Many-body problems. The discovery of new superheavy elements, chemical evolution of the Universe, nuclear reactions deep under the Coulomb barrier in nuclear reactors, in stars and during the Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, accuracy of precise atomic clocks, consistency of the Standard Model in strong fields are among the most vital problems of modern science. This project suggests several new ideas in these areas, which are based on knowledge accumulated in different research fields. The outcomes of ....Many-body problems. The discovery of new superheavy elements, chemical evolution of the Universe, nuclear reactions deep under the Coulomb barrier in nuclear reactors, in stars and during the Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, accuracy of precise atomic clocks, consistency of the Standard Model in strong fields are among the most vital problems of modern science. This project suggests several new ideas in these areas, which are based on knowledge accumulated in different research fields. The outcomes of the research will help Australia to build up a "critical mass" of scientific expertise, which is necessary to place and keep it among leaders in these frontier areas of physics, and to train the next generation of experts in these fields.Read moreRead less
Imaging with Neutral Atomic Beams: A Completely New Tool for Nanotechnology. The tantalising possibility of building an optical instrument that uses neutral atom beams to image surfaces, rather than light or electrons, has long been a goal of physical scientists across the world. This project aims to realise this goal using an elegantly simple design based on the concept of a pin hole camera. The successful development of this world-first instrument would represent a significant advance in heliu ....Imaging with Neutral Atomic Beams: A Completely New Tool for Nanotechnology. The tantalising possibility of building an optical instrument that uses neutral atom beams to image surfaces, rather than light or electrons, has long been a goal of physical scientists across the world. This project aims to realise this goal using an elegantly simple design based on the concept of a pin hole camera. The successful development of this world-first instrument would represent a significant advance in helium atom microscopy and would significantly enhance the reputation of Australian science. Moreover, this project maintains the position of Australian researchers and students at the core of this emerging technology.Read moreRead less
Magnetic ground state and dynamics in high temperature superconductors. This project is aimed at studies of novel advanced materials. It will contribute to research at the leading edge of fundamental physics. This is an international project that incorporates collaboration with two leading German experimental groups. This raises the profile of the project internationally. This collaboration may bring some experiments of overseas scientists to ANSTO OPAL reactor and hence facilitate interactions ....Magnetic ground state and dynamics in high temperature superconductors. This project is aimed at studies of novel advanced materials. It will contribute to research at the leading edge of fundamental physics. This is an international project that incorporates collaboration with two leading German experimental groups. This raises the profile of the project internationally. This collaboration may bring some experiments of overseas scientists to ANSTO OPAL reactor and hence facilitate interactions between Australian and overseas experimental groups.Read moreRead less
Theoretical studies of strongly correlated quantum states in novel condensed matter systems. Strongly correlated quantum electronic and magnetic systems represent one of the most active and exciting areas of condensed matter physics, and one that will continue to have a major bearing on technology. We will pursue an extensive program of research into many aspects of this field, using a variety of analytical and numerical methods, in many of which we are among the world leaders. The project will ....Theoretical studies of strongly correlated quantum states in novel condensed matter systems. Strongly correlated quantum electronic and magnetic systems represent one of the most active and exciting areas of condensed matter physics, and one that will continue to have a major bearing on technology. We will pursue an extensive program of research into many aspects of this field, using a variety of analytical and numerical methods, in many of which we are among the world leaders. The project will add significantly to understanding of the physics of quantum phase transitions, spin-liquids, novel superconductors, and other related phenomena, and of the properties of quantum lattice models.Read moreRead less
Microwave Antennas and Waveguides in Photonic Crystals. We propose to design a revolutionary new class of microwave antennas and antenna arrays in photonic crystals, which can shield, localise and guide electromagnetic radiation in a dielectric environment. This design is completely devoid of metal, thereby eliminating skin-effect losses that are the dominant limitation for planar antenna arrays at upper microwave (millimetre-wave) frequencies. Our new design will achieve high radiation efficie ....Microwave Antennas and Waveguides in Photonic Crystals. We propose to design a revolutionary new class of microwave antennas and antenna arrays in photonic crystals, which can shield, localise and guide electromagnetic radiation in a dielectric environment. This design is completely devoid of metal, thereby eliminating skin-effect losses that are the dominant limitation for planar antenna arrays at upper microwave (millimetre-wave) frequencies. Our new design will achieve high radiation efficiencies and antenna gains not possible with existing planar technology, thereby enabling new applications of planar antenna arrays, for example to radio astronomy, as well as greatly improving existing applications.Read moreRead less
Modelling quantum dynamics of electronic excited states in complex molecular materials. Understanding new materials that are the basis of new sources of renewable energy sources represents a major scientific challenge. Many of these materials are composed of large organic molecules containing hundreds of atoms. Their properties and the concepts needed to understand these materials are distinctly different from semiconductors such as silicon. This research will enhance our ability to design bett ....Modelling quantum dynamics of electronic excited states in complex molecular materials. Understanding new materials that are the basis of new sources of renewable energy sources represents a major scientific challenge. Many of these materials are composed of large organic molecules containing hundreds of atoms. Their properties and the concepts needed to understand these materials are distinctly different from semiconductors such as silicon. This research will enhance our ability to design better materials and optimize the performance of organic solar cells and LEDs. Australia's capacity for research and development in this scientifically challenging and technologically important field will be enhanced by this project. Read moreRead less
Redesigning the transistor at the atomic-scale. Australian researchers have a world-wide leadership position in atomic-scale electronics. Through the development of powerful new fabrication technologies, Australian scientists are now poised to uncover the physical properties of electronic systems operating on the atomic-scale. This research will be internationally significant, providing ongoing international profile for Australian science. Perhaps more significantly, it will also lay the groundw ....Redesigning the transistor at the atomic-scale. Australian researchers have a world-wide leadership position in atomic-scale electronics. Through the development of powerful new fabrication technologies, Australian scientists are now poised to uncover the physical properties of electronic systems operating on the atomic-scale. This research will be internationally significant, providing ongoing international profile for Australian science. Perhaps more significantly, it will also lay the groundwork for future miniaturisation - and redesign - of the conventional transistor. Over the longer-term, it offers an opportunity for Australia to lift its involvement in the multi-trillion dollar global semiconductor industry.Read moreRead less
Fundamental conduction mechanisms in atomic-scale silicon devices. This proposal will ensure that Australia remains at the forefront of worldwide research into atomic-scale electronics. It links leading nanotechnologists from Canada and Italy to a dynamic and growing Australian team, which already has strong collaborations with researchers in the UK, the US, Japan, and Taiwan. In the long-run, Australia stands to benefit indirectly from the research as it is a significant user of semiconductors ....Fundamental conduction mechanisms in atomic-scale silicon devices. This proposal will ensure that Australia remains at the forefront of worldwide research into atomic-scale electronics. It links leading nanotechnologists from Canada and Italy to a dynamic and growing Australian team, which already has strong collaborations with researchers in the UK, the US, Japan, and Taiwan. In the long-run, Australia stands to benefit indirectly from the research as it is a significant user of semiconductors across all major industries. More importantly, by anticipating the problems that electronic device manufacturers will face over their long-term horizons, the proposed research also seeks to provide Australia with a chance to lift its involvement in the multi-trillion dollar global semiconductor industry.Read moreRead less
Quantitative dynamics of functional magnetic resonance imaging. By modeling and verifying the dynamics of brain activity and blood flow that underlie functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), this project will yield improved scientific outcomes and imaging sensitivity. The new data analysis techniques and technologies that result will yield potentially patentable intellectual property, and will increase the standing of Australia in this rapidly developing field, including via links being bu ....Quantitative dynamics of functional magnetic resonance imaging. By modeling and verifying the dynamics of brain activity and blood flow that underlie functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), this project will yield improved scientific outcomes and imaging sensitivity. The new data analysis techniques and technologies that result will yield potentially patentable intellectual property, and will increase the standing of Australia in this rapidly developing field, including via links being built to leading international workers. The National Research Priority Goals of Frontier Technologies, Breakthrough Science, Smart Information Use, and Promoting an Innovation Economy will thus be advanced.Read moreRead less
Classical and affine W-algebras. The project aims to address major mathematical problems on representations of the families of quantum groups and vertex algebras associated with Lie algebras. It aims to create new connections between representation theory and mathematical physics. The theory of quantum groups originated from solvable lattice models in statistical mechanics and has turned out to have important connections with and applications to a wide range of subjects in mathematics and physic ....Classical and affine W-algebras. The project aims to address major mathematical problems on representations of the families of quantum groups and vertex algebras associated with Lie algebras. It aims to create new connections between representation theory and mathematical physics. The theory of quantum groups originated from solvable lattice models in statistical mechanics and has turned out to have important connections with and applications to a wide range of subjects in mathematics and physics. The project aims to rely on these connections to extend and develop explicit theory of both the classical and quantum versions of the vertex algebras which are of great importance to conformal field theory and soliton spin chain models.Read moreRead less