A new nano-sensor technology for the detection and identification of residual vapours of explosives, drugs and chemicals in the air. Fighting terrorism and crime is one of the most important and difficult tasks that requires substantial human and technological resources. This project will help to address this enormous problem by developing a new optical sensor technology for the detection and identification of traces of chemicals, explosives, drugs and biological agents. It will develop a labora ....A new nano-sensor technology for the detection and identification of residual vapours of explosives, drugs and chemicals in the air. Fighting terrorism and crime is one of the most important and difficult tasks that requires substantial human and technological resources. This project will help to address this enormous problem by developing a new optical sensor technology for the detection and identification of traces of chemicals, explosives, drugs and biological agents. It will develop a laboratory prototype of this sensor that is expected to have superior sensitivity and operational capabilities. Thus it will noticeably contribute to practical law enforcement, air quality and environmental monitoring, counter-terrorism, air safety, border security and customs service. It will also lead to further development of nano-optics and nanotechnology in Australia. Read moreRead less
Creating a national time and frequency network for Australia. This project will develop the means to distribute accurate time and frequency across the Australian continent via an optical fibre network. This network will meet the needs of future telecommunications, science and astronomy projects including the Australian bid for the Square Kilometre Array radio-astronomy project.
Short-pulse laser cleaning for Australian heritage conservation. Conserving heritage objects is a demanding discipline, requiring a suite of techniques for different problems. Overseas, laser cleaning using long pulse techniques leaves microscopic damage as discrete chunks of material are removed, and is unsuitable for many materials. We have developed a short pulse laser process which can remove material molecule-by-molecule in a controlled fashion, and which can be readily halted once the fi ....Short-pulse laser cleaning for Australian heritage conservation. Conserving heritage objects is a demanding discipline, requiring a suite of techniques for different problems. Overseas, laser cleaning using long pulse techniques leaves microscopic damage as discrete chunks of material are removed, and is unsuitable for many materials. We have developed a short pulse laser process which can remove material molecule-by-molecule in a controlled fashion, and which can be readily halted once the final finish is achieved. We will research this technique for application to unique Australian heritage materials that are important to the specific conservation needs of the Australian War Memorial, the RAAF, Navy and Army Museums, Artlab Australia, and the Art Gallery of NSW.Read moreRead less
High-brightness wavelength tuneable lasers for quantum science. This project aims to establish the capability to manufacture application-specific semiconductor lasers. The project will use existing facilities in Australia to enhance our world-leading quantum science research, and establish a viable export-dominated high-tech manufacturing business. Semiconductor lasers are a critical enabling technology for many scientific applications, particularly for quantum science including quantum computin ....High-brightness wavelength tuneable lasers for quantum science. This project aims to establish the capability to manufacture application-specific semiconductor lasers. The project will use existing facilities in Australia to enhance our world-leading quantum science research, and establish a viable export-dominated high-tech manufacturing business. Semiconductor lasers are a critical enabling technology for many scientific applications, particularly for quantum science including quantum computing and quantum sensing. This project is expected to enable the establishment of a high-tech manufacturing capability to support Australia's leading role in quantum science, and expand our scientific instrumentation exports to new and rapidly developing applications such as magnetic sensing and imaging at nanoscale, quantum communication and computation.Read moreRead less
Quantum noise limited molecular spectrometry. This project will develop a new technology for chemical analysis using lasers. The research will produce more accurate instruments for analysing samples containing carbon dioxide and water. This technology has a surprisingly wide array of applications. For example, sensitive analysis of carbon dioxide will help law enforcement agencies identify the location of illicit drug manufacturing, test for performance enhancing drug use by elite athletes, and ....Quantum noise limited molecular spectrometry. This project will develop a new technology for chemical analysis using lasers. The research will produce more accurate instruments for analysing samples containing carbon dioxide and water. This technology has a surprisingly wide array of applications. For example, sensitive analysis of carbon dioxide will help law enforcement agencies identify the location of illicit drug manufacturing, test for performance enhancing drug use by elite athletes, and monitor greenhouse gases. The instrument for analysing water will improve water resource management in Australia. This program will result in commercial instruments that are sensitive, portable and affordable.Read moreRead less
Terahertz lasers in the fight against illicit substances. This project aims to investigate the application of cutting-edge terahertz laser technology with new spectroscopic methods, for detection of illicit substances. Using a collaborative approach, the project aims to bring together expertise in laser physics, spectroscopy, law enforcement and instrumentation, and seeks to develop new sources and detection protocols which will offer new capabilities to law enforcement, aiding in detection and ....Terahertz lasers in the fight against illicit substances. This project aims to investigate the application of cutting-edge terahertz laser technology with new spectroscopic methods, for detection of illicit substances. Using a collaborative approach, the project aims to bring together expertise in laser physics, spectroscopy, law enforcement and instrumentation, and seeks to develop new sources and detection protocols which will offer new capabilities to law enforcement, aiding in detection and identification protocols for illicit substances.Read moreRead less
Removing the blur: Guidestar lasers for the space industry . The speed and quality of transferring information between earth and space can be greatly enhanced by adaptive optical systems that provide correction for atmospheric aberrations. The laser-generated guidestars that lie at the heart of these systems must be bright, preferably multi-coloured and with low background. By taking advantage of the unique optical properties of diamond, this project aims to develop lasers that produce these adv ....Removing the blur: Guidestar lasers for the space industry . The speed and quality of transferring information between earth and space can be greatly enhanced by adaptive optical systems that provide correction for atmospheric aberrations. The laser-generated guidestars that lie at the heart of these systems must be bright, preferably multi-coloured and with low background. By taking advantage of the unique optical properties of diamond, this project aims to develop lasers that produce these advanced features to fulfil the needs of the space industry sector. These outcomes are expected to create new services and products in the areas of space situational awareness, space debris management and satellite communications, and have major spin-off benefits to astronomy and defence.Read moreRead less
Developing a Socio-Economic Model of the Australian Pharmaceutical Market: an Advanced Decision Support Tool. While current tensions arising from rapid increases in expenditures on pharmaceuticals are likely to become more prominent in future, decision support tools to help policy makers respond to these issues in the most socially and economically efficient way are scarce. Our proposal aims to fill this gap, by gradually extending a prototype model concerning subsidised prescribed pharmaceutica ....Developing a Socio-Economic Model of the Australian Pharmaceutical Market: an Advanced Decision Support Tool. While current tensions arising from rapid increases in expenditures on pharmaceuticals are likely to become more prominent in future, decision support tools to help policy makers respond to these issues in the most socially and economically efficient way are scarce. Our proposal aims to fill this gap, by gradually extending a prototype model concerning subsidised prescribed pharmaceuticals into a complex economic model of the total Australian pharmaceutical market. The new model will be able to project the impact of policy and other changes affecting all pharmaceuticals, as well as their distributional impact on patients. Expenditures by government and patients, as well as sales by industry, will be separately identified; the effects of the introduction of new drugs monitored; and the benefits of using pharmaceuticals estimated in terms of their impact on the health of Australians.Read moreRead less
Integration of broadband microwave photonic frequency convertors. This project aims to develop microwave photonic processors with increased bandwidth and unprecedented radio frequency signal processing. The new technology will enhance radar systems and electronic-warfare capabilities, and allow more flexible delivery of bandwidth for mobile communication systems. Benefits for Australian end-users and industry include improved surveillance for defence and revenue growth in companies working with ....Integration of broadband microwave photonic frequency convertors. This project aims to develop microwave photonic processors with increased bandwidth and unprecedented radio frequency signal processing. The new technology will enhance radar systems and electronic-warfare capabilities, and allow more flexible delivery of bandwidth for mobile communication systems. Benefits for Australian end-users and industry include improved surveillance for defence and revenue growth in companies working with the Australian defence forces.Read moreRead less
Integrated Photonics for Secure Communication and Related Applications in Financial Transaction Data Analysis. The project includes excellent basic science, semiconductor device fabrication and applied mathematics with explicitly identified consequences for innovation. There is strong potential for national economic benefits through the manufacture of new integrated photonic devices, the application of these devices in secure communication systems, the research of advanced non-linear analysis pr ....Integrated Photonics for Secure Communication and Related Applications in Financial Transaction Data Analysis. The project includes excellent basic science, semiconductor device fabrication and applied mathematics with explicitly identified consequences for innovation. There is strong potential for national economic benefits through the manufacture of new integrated photonic devices, the application of these devices in secure communication systems, the research of advanced non-linear analysis protocols, and the implementation of these in financial transaction analysis. Professional development and research education of postgraduate students and early career researchers will be carried out in a multi-disciplinary research environment with ongoing uptake of the research in industry and commercial sectors.Read moreRead less