Integrated Multidimensional Gas Chromatography - Spectroscopic Detection Methodology for Chemical Marker Discovery. Chemical species are pervasive in our modern society and are found in personal care products, foods, additives, petroleum products, illicit drugs, pharmaceuticals and pollutants. Each sample must be analysed to determine its accurate composition, and as a safeguard. This requires chemical methods of analysis. Classical chemical methods may fail when samples become too complex, or t ....Integrated Multidimensional Gas Chromatography - Spectroscopic Detection Methodology for Chemical Marker Discovery. Chemical species are pervasive in our modern society and are found in personal care products, foods, additives, petroleum products, illicit drugs, pharmaceuticals and pollutants. Each sample must be analysed to determine its accurate composition, and as a safeguard. This requires chemical methods of analysis. Classical chemical methods may fail when samples become too complex, or they may lead to imprecise identification. This Frontier Technologies proposal has broad national and international relevance through development of new methods for authentication of chemical identity and the subsequent superior ability to characterise numerous sample compositions.Read moreRead less
Advanced high resolution atomic force microscopy of biomolecules in physiological environments. The proposed research is intended to explain high resolution bioimaging problems addressed only phenomenologically before. A correct physical model would help the scientific community to optimise imaging of dynamic biological systems, extending our knowledge about the way living organisms function. With dynamic bioimaging, the mechanism of certain diseases such as Alzheimer's - where biomolecule fiber ....Advanced high resolution atomic force microscopy of biomolecules in physiological environments. The proposed research is intended to explain high resolution bioimaging problems addressed only phenomenologically before. A correct physical model would help the scientific community to optimise imaging of dynamic biological systems, extending our knowledge about the way living organisms function. With dynamic bioimaging, the mechanism of certain diseases such as Alzheimer's - where biomolecule fiber formation plays a key role - can also be addressed, thus the project has even therapeutical relevance. Furthermore, adequate description of liquid phase imaging can help engineers in the design of better hardware and software solutions, for the benefit of the bio-nanotechnological industry.Read moreRead less
Gamma-ray burst astronomy in the Swift era and beyond. The study of gamma-ray bursts is one of the most active and exciting fields in astrophysics, and touches on subjects that are of interest to all humans: e.g., to what extent was life on Earth shaped by cataclysmic explosions in our Galaxy? Australia's ROTSE-III telescope is the only facility in the southern hemisphere capable of rapidly (within 10 seconds) finding optical light from gamma-ray bursts. It will provide Australian astronomers ....Gamma-ray burst astronomy in the Swift era and beyond. The study of gamma-ray bursts is one of the most active and exciting fields in astrophysics, and touches on subjects that are of interest to all humans: e.g., to what extent was life on Earth shaped by cataclysmic explosions in our Galaxy? Australia's ROTSE-III telescope is the only facility in the southern hemisphere capable of rapidly (within 10 seconds) finding optical light from gamma-ray bursts. It will provide Australian astronomers with a competitive advantage in this high-profile field. The project will involve and inspire some of our best physics and engineering students.Read moreRead less
New quantitative methods in X-ray imaging using crystal optics. This project will enhance Australian science's international leadership in the area of x-ray imaging. This powerful type of X-ray imaging, which makes use of optical elements made of perfect crystals, is specially tailored to image samples which are invisible to conventional x-ray techniques. Such "extended x-ray vision" is extremely important for imaging in medicine, biology and materials science. Furthermore, we will train x-ray s ....New quantitative methods in X-ray imaging using crystal optics. This project will enhance Australian science's international leadership in the area of x-ray imaging. This powerful type of X-ray imaging, which makes use of optical elements made of perfect crystals, is specially tailored to image samples which are invisible to conventional x-ray techniques. Such "extended x-ray vision" is extremely important for imaging in medicine, biology and materials science. Furthermore, we will train x-ray scientists of tomorrow, whose expertise will allow Australia to capitalize on its investment in the Australian Synchrotron.Read moreRead less
Generalized imaging systems incorporating hybrid hardware-software optics. Fundamental optics research underpins the commercial optical technologies of tomorrow. Modern examples of such evolution, from the fundamental to the commercial, include lasers, LED traffic lights, thin-screen computer monitors and digital cameras. The recent advent of accessible powerful computers, together with recent advances in optical physics, promise a powerful merging of computing and optical technologies into so ....Generalized imaging systems incorporating hybrid hardware-software optics. Fundamental optics research underpins the commercial optical technologies of tomorrow. Modern examples of such evolution, from the fundamental to the commercial, include lasers, LED traffic lights, thin-screen computer monitors and digital cameras. The recent advent of accessible powerful computers, together with recent advances in optical physics, promise a powerful merging of computing and optical technologies into so-called virtual optical systems in which the computer processes optical information in a manner very similar to lenses. In particular, the computer may be used to decode distorted images provided by an imperfect imaging system. Read moreRead less
Foundation studies of ion-beam nanotechnology. The impact of a single fast atom with sensitive materials leaves a path of latent damage with a diameter of around 10 nm. This latent damage can be developed to create nanostructures in a novel technique called ion beam nanomachining. We propose to create a method for using single atom impacts to produce nanomachined structures with novel physical and optical properties. This will be done by use of an active substrate that functions as a detector s ....Foundation studies of ion-beam nanotechnology. The impact of a single fast atom with sensitive materials leaves a path of latent damage with a diameter of around 10 nm. This latent damage can be developed to create nanostructures in a novel technique called ion beam nanomachining. We propose to create a method for using single atom impacts to produce nanomachined structures with novel physical and optical properties. This will be done by use of an active substrate that functions as a detector sensitive to single ion impacts. We propose to study the fundamental principles of this method.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0347403
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$222,000.00
Summary
An ultra-wideband digital filterbank for the Mopra Radiotelescope. We seek funding to equip the Mopra radiotelescope with an ultra-wide-bandwidth digital filter bank. This will greatly improve the efficiency of the observatory, increasing the speed at which spectroscopic data is acquired by a factor of 8, and the speed of acquiring continuum data by a factor of 32. Once equipped in this way, Mopra, which is already the largest millimetre-wave radiotelescope in the southern hemisphere, will enjo ....An ultra-wideband digital filterbank for the Mopra Radiotelescope. We seek funding to equip the Mopra radiotelescope with an ultra-wide-bandwidth digital filter bank. This will greatly improve the efficiency of the observatory, increasing the speed at which spectroscopic data is acquired by a factor of 8, and the speed of acquiring continuum data by a factor of 32. Once equipped in this way, Mopra, which is already the largest millimetre-wave radiotelescope in the southern hemisphere, will enjoy an unbeatable edge over all other competing observatories around the world through its combination of collecting area and bandpass.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0454184
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$155,792.00
Summary
Silicon Imaging Device Construction Facility - Wirebonder. The development of state-of-the-art, high precision semiconductor imaging devices (for high energy particle physics, synchrotron science and medical imaging ) requires a significant capability in modern assembly facilities. In constructing test and 'production' modules consisting of fine-grained, multi-channel bare silicon or other semiconductor imaging devices and custom electronic chips, a high-reliability, highly flexible wire-bonding ....Silicon Imaging Device Construction Facility - Wirebonder. The development of state-of-the-art, high precision semiconductor imaging devices (for high energy particle physics, synchrotron science and medical imaging ) requires a significant capability in modern assembly facilities. In constructing test and 'production' modules consisting of fine-grained, multi-channel bare silicon or other semiconductor imaging devices and custom electronic chips, a high-reliability, highly flexible wire-bonding machine is an essential tool. The international reputation from success in several challenging projects under difficult conditions, gained by the Chief Investigators has resulted in several more projects being planned in addition to a foreseen program of device development. A modern wirebonder, to replace the existing 30 year-old machine, has become critical to maintain our leading position in this area.Read moreRead less
New Membrane Chips For Protein Interaction Analysis. This proposal is based on a strategic partnership between Monash University and Farfield Sensors. We will create a series of new biosensors that will be used to establish a new approach to the structural analysis of membrane protein function. In particular, this technology may lead to the identification of new proteins and drug targets for therapeutic development. The long-term outcome would be the development of improved therapeutics which wo ....New Membrane Chips For Protein Interaction Analysis. This proposal is based on a strategic partnership between Monash University and Farfield Sensors. We will create a series of new biosensors that will be used to establish a new approach to the structural analysis of membrane protein function. In particular, this technology may lead to the identification of new proteins and drug targets for therapeutic development. The long-term outcome would be the development of improved therapeutics which would be coupled to potential economic returns when further commercialisation is achieved. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0775544
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$350,000.00
Summary
X-Ray Facility for 3-D High Resolution Diffraction Imaging of Nanostructures. Australian advances in quantitative x-ray imaging are at the leading edge of international efforts to permit 3D characterisation of the structure of materials and dynamic studies of structural changes. They have proven to be sensitive to local arrangement of materials at the nanometre scale, and they are emerging as critical tools in the development of advanced materials, which is a national research priority. This fac ....X-Ray Facility for 3-D High Resolution Diffraction Imaging of Nanostructures. Australian advances in quantitative x-ray imaging are at the leading edge of international efforts to permit 3D characterisation of the structure of materials and dynamic studies of structural changes. They have proven to be sensitive to local arrangement of materials at the nanometre scale, and they are emerging as critical tools in the development of advanced materials, which is a national research priority. This facility will allow the non-destructive 3D imaging of nanostructured materials to be performed as continual experimental development - something that is very difficult to achieve at synchrotron sources where access can be sporadic. The newly developed techniques will be applied to critical problems in emerging nanotechnologies.Read moreRead less