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
A new generation flat screen: metasurface displays. This project aims to develop a new generation flat screen that is lighter, more efficient and with higher resolution by replacing the traditional liquid crystals (LCs) with metasurfaces that are 100-times thinner than LCs. Metasurfaces are arrays of engineered dielectric and semiconductor nanoparticles, with extraordinary characteristics. The expected outcomes will lead to flat screens with resolution enhanced by 100 times and energy consumptio ....A new generation flat screen: metasurface displays. This project aims to develop a new generation flat screen that is lighter, more efficient and with higher resolution by replacing the traditional liquid crystals (LCs) with metasurfaces that are 100-times thinner than LCs. Metasurfaces are arrays of engineered dielectric and semiconductor nanoparticles, with extraordinary characteristics. The expected outcomes will lead to flat screens with resolution enhanced by 100 times and energy consumption reduced by half, as compared to current LC-based displays (e.g. LCD and LED). This novel technology will revolutionise the dimension and performance of displays and secure Australia's position in the billion dollar market of flat displays.
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Equipping VIKiNG: mid-infrared technology for exoplanet characterisation. This project aims to develop thermal infrared technologies for the Very large telescope interferometer Infrared Kernel-NullinG instrument (VIKiNG), making it the most capable direct exoplanet detection instrument on any existing, or under construction, facility. Australia is currently world leading in innovative photonics technologies, and these are currently the limiting factor in producing a manufacturable design for VIK ....Equipping VIKiNG: mid-infrared technology for exoplanet characterisation. This project aims to develop thermal infrared technologies for the Very large telescope interferometer Infrared Kernel-NullinG instrument (VIKiNG), making it the most capable direct exoplanet detection instrument on any existing, or under construction, facility. Australia is currently world leading in innovative photonics technologies, and these are currently the limiting factor in producing a manufacturable design for VIKiNG. This project provides a clear pathway for laboratory development of high-efficiency, active mid-infrared photonic circuits in the thermal infrared. Beyond benefits to astronomy, these circuits are the first step in developing remote molecule detectors for environmental monitoring and security.Read moreRead less
Harnessing opto-acoustic interactions for on-chip optical isolation. The project aims to develop practical on-chip photonic isolators – one-way optical circuits – by harnessing light–sound interactions in a nanoscale platform novel in its materials, design and mechanism. The project should develop new nanofabrication techniques and transform understanding of the physics of one-way photonic processes. Expected outcomes include enhanced design and fabrication capabilities for photonic circuits, ul ....Harnessing opto-acoustic interactions for on-chip optical isolation. The project aims to develop practical on-chip photonic isolators – one-way optical circuits – by harnessing light–sound interactions in a nanoscale platform novel in its materials, design and mechanism. The project should develop new nanofabrication techniques and transform understanding of the physics of one-way photonic processes. Expected outcomes include enhanced design and fabrication capabilities for photonic circuits, ultra-compact, high-performance optical isolators and circulators that shield sensitive optical components, and a suite of theoretical tools for describing propagation and noise in these devices. These new high performance photonic circuits should benefit telecommunications, radar, defence, and sensing applications. 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
Shedding Light on the Proton Radius Puzzle with Ultracold Helium. This project aims to shed light on an outstanding discrepancy in physics known as the proton radius puzzle, first seen in hydrogen but now being studied in helium. Capitalising on existing international collaboration between experiment and theory to exploit the advantages of ultracold helium, this project aims to determine the isotopic nuclear charge radius difference with unprecedented precision, using our state-of-the-art quantu ....Shedding Light on the Proton Radius Puzzle with Ultracold Helium. This project aims to shed light on an outstanding discrepancy in physics known as the proton radius puzzle, first seen in hydrogen but now being studied in helium. Capitalising on existing international collaboration between experiment and theory to exploit the advantages of ultracold helium, this project aims to determine the isotopic nuclear charge radius difference with unprecedented precision, using our state-of-the-art quantum electrodynamic theory. This will not only answer fundamental questions about helium atomic structure, but may also reveal new physics beyond the current Standard Model. The validation of atomic structure theory should provide benefits in applications including the realisation of more accurate atomic clocks.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE200100071
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$535,000.00
Summary
Photonic Chip Integration Facility. This project will create a Photonic Chip Integration Facility responding to newly emerging global trends towards low loss waveguides and wider coverage of the optical spectrum.
The tool will grow ultrahigh quality silicon nitride and oxide thin films in a manner that is compatible with electronics and other delicate materials, balancing flexibility for materials exploration with reliability and repeatability required for photonic chip systems research. The pr ....Photonic Chip Integration Facility. This project will create a Photonic Chip Integration Facility responding to newly emerging global trends towards low loss waveguides and wider coverage of the optical spectrum.
The tool will grow ultrahigh quality silicon nitride and oxide thin films in a manner that is compatible with electronics and other delicate materials, balancing flexibility for materials exploration with reliability and repeatability required for photonic chip systems research. The proposed facility will support Australian researchers from diverse disciplines spanning broadband networks, sensing, quantum technology, materials science, and beyond while providing a clear path for translating discoveries out of the lab towards scale up industrial manufacture
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