photonics, materials and laser processing

Au fractal layers showing iridescence at various points

Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research is clearly driving entire fields these days so being prepared to face challenging and diverse frontiers to make genuine contributions in science and engineering is without a doubt as exciting as it gets. Projects in the areas described here can be tailored to suit your interests.

Project 1

Self-assembled photonics (with Crossley, Rutledge, Gibson, Kristensen et al.)

(i) Optical wire chemical sensors
Recent innovative breakthroughs enabling the self-assembly of photonic waveguides using nanoparticles will be exploited to develop novel chemical sensors. Metal detecting, customised organic molecules will be used to attach to the wires. Porphyrins and The controlled self-assembly of inorganic nanoparticles is a revolution in the making.

(ii) Optical wire magnetic composites
In this project the combination of silica and ferroelectric nanoparticles offers a novel tool for increasing the Faraday coefficient of silica, leading to potentially compact Faraday rotators.

(iii) Single photon sources
Recent work has shown the integration of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) nanodiamonds into silica is possible using nanoparticle self-assembly. Single photon emitting centres were successfully embedded. This project will attempt to fabricate practical single photon emitting source for potential quantum computing and sensing applications.

(iv) Surface patterned self-assembly
This project will look at the role of patterning to direct and control deposition of drops, the self-assembly of nanoparticles and more. In particular, the integration of self-assembled nanoparticles onto silica and silicon chips will be explored.

(v) Nanoparticle self-assembly inside structured optical fibres
This project will examine the optimisation of novel core structures inside optical fibres to enhance functionality and allow new devices, lasers and sensors to be fabricated.

Project 2

Extreme silica photonics (with Cook, UNSW, India, Germany, and Brazil)
Understanding glass and the role of hydrogen within has led to Fibre Bragg gratings that survive beyond 1100°C. The optical fibre acts as a superb miniature processing laboratory that can help provide fundamental information on glass transformations particularly within complex glassy systems. This project explores using dopants in the glass in further optimising the performance.

Project 3

Optically interrogated chemical sensors & fibre laboratories (with Crossley, Rutledge, Cook et al.)

Chemical sensing, especially in the energy and environmental sectors, is one of the fastest growing research fields in photonics. The silica fibre host is perhaps the most desirable technology platform for a number of reasons including the ability to perform safe and remote interrogation and to have multi-functionality. Various project opportunities to develop novel sensors in fibre and integrated form are available. In particular, laser processing of surfaces is an extremely important project to both understand and control robust attachment of molecules to surfaces.