MICROWAVE SENSORS BASED ON MULTI-LAYER MICROSTRIP PATCH RESONATORS AND LINE RESONATORS. Inexpensive, easy-to-use, accurate, sensitive and compact sensor systems are needed to improve the quality of many agricultural and industrial products. For example, edible oil industry needs such a system to determine the water content in the seeds used for edible oil. Similarly, the measurement of moisture content is crucial for quality control and grading of industrial oils, paints, health products and man ....MICROWAVE SENSORS BASED ON MULTI-LAYER MICROSTRIP PATCH RESONATORS AND LINE RESONATORS. Inexpensive, easy-to-use, accurate, sensitive and compact sensor systems are needed to improve the quality of many agricultural and industrial products. For example, edible oil industry needs such a system to determine the water content in the seeds used for edible oil. Similarly, the measurement of moisture content is crucial for quality control and grading of industrial oils, paints, health products and many industrial sheets. We develop novel microwave sensor systems, based on multi-layer microstrip resonators, for such measurements of materials in the form of sheets, pastes, liquids or powders. They are also attractive for scientific applications such as monitoring the doping concentration of semiconductor materials.Read moreRead less
New drives and control techniques for high performance piezoelectric actuation. Piezoelectric actuators are made from a ceramic material that expands in response to an applied voltage. Although these actuators develop the greatest forces and most precise motion of any actuator, a number of performance limitations exist. This proposal aims to overcome these limitations and greatly increase the performance of piezoelectric actuators.
Improved piezoelectric actuators will result in a parallel i ....New drives and control techniques for high performance piezoelectric actuation. Piezoelectric actuators are made from a ceramic material that expands in response to an applied voltage. Although these actuators develop the greatest forces and most precise motion of any actuator, a number of performance limitations exist. This proposal aims to overcome these limitations and greatly increase the performance of piezoelectric actuators.
Improved piezoelectric actuators will result in a parallel improvement of analytic and process machines throughout the scientific and industrial community. Examples include: improved atomic scale microscopes, finer tolerance steel rolling mills, more accurate micro-surgical tools, and automated manipulation of sperm and egg cells in IVF therapy.Read moreRead less
Hydrodynamic Stability of the VentrAssist Blood Pump, an Experimental and Numerical Investigation. This project will investigate, both numerically and experimentally, the stability of the impeller-bearing system of a rotary blood pump and will make recommendations about the optimum bearing configurations. Findings from this project will contribute to the commercialisation of the blood pump undertaken by the research Group formed by the staff from UTS, UNSW and VentrAssist Pty Ltd - the first of ....Hydrodynamic Stability of the VentrAssist Blood Pump, an Experimental and Numerical Investigation. This project will investigate, both numerically and experimentally, the stability of the impeller-bearing system of a rotary blood pump and will make recommendations about the optimum bearing configurations. Findings from this project will contribute to the commercialisation of the blood pump undertaken by the research Group formed by the staff from UTS, UNSW and VentrAssist Pty Ltd - the first of its kind in Australia. Rotary blood pumps are at the leading edge of cardiac assist technology worldwide and an investigation of the impeller dynamics will add greatly to the understanding of the related important factors in blood pump design.Read moreRead less
Structure-Activity Relationships in Silicon-based Photovoltaics Through Atomic Scale Microscopy. This project aims to develop new design principles for silicon-based photovoltaics (PVs) through a comprehensive study of atomic-scale structures and phenomena in PV materials. The development of more efficient photovoltaic materials is of major global importance, given the pressing need for clean and renewable sources of energy. Australia has international leadership in developing solar cell technol ....Structure-Activity Relationships in Silicon-based Photovoltaics Through Atomic Scale Microscopy. This project aims to develop new design principles for silicon-based photovoltaics (PVs) through a comprehensive study of atomic-scale structures and phenomena in PV materials. The development of more efficient photovoltaic materials is of major global importance, given the pressing need for clean and renewable sources of energy. Australia has international leadership in developing solar cell technologies, and the ideal natural environment to exploit these technologies. The fundamental insights derived in this project, such as detailed 3D maps of dopant distributions at the atomic scale, will bolster Australia's international reputation in the field and provide better control in the design of PV devices. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0561136
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$376,352.00
Summary
36-megapixel CCD camera for wide-field astronomy. This project aims to design and build a state-of-the-art 36-megapixel charge-coupled device (CCD) camera for wide-field imaging on a robotic telescope at Siding Spring Observatory. The camera will employ a mosaic of two 18-megapixel CCDs, which are amongst the largest ever fabricated. This new facility will have an unprecedented ability to obtain precision photometry over a wide field, and will enable breakthroughs in research into areas as diver ....36-megapixel CCD camera for wide-field astronomy. This project aims to design and build a state-of-the-art 36-megapixel charge-coupled device (CCD) camera for wide-field imaging on a robotic telescope at Siding Spring Observatory. The camera will employ a mosaic of two 18-megapixel CCDs, which are amongst the largest ever fabricated. This new facility will have an unprecedented ability to obtain precision photometry over a wide field, and will enable breakthroughs in research into areas as diverse as detection of extra-solar planets and nearby supernovae. The camera will also lead to collaborative research with ANU's newly-funded Skymapper telescope, as well as the Anglo-Australian Observatory's 6dF and 2dF instruments.Read moreRead less
Instrumentation for High Voltage Power Distribution Using Optical Fibre Sensors. This project aims to realise a novel optical fibre voltage sensor, exploit a recent discovery of Bassett and Haywood in interferometry to improve an existing optical current sensor, and bring the voltage and current sensor together in a combined field trial on a high voltage distribution network.
The voltage sensor concept is unique and provides significant advantages.
The expected outcomes of this project are an ....Instrumentation for High Voltage Power Distribution Using Optical Fibre Sensors. This project aims to realise a novel optical fibre voltage sensor, exploit a recent discovery of Bassett and Haywood in interferometry to improve an existing optical current sensor, and bring the voltage and current sensor together in a combined field trial on a high voltage distribution network.
The voltage sensor concept is unique and provides significant advantages.
The expected outcomes of this project are an electro-optically active silica fibre suitable for voltage sensing, a prototype voltage sensor and signal processing system, and a prototype combined electrical power (voltage and current) measurement unit deployed in a field trial.
Read moreRead less
New Approach to Photonic Interferometry with Applications in Sensing. This project is based on a new technique for photonic interferometry, the Network Independent Multiple Interrogation (NIMI) technique.
This project aims to:
1) gain a better understanding of the NIMI method
2) exploit the NIMI technique in other applications
3) provide the key technology for future optical, current and voltage sensing systems for high voltage networks.
This work is significant as it represents a breakthro ....New Approach to Photonic Interferometry with Applications in Sensing. This project is based on a new technique for photonic interferometry, the Network Independent Multiple Interrogation (NIMI) technique.
This project aims to:
1) gain a better understanding of the NIMI method
2) exploit the NIMI technique in other applications
3) provide the key technology for future optical, current and voltage sensing systems for high voltage networks.
This work is significant as it represents a breakthrough in interferometry, with wide applications in scientific and engineering instrumentation.
The expected outcomes are:
1) an improved understanding of the merits and limitations of the NIMI technique
2) new application of the NIMI technique
3) improvements to the NIMI technique and the optical high voltage sensing systems to which it is appliedRead moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668322
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$147,000.00
Summary
Enhancing Australia's Terahertz Infrastructure. Anthrax, explosives, water, cancer all have characteristic signatures in the terahertz (THz) part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Security, defence, agriculture, medicine are a few of the fields where THz science and technology are booming. THz developments offer enhanced national security, prosperity and quality of life. Australia has active researchers in THz concentrated at several centres across the country, but they are hampered by their work ....Enhancing Australia's Terahertz Infrastructure. Anthrax, explosives, water, cancer all have characteristic signatures in the terahertz (THz) part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Security, defence, agriculture, medicine are a few of the fields where THz science and technology are booming. THz developments offer enhanced national security, prosperity and quality of life. Australia has active researchers in THz concentrated at several centres across the country, but they are hampered by their work by lack of access to state-of-the art experimental equipment. This project will provide that equipment and ensure the nation remains internationally competitive in this rapidly-developing field.Read moreRead less
Terahertz optoelectronics based on spintronics materials. Spintronic devices have many advantages which include non-volatility, permitting data retention in non-powered conditions, increased integration densities, high data processing speeds, low electrical energy demands, and a fabrication process compatible with those currently used in semiconductor microelectronics. The low energy consumption of spintronic devices also leads to economic and environmental benefits. Spintronic devices will help ....Terahertz optoelectronics based on spintronics materials. Spintronic devices have many advantages which include non-volatility, permitting data retention in non-powered conditions, increased integration densities, high data processing speeds, low electrical energy demands, and a fabrication process compatible with those currently used in semiconductor microelectronics. The low energy consumption of spintronic devices also leads to economic and environmental benefits. Spintronic devices will help to meet the sensing and storage demands of information technology in the decades to come. The project will enhance the international competitiveness and export power of Australian industry in the areas of information technology, quantum computing, magnetic recording and optoelectronics.Read moreRead less
Photon induced nonlinear absorption and transport in semiconductor nanostructures. Photon induced transport in electronic systems is of great importance in fundamental science and in development of new optoelectronics devices. In this project we aim to study the microwave radiation induced dc transport and nonlinear absorption in high mobility systems. The result will shed light on newly discoveredzero-resistance state in semiconductor nanostructures. The expected outcome is an improved underst ....Photon induced nonlinear absorption and transport in semiconductor nanostructures. Photon induced transport in electronic systems is of great importance in fundamental science and in development of new optoelectronics devices. In this project we aim to study the microwave radiation induced dc transport and nonlinear absorption in high mobility systems. The result will shed light on newly discoveredzero-resistance state in semiconductor nanostructures. The expected outcome is an improved understanding on the mechanism of reducing dc resistance in low-dimensional electronic systems.Read moreRead less