Multilayer thin film memristors: designing interfaces and defect states in perovskites for nanoscale multi-state memories. This project will explore memristive devices, a frontier electronic memory technology, where the memory element's behaviour depends on its prior electronic experiences. This project will attempt to understand the processes that govern the storage and recall of information, to realise functional materials and interfaces that maximise memristive performance.
Surface doping of diamond: A new platform for 2D carbon-based spintronics. This project aims to develop the hydrogen-terminated surface of diamond as a new semiconducting platform for carbon-based spintronics. It will build upon recent experimental advances that have shown diamond to possess a two-dimensional (2D) hole-based system with strong spin-orbit coupling. As a semiconductor with unique spin properties, surface conducting diamond offers considerable advantages over other 2D materials su ....Surface doping of diamond: A new platform for 2D carbon-based spintronics. This project aims to develop the hydrogen-terminated surface of diamond as a new semiconducting platform for carbon-based spintronics. It will build upon recent experimental advances that have shown diamond to possess a two-dimensional (2D) hole-based system with strong spin-orbit coupling. As a semiconductor with unique spin properties, surface conducting diamond offers considerable advantages over other 2D materials such as graphene and topological insulators. These unique properties will be exploited to realise novel semiconductor device architectures for the manipulation of spin using electric fields, and for the study of new spin transport phenomena and quasiparticle excitations at semiconductor-superconductor interfaces.Read moreRead less
Unravelling structure-function relationships in high mobility donor-acceptor co-polymers. This project seeks to understand the high-performance of a new generation of semiconducting plastics. This research will enable the development of low-cost printed electronics such as flexible displays and sensors.
Scalable atom-thin materials for monolithic electronics & optoelectronics. This project aims to understand large-area growth mechanisms and create practical, controllable doping methodologies for developing manufacturing-compatible tunable materials to overcome technological challenges presented by silicon. The project expects to generate new understanding of physico-chemical mechanisms that govern the optical and electrical properties of an emerging class of materials only few-atoms thick that ....Scalable atom-thin materials for monolithic electronics & optoelectronics. This project aims to understand large-area growth mechanisms and create practical, controllable doping methodologies for developing manufacturing-compatible tunable materials to overcome technological challenges presented by silicon. The project expects to generate new understanding of physico-chemical mechanisms that govern the optical and electrical properties of an emerging class of materials only few-atoms thick that offer unprecedented opportunities. This is expected to establish a suite of atomically-thin materials that will be deployed in miniaturised, high-density electronics and optoelectronics of which proof-of-concept functional devices are proposed to be demonstrated. These will be leveraged to explore industry partnerships.Read moreRead less
Synthesising novel phases of carbon by shear-induced phase transformations. Carbon forms the hardest known solids and offers the opportunity for new materials with outstanding properties. The aim of this project is to establish a new technology for synthesising dense, diamond-like carbon materials without the need for high temperatures. The approach uses shear stress caused by non-hydrostatic compressions to drive phase changes in solids. Guided by modelling and using novel experimental techniqu ....Synthesising novel phases of carbon by shear-induced phase transformations. Carbon forms the hardest known solids and offers the opportunity for new materials with outstanding properties. The aim of this project is to establish a new technology for synthesising dense, diamond-like carbon materials without the need for high temperatures. The approach uses shear stress caused by non-hydrostatic compressions to drive phase changes in solids. Guided by modelling and using novel experimental techniques, this project seeks to understand and then exploit this remarkable phase change phenomenon. Expected outcomes include hard and tough coatings for high performance tools, impermeable encapsulations to enhance the longevity of bionic implants and a possible explanation for the mystery of deep earthquakes.Read moreRead less
Rapid point-of-care detection of genomic variations for personalised medicine. Selecting treatment based on a person’s genetic profile can improve drug safety and efficacy, but the application is hampered by the inconvenience, slow result turnaround and high cost of current lab-based tests. Full implementation of personalised medicine in clinical practice requires a point-of-care testing system. This project aims to overcome the challenges involved in developing such a system by validating novel ....Rapid point-of-care detection of genomic variations for personalised medicine. Selecting treatment based on a person’s genetic profile can improve drug safety and efficacy, but the application is hampered by the inconvenience, slow result turnaround and high cost of current lab-based tests. Full implementation of personalised medicine in clinical practice requires a point-of-care testing system. This project aims to overcome the challenges involved in developing such a system by validating novel rapid genotyping methods and developing ultrasensitive real-time DNA detection that will be integrated on a single chip platform to facilitate a small, low cost and reliable test device. The technology will be readily adaptable to areas where prompt access to genomic information is valuable, such as disease diagnosis and risk prediction.Read moreRead less
Synthesis, characterisation, and applications of atomically thin layers of transition metal oxides and dichalcogenides. The project will explore the key fundamental properties of atomically-thin layers of functional materials made of transition metal oxides and dichalcogenides. By reducing the thickness of these materials to only a few atomic layers, the project will create novel electronic properties that are otherwise not exhibited. The aims are to understand layer-dependent changes to their p ....Synthesis, characterisation, and applications of atomically thin layers of transition metal oxides and dichalcogenides. The project will explore the key fundamental properties of atomically-thin layers of functional materials made of transition metal oxides and dichalcogenides. By reducing the thickness of these materials to only a few atomic layers, the project will create novel electronic properties that are otherwise not exhibited. The aims are to understand layer-dependent changes to their physical and chemical properties; to control and tune such properties by altering crystal structure and composition; and to investigate the effect of mixed-layer heterostructure configurations on these characteristics. The fundamental insights gained will serve as the driver for the next generation nanotechnology-enabled electronics and sensing systems.Read moreRead less
Diamond glass: An all-carbon technology for neural networks and biosensing. This project aims to use plasma deposition to synthesise diamond glass with the highest purity and the most diamond-like character so that it meets the strict requirements for emerging device applications. The extreme properties of diamond glass arise from the diamond-like bonding of the majority of its atoms. This amorphous, wide bandgap semiconductor is also the hardest known glass. The maximum diamond-like content pos ....Diamond glass: An all-carbon technology for neural networks and biosensing. This project aims to use plasma deposition to synthesise diamond glass with the highest purity and the most diamond-like character so that it meets the strict requirements for emerging device applications. The extreme properties of diamond glass arise from the diamond-like bonding of the majority of its atoms. This amorphous, wide bandgap semiconductor is also the hardest known glass. The maximum diamond-like content possible in diamond glass coatings is unknown, so determining its ultimate performance is difficult. Expected applications include medical diagnostics, non-volatile memories and programmable chips.Read moreRead less
Exploring piezoelectricity of two-dimensional nanocrystals and nanodevices. This project aims to study piezoelectricity in two-dimensional (2D) nanocrystals and nano-devices. This project expects to result in the formulation of new 2D piezoelectric, ferroelectric and multiferroic theory, syntheses of 2D crystals and exploration of their functionalities, which are directly implemented in innovative electronic and photonic components. This will contribute to the advancement of both new 2D multifun ....Exploring piezoelectricity of two-dimensional nanocrystals and nanodevices. This project aims to study piezoelectricity in two-dimensional (2D) nanocrystals and nano-devices. This project expects to result in the formulation of new 2D piezoelectric, ferroelectric and multiferroic theory, syntheses of 2D crystals and exploration of their functionalities, which are directly implemented in innovative electronic and photonic components. This will contribute to the advancement of both new 2D multifunctional materials and new nanodevice structures which may open up unprecedented opportunities for both scientific and technological endeavoursRead moreRead less
CMOS compatible nonlinear photonic integrated circuits. Bandwidth and energy demands of telecommunications networks are rapidly reaching a crisis point technologically, economically and from a sustainability viewpoint. At the same time, on-chip interconnects for silicon integrated circuits are also reaching a bottleneck. This project aims to combine the expertise of eight leading international groups to pioneer nonlinear photonic integrated circuits compatible with silicon technology (Complement ....CMOS compatible nonlinear photonic integrated circuits. Bandwidth and energy demands of telecommunications networks are rapidly reaching a crisis point technologically, economically and from a sustainability viewpoint. At the same time, on-chip interconnects for silicon integrated circuits are also reaching a bottleneck. This project aims to combine the expertise of eight leading international groups to pioneer nonlinear photonic integrated circuits compatible with silicon technology (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor technology, or CMOS) to achieve new capabilities on a chip for signal generation, processing and measurement for telecommunications, computers, and fundamental science. These platforms are expected to allow the integration of electronics with photonics and to be faster, cheaper, smaller, and more energy efficient than current technology.Read moreRead less