Advanced eyesafe Er:YAG short pulsed lasers for remote sensing applications. This project will develop state-of-the-art tunable pulsed Er:YAG laser systems that will represent a significant advance for eyesafe remote sensing and range finder technologies. It will render obsolete, current state-of-the-art systems for laser ranging and enable remote sensing of a critical greenhouse gas.
Novel 2-photon atom manipulation for ultra-nanoscale processing of diamond. There is intense interest in exploiting diamond's remarkable properties in many fields of science and technology, but fabricating and processing devices remains a major challenge. This project will build on previous work, using a recently discovered novel laser-induced surface phenomenon that enables, for the first time for any material, the exciting prospect of using light to manipulate surface atoms with atomic precis ....Novel 2-photon atom manipulation for ultra-nanoscale processing of diamond. There is intense interest in exploiting diamond's remarkable properties in many fields of science and technology, but fabricating and processing devices remains a major challenge. This project will build on previous work, using a recently discovered novel laser-induced surface phenomenon that enables, for the first time for any material, the exciting prospect of using light to manipulate surface atoms with atomic precision. This project aims to elucidate the mechanisms underpinning the optical interaction to reveal its full potential and use it to address key problems in diamond nano-device fabrication that lie beyond the reach of current techniques. It is expected that the outcomes will directly enhance Australia's current strengths in diamond-based quantum and photonic technologies.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100884
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$366,000.00
Summary
Integration of Nanoantenna-Enhanced Sensors and Light Sources. Metal nanoparticles are ideal candidates to enhance and modify the radiation of nanoscale light sources. However, research in nano light sources is only just beginning, thus their full potential has not yet been unlocked. This project aims to develop novel nano light sources to control the polarisation-state of emission and to enhance their efficiency and brightness. The project aims to deliver a new technology platform for on-chip i ....Integration of Nanoantenna-Enhanced Sensors and Light Sources. Metal nanoparticles are ideal candidates to enhance and modify the radiation of nanoscale light sources. However, research in nano light sources is only just beginning, thus their full potential has not yet been unlocked. This project aims to develop novel nano light sources to control the polarisation-state of emission and to enhance their efficiency and brightness. The project aims to deliver a new technology platform for on-chip integration of these light sources which is needed to demonstrate real-world applications. This platform will also be used to develop a new class of compact waveguide sensors that are highly sensitive and flexible with a broad range of applications.Read moreRead less
Multi-colour ultrashort soft X-ray pulses. This project aims to create multi-colour, ultrashort, highly coherent, bright pulses of soft X-rays based on high-harmonic generation in a table-top multiple-section gas cell. Studying multi-electronic and non-adiabatic processes and other fundamental aspects such as multi-electronic correlations and non-Born-Oppenheimer vibronic couplings in complex molecules is a major challenge in current ultrafast photochemistry research. This project will use multi ....Multi-colour ultrashort soft X-ray pulses. This project aims to create multi-colour, ultrashort, highly coherent, bright pulses of soft X-rays based on high-harmonic generation in a table-top multiple-section gas cell. Studying multi-electronic and non-adiabatic processes and other fundamental aspects such as multi-electronic correlations and non-Born-Oppenheimer vibronic couplings in complex molecules is a major challenge in current ultrafast photochemistry research. This project will use multiple driving pulses with different carrier frequencies to control the spectral properties and time delay of the pulses. It will use the soft X-ray source to develop an ideal platform for studying multi-electronic and non-adiabatic processes, multi-electronic correlations and non-Born-Oppenheimer vibronic couplings in complex molecules. This is expected to advance materials science, paving the way to soft X-ray technologies.Read moreRead less
Bright x-ray beams from laser-driven microplasmas. This project aims to develop a new generation of bright, laser-like x-ray sources for laboratory use. X-ray sources underpin key diagnostic techniques in materials science, advancing applications from structural engineering through to ore processing and energy storage. However, the limited brightness of present-day laboratory x-ray sources restricts the utility and range of these diagnostic techniques. This research intends to use intense lasers ....Bright x-ray beams from laser-driven microplasmas. This project aims to develop a new generation of bright, laser-like x-ray sources for laboratory use. X-ray sources underpin key diagnostic techniques in materials science, advancing applications from structural engineering through to ore processing and energy storage. However, the limited brightness of present-day laboratory x-ray sources restricts the utility and range of these diagnostic techniques. This research intends to use intense lasers to create microscopic plasmas and drive high harmonic generation. The high harmonic generation process is already used to create laser-like ultraviolet light. By optimising the characteristics of the plasma medium, the project aims to extend bright high harmonic generation to the x-ray regime.Read moreRead less
Efficient, directional and spin-controlled nanoscale light sources. This project aims to develop a new class of functional light sources by harnessing the nanoscale interactions between emitters and metallic or dielectric nanoparticles. Understanding of these interactions would lead to efficient energy extraction from emitters to far-field radiation; in addition, new functionalities including highly directional emission, circularly polarised emission, and super-radiance would be realised. The ou ....Efficient, directional and spin-controlled nanoscale light sources. This project aims to develop a new class of functional light sources by harnessing the nanoscale interactions between emitters and metallic or dielectric nanoparticles. Understanding of these interactions would lead to efficient energy extraction from emitters to far-field radiation; in addition, new functionalities including highly directional emission, circularly polarised emission, and super-radiance would be realised. The outcomes of this project are expected to enable unprecedented control of light emission beyond current capabilities and will revolutionise lighting and display technologies. Furthermore the project aims to open new opportunities for the development of bright bio-medical fluorescent markers as well as deterministic sources of quantum light.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE140100121
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$720,000.00
Summary
Equipment for International Collaboration in Gravitational Wave Detection. Equipment for international collaboration in gravitational wave detection: This project will allow the Australian Consortium for Gravitational Astronomy to install optical equipment at its dedicated research facility, and to install data analysis pipelines on new iVEC Pawsey Centre GPU-enabled supercomputers. The equipment is required for research aimed at stabilising instabilities in the new international gravitational w ....Equipment for International Collaboration in Gravitational Wave Detection. Equipment for international collaboration in gravitational wave detection: This project will allow the Australian Consortium for Gravitational Astronomy to install optical equipment at its dedicated research facility, and to install data analysis pipelines on new iVEC Pawsey Centre GPU-enabled supercomputers. The equipment is required for research aimed at stabilising instabilities in the new international gravitational wave detectors currently being commissioned in the USA and Europe. Real time data from the new detectors will be analysed using innovative new techniques. Scientists across Australia will be able to rapidly localise potential gravitational wave sources to direct robotic telescope observations. This could enable the first detection of gravitational waves.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100585
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,000.00
Summary
On-chip generation and processing of high-power multi-GHz frequency combs. The project aims to deliver a chip-scale stable optical frequency comb technology with high-power and multi-GHz frequency spacing. The lack of this technology has prevented fundamental advances in wide-ranging applications that require high signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) combs. The project seeks to demonstrate combs using waveguide laser technology and to integrate it with a reconfigurable optical filter to select and proces ....On-chip generation and processing of high-power multi-GHz frequency combs. The project aims to deliver a chip-scale stable optical frequency comb technology with high-power and multi-GHz frequency spacing. The lack of this technology has prevented fundamental advances in wide-ranging applications that require high signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) combs. The project seeks to demonstrate combs using waveguide laser technology and to integrate it with a reconfigurable optical filter to select and process individual comb lines. Key advantages of this technology, including high SNR, reconfigurability, high stability, small footprint and low-cost, are expected to improve astronomy’s ability to detect Earth-like planets, telecommunications to increase the overall internet capacity, and global positioning systems (GPS).Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100666
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$373,536.00
Summary
Quantum metrology with strongly correlated Rydberg gases. The project aims to make the world's most sensitive measurement of high-frequency electric fields, and demonstrate the first quantum-enhanced electric field measurement. It will use quantum entanglement and Rydberg atoms, excited to the very edge of the classical/quantum divide, to reach record sensitivities for fields associated with next generation ultrafast electronic, communication and radar devices. The project aims to build on the e ....Quantum metrology with strongly correlated Rydberg gases. The project aims to make the world's most sensitive measurement of high-frequency electric fields, and demonstrate the first quantum-enhanced electric field measurement. It will use quantum entanglement and Rydberg atoms, excited to the very edge of the classical/quantum divide, to reach record sensitivities for fields associated with next generation ultrafast electronic, communication and radar devices. The project aims to build on the existing Australian research strengths in photonics, atomic physics and quantum sensing, with the potential to provide a disruptive technological breakthrough in the measurement of ultra-high-frequency electric fields, and establish a high profile research effort in the field of strongly correlated quantum gases.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE110100054
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,230,000.00
Summary
Ground station facility for membership of the atomic clock ensemble in space mission. This is a unique opportunity for Australian membership of a high profile space mission involving atomic clocks on board the International Space Station and in the world's best frequency and time laboratories. The results obtained will lead to a better understanding of the unification of quantum mechanics and relativity as well as aspects of fundamental Earth metrology.