Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100009
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$455,000.00
Summary
Ultra-precision cutting and polishing machines for fabricating high-Q crystalline resonators. The proposed facility will equip Australian researchers with the capability to machine and polish optical crystalline materials down to atomic-level smoothness. The availability of this technology will enable the fabrication of ultra-sensitive metrological sensors, state-of-the-art photonic components, and quantum devices. Precision metrology is an integral component of many industries and it underpins ....Ultra-precision cutting and polishing machines for fabricating high-Q crystalline resonators. The proposed facility will equip Australian researchers with the capability to machine and polish optical crystalline materials down to atomic-level smoothness. The availability of this technology will enable the fabrication of ultra-sensitive metrological sensors, state-of-the-art photonic components, and quantum devices. Precision metrology is an integral component of many industries and it underpins a modern, technically advanced society. With this facility Australian researchers will lead the world in the fabrication of optical crystalline devices for a broad range of industrial and research applications.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100164
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
GNOSIS: a new window on the early universe using revolutionary photonic technology. Australian astronomers have a long history in innovative instrumentation and are some of the early pioneers in infrared astronomy. The GNOSIS project brings together leading Australian astronomers to build on past success. This facility instrument makes use of recent technological advances in photonics—a key strength of Australian research and industry—to provide a dramatic improvement in observational sensitivit ....GNOSIS: a new window on the early universe using revolutionary photonic technology. Australian astronomers have a long history in innovative instrumentation and are some of the early pioneers in infrared astronomy. The GNOSIS project brings together leading Australian astronomers to build on past success. This facility instrument makes use of recent technological advances in photonics—a key strength of Australian research and industry—to provide a dramatic improvement in observational sensitivity at these wavelengths. This will allow Australian astronomers to carry out new science programmes that have not been possible to date. These programmes include unprecedented observations of very cool low mass stars, the first chemical information on dust-embedded star clusters, and accurate ages for distant galaxies.Read moreRead less
Quantum opto-mechanics with whispering gallery modes in crystalline materials. Deep understanding and fine control of quantum phenomena will be increasingly important in 21st century technology. This Discovery Project aims to develop cutting edge expertise in ultra-precision machining for the realization of crystalline ring resonators that have very high optical and mechanical Q-factors. These structures will enable novel experiments in non-linear optics, quantum state generation, precision met ....Quantum opto-mechanics with whispering gallery modes in crystalline materials. Deep understanding and fine control of quantum phenomena will be increasingly important in 21st century technology. This Discovery Project aims to develop cutting edge expertise in ultra-precision machining for the realization of crystalline ring resonators that have very high optical and mechanical Q-factors. These structures will enable novel experiments in non-linear optics, quantum state generation, precision metrology and quantum opto-mechanical coupling. Results of our investigations will lead to compact devices for quantum information technologies, new geometries for single atom detection, and a deeper understanding of meso-scale quantum mechanical systems.Read moreRead less
The Evolution of Gas in Galaxy Groups. The evolution of gas in galaxy groups is poorly understood, but is crucial to understanding galaxy evolution. This project provides a training opportunity for a talented postdoc to conduct the first `multiwavelength census' of southern galaxy groups, perform simulations and make predictions of group properties at early times. We will better understand the evolutionary processes in groups and provide a `local anchor' for future surveys. The knowledge gained ....The Evolution of Gas in Galaxy Groups. The evolution of gas in galaxy groups is poorly understood, but is crucial to understanding galaxy evolution. This project provides a training opportunity for a talented postdoc to conduct the first `multiwavelength census' of southern galaxy groups, perform simulations and make predictions of group properties at early times. We will better understand the evolutionary processes in groups and provide a `local anchor' for future surveys. The knowledge gained will feed directly into the design of the future Square Kilometre Array, and raise Australia's profile in this $1B project. We exploit Australia's best astronomical facilities, and establish a new University-CSIRO collaboration.
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Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0236657
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$210,000.00
Summary
Renewed Great Melbourne Telescope: Opening a Window on the Universe. We propose to refurbish the Great Melbourne Telescope (GMT) located at Mount Stromlo Observatory with a new state-of-the-art imager. This instrument will be available to the entire Australian Astronomical community, and will allow Australian researchers to undertake cutting edge research with this world leading two colour wide field imager. A fully automated observing and data reduction pipeline, a world first for a telescope o ....Renewed Great Melbourne Telescope: Opening a Window on the Universe. We propose to refurbish the Great Melbourne Telescope (GMT) located at Mount Stromlo Observatory with a new state-of-the-art imager. This instrument will be available to the entire Australian Astronomical community, and will allow Australian researchers to undertake cutting edge research with this world leading two colour wide field imager. A fully automated observing and data reduction pipeline, a world first for a telescope of this size, means astronomers can work on their data, analyzing everything from the Solar System, to the most distant objects in the Universe, rather than spending night after night at the telescope.Read moreRead less
Illuminating the Universe with Exploding Stars. We are using Exploding Stars (Supernovae and Gamma Ray Bursts) to measure fundamental properties of the Universe. We use Type Ia Supernovaeto trace the Expansion History of the Universe and learn about the nature of the Dark Energy which currently dominates the Universe. We use Gamma Ray Bursts to illuminate the gas in and around galaxies to measure the chemical composition and structure of the Early Universe.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0882778
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$201,224.00
Summary
Water vapour radiometers for millimetre-wave phase correction for the Australia Telescope. Australia has a tradition of excellence in astronomy. Inspired by wonder about the cosmos, it stimulates public interest in science, so leading to the training of highly skilled graduates. In turn, this drives the development of technologies needed to pursue the science. The nation has invested in the technology for millimetre-wave astronomy, building the first interferometer in our hemisphere. This equipm ....Water vapour radiometers for millimetre-wave phase correction for the Australia Telescope. Australia has a tradition of excellence in astronomy. Inspired by wonder about the cosmos, it stimulates public interest in science, so leading to the training of highly skilled graduates. In turn, this drives the development of technologies needed to pursue the science. The nation has invested in the technology for millimetre-wave astronomy, building the first interferometer in our hemisphere. This equipment will capitalise on this investment, extending the capabilities of the Australia Telescope to maintain it as a front line instrument, attracting the best scientists here to use it. This will help nurture a vigorous radio-science community, one able to actively participate in the billion-dollar investment being made internationally in the field.Read moreRead less
Gravitational wave detection through millisecond pulsar timing. This project aims to detect gravitational waves (GWs) using precision pulsar timing observations. Direct detection of GWs is of huge international importance and would place Australia at the forefront of the new research field of GW astronomy. The project provides a link between current GW detection experiments and the GW astronomy that will become commonplace with future telescopes such as the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). It wil ....Gravitational wave detection through millisecond pulsar timing. This project aims to detect gravitational waves (GWs) using precision pulsar timing observations. Direct detection of GWs is of huge international importance and would place Australia at the forefront of the new research field of GW astronomy. The project provides a link between current GW detection experiments and the GW astronomy that will become commonplace with future telescopes such as the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). It will answer important questions in relativistic astrophysics, cosmology and planetary astronomy. The groundwork for SKA science proposed here will demonstrate Australian commitment to the SKA. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0775546
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$370,000.00
Summary
Construction of the blue-arm of the ANU 2.3m telescope Wide-Field Spectrograph. The new blue and red arms of the WiFeS spectrograph on the SSO 2.3m telescope utilizes new optical techniques and advances in detector technology to provide unique capabilities for front-line research and student training. The novel integral field units on WiFeS extract spectra across the face of faint, distant galaxies enabling the dynamics of the stellar and gas content to be analysed in unprecedented detail. Anoth ....Construction of the blue-arm of the ANU 2.3m telescope Wide-Field Spectrograph. The new blue and red arms of the WiFeS spectrograph on the SSO 2.3m telescope utilizes new optical techniques and advances in detector technology to provide unique capabilities for front-line research and student training. The novel integral field units on WiFeS extract spectra across the face of faint, distant galaxies enabling the dynamics of the stellar and gas content to be analysed in unprecedented detail. Another important project will be to follow-up interesting objects discovered by the new SkyMapper telescope and establish those that need to be observed on 8 m telescopes such as Gemini, Magellan or VLT. Read moreRead less
Indium arsenic antimony (InAsSb) Quantum Dots for Mid-Infrared Lasers. This proposal will open a new area of research for mid-infrared laser devices. Any achievement from this project will benefit various academic and industrial communities, such as national security, environmental monitoring and spectroscopy. The outcomes of this research could create a new generation of high-performance mid-infrared lasers and put Australian researchers in the forefront of the development in this field.