exploring the feasibility of novel device concepts to enhance the performance of dye-sensitised solar cells. These concepts include tandem solar cells as well as novel energy relay systems based on the ability of nanoparticles to effectively act as antenna systems that can funnel energy towards a sensitising dye molecule.
Photonic crystals: The key to breaking the silicon-solar cell efficiency barrier. This project aims to investigate solar light harvesting using light trapping by photonic crystal on an amorphous-Silicon thin-film combining passivation technologies with light trapping. Using this new light trapping method, based on a specially designed periodic surface structure, the project expects to set a new standard in solar energy conversion efficiency. The expected outcomes of this project represent a ste ....Photonic crystals: The key to breaking the silicon-solar cell efficiency barrier. This project aims to investigate solar light harvesting using light trapping by photonic crystal on an amorphous-Silicon thin-film combining passivation technologies with light trapping. Using this new light trapping method, based on a specially designed periodic surface structure, the project expects to set a new standard in solar energy conversion efficiency. The expected outcomes of this project represent a step change in Silicon solar cell efficiency, applicable to different materials and especially useful for thin flexible cells. The project has the potential to benefit the renewable energy sector, increasing the efficiency of sustainable energy production, with positive economic and environmental impacts.Read moreRead less
Insight from Darkness: Nanophotonics for real-time phase imaging. This project aims to develop ultrathin surfaces patterned on the nanoscale for extracting information from optical wavefields. These devices can be designed to provide real-time phase contrast imaging of transparent objects. This capability would open up the possibility of live-cell imaging with no expensive optical components and no, or minimal, computational post-processing. The planar configuration is designed to be compatible ....Insight from Darkness: Nanophotonics for real-time phase imaging. This project aims to develop ultrathin surfaces patterned on the nanoscale for extracting information from optical wavefields. These devices can be designed to provide real-time phase contrast imaging of transparent objects. This capability would open up the possibility of live-cell imaging with no expensive optical components and no, or minimal, computational post-processing. The planar configuration is designed to be compatible with next-generation lab-on-a-chip technologies and permit rapid throughput diagnostics with potential applications in biomedicine and materials science. Expected project outcomes may also underpin fundamental advances in understanding the interaction of light with nanostructures.Read moreRead less
Geometry variation and coupling of single gold nanorods for highly efficient, one-photon and two-photon luminescent markers. The search for highly efficient, non toxic and stable luminescence markers is continuing for many applications in bio- and nano-photonics. The project's study of gold nanorod luminescence is designed to fundamentally understand and control the luminescence quantum efficiency of gold nanorod and ultimately unveil its potential as the future marker.
Investigation into a graphene ultra-flat lens array for silicon solar cells breaking the Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit. Based on a recent discovery of the giant refractive index modulation associated with graphene oxide to graphene transition upon laser exposure and the breakthrough of graphene silicon solar cells. This project aims to investigate a new concept of an integratible, broadband, dispersionless, ultraflat lens array from nanostructured graphene oxide/graphene. This conceptually ....Investigation into a graphene ultra-flat lens array for silicon solar cells breaking the Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit. Based on a recent discovery of the giant refractive index modulation associated with graphene oxide to graphene transition upon laser exposure and the breakthrough of graphene silicon solar cells. This project aims to investigate a new concept of an integratible, broadband, dispersionless, ultraflat lens array from nanostructured graphene oxide/graphene. This conceptually new development of functional graphene oxide/graphene lens array in combination with a lumpy nanoparticle enabled back light trapping layer will allow for the non-reciprocal coupling of the broadband solar light into the photovoltaic devices with minimised entropy losses. Thus ultrahigh efficiency solar cells exceeding the conventional theoretical limit can be developed.Read moreRead less
All-on-chip twisted light modulator for ultrahigh-capacity data processing. The project aims to develop a conceptually new all-on-chip twisted light modulator via photonic integration of a customised twisted-light metasurface with on-chip optical waveguides. The goal is to replace current bulky, slow, and costly spatial light modulators by a compact nanophotonic chip for the generation and detection of multiple twisted-light modes. Project outcomes include new knowledge in photonic integration a ....All-on-chip twisted light modulator for ultrahigh-capacity data processing. The project aims to develop a conceptually new all-on-chip twisted light modulator via photonic integration of a customised twisted-light metasurface with on-chip optical waveguides. The goal is to replace current bulky, slow, and costly spatial light modulators by a compact nanophotonic chip for the generation and detection of multiple twisted-light modes. Project outcomes include new knowledge in photonic integration and 3D meta-optics, and novel nanophotonic devices for twisted light, which will expand applications of twisted light for all-on-chip fibre-optic communications and holographic displays. The ultra-compact, high-capacity, efficient twisted-light modulators are expected to have a practical impact on many photonic applications.Read moreRead less
High-performance smart solar powered on-chip capacitive energy storage. High performance and environmentally friendly on-chip power system is the key bottleneck issue limiting the further performance improvement and miniaturisation of ever-increasing portable optoelectronic devices. Building on previous work, including recent breakthroughs of on-chip photonic devices in patterned graphene oxide thin film and the record-breaking nanophotonics solar cells, the project aims to investigate a new con ....High-performance smart solar powered on-chip capacitive energy storage. High performance and environmentally friendly on-chip power system is the key bottleneck issue limiting the further performance improvement and miniaturisation of ever-increasing portable optoelectronic devices. Building on previous work, including recent breakthroughs of on-chip photonic devices in patterned graphene oxide thin film and the record-breaking nanophotonics solar cells, the project aims to investigate a new concept of super-resolution direct laser printing and simultaneous dopant activation of graphene oxide thin films. It is expected that the conceptually new development of the functional graphene oxide film patterning will allow for smart solar-powered on-chip power systems that outperform the state-of-the-art pollution generating batteries.Read moreRead less
Innovating Smaller, Stronger, Faster Nanoscale Light Sources: SPASERs. The SPASER is a new type of nano-size amplifier which is analogous to a transistor in modern electronics but operates more like a laser. It will be possible to build ultrafast processors of information with SPASERs replacing transistors or can be used in nanosensing, nanoimaging and many other fields. This project will assemble a world-class team consisting of the pioneer of the concept of SPASER and others who developed desi ....Innovating Smaller, Stronger, Faster Nanoscale Light Sources: SPASERs. The SPASER is a new type of nano-size amplifier which is analogous to a transistor in modern electronics but operates more like a laser. It will be possible to build ultrafast processors of information with SPASERs replacing transistors or can be used in nanosensing, nanoimaging and many other fields. This project will assemble a world-class team consisting of the pioneer of the concept of SPASER and others who developed design and analysis techniques in the context of semiconductor lasers and detectors to engineer SPASER design. The aim is to make robust, fast and efficient SPASERs which resembles the features of current lasers for use in circuits in the smallest possible size that consume lowest possible energy.Read moreRead less
Optically-activatable nanolithography for ultralow energy long data storage. This project aims to investigate greenphotonic long data storage. Optically-activated nanolithography that adopts earth abundant lanthanide-doped nanoparticles and vectorial holography could enable the development of ultra-long lifetime, ultra-low energy consumption, and ultra-fast access speed technology platforms for exabyte big data centres. The research discoveries from this project will enable the greenphotonic lon ....Optically-activatable nanolithography for ultralow energy long data storage. This project aims to investigate greenphotonic long data storage. Optically-activated nanolithography that adopts earth abundant lanthanide-doped nanoparticles and vectorial holography could enable the development of ultra-long lifetime, ultra-low energy consumption, and ultra-fast access speed technology platforms for exabyte big data centres. The research discoveries from this project will enable the greenphotonic long data storage technology, reducing energy consumption. Such a breakthrough would provide a key platform for the emerging industry revolution 4.0 and build Australia’s international leadership in green and smart digital economies in the big data era.Read moreRead less