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Photonics & Sensors Group


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The Photonics & Sensors Group is in the Photonics area of the Electrical Engineering Division, with a research focus embracing photonic and sensing devices, functional materials and their integration at system level.

We aim to address future societal needs with new system functionalities through invention of novel device architectures based on in-depth understanding of basic material properties.

There is a wide range of activities within the group, including phase-only holography and its applications, high brightness multi-stable colour reflective displays, tunable dielectric materials and devices for radio frequencies, liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) device development, and novel sensors.

As well as conducting highly focused studies, we also specialise in the development of demonstrators for business exploitation and commercialisation. This is facilitated by multi-disciplinary expertise within the group and by our highly experienced team approach. Some of the outcomes from the group have been successfully transferred to our industrial collaborators for production.


3rd October 2011

Dr Brian Robertson is asked a question about mirrors by Emma Stoye from The Naked Scientists. This is a Cambridge based radio program and podcast station whose aim is to get people to enjoy science as much as they do and, at the same time, to have fun. The problem was posed by one of the programs listeners, and will be included as part of a special edition on cameras in November.



September 2011

A micro fluxgate current probe designed by Dr Paul Robertson in conjunction with Aim-TTi is on the market now. The new feature is the size of the fluxgate magnetometer. It has sub-millimetre geometries with an excitation frequency of several tens of MHz resulting in a sensor with a bandwidth of 5MHz combined with low noise and wide dynamic range. As a result the probe can be used to measure currents from 20A down to 10mA peak-to-peak at frequencies from DC up to 5MHz. One of its most interesting applications is the observation of currents flowing within ground planes. Whereas quantitative measurements are not possible (because the current density can not be inferred) it is easy to see whether and where circulating currents are flowing and to find their injection points. More information could be found here.



Credit: Aim-TTi

July 2011

Prof. Daping Chu is interviewed by COSMOS magazine on the topic of high performance inkjet printing techniques. In the interview, Prof. Chu gives his comments on a recently-developed inkjet-printing process that involves combining two solutions on top of a substrate to achieve semiconducting thin films that have exceptionally high and uniform crystallinity.

COSMOS is a popular science magazine with a global following. It's Australia's #1 science media brand, reaching 400,000 people every month via a print magazine, a daily online news website and a weekly e-newsletter. The article could be found here.



Credit: Veer Images

29th October 2010

Release of HoloLab — free software for calculating computer generated holograms for video and static images.


September 2010

First test flight of a manned electric-petrol hybrid aircraft at Sywell Aerodrome, UK with the propulsion system designed and built by Dr Paul Robertson. The system comprises a custom-wound brushless DC outrunner motor in parallel with a 4-stroke internal combustion engine, replacing the standard 2-stroke engine. The experimental aircraft will be used as a test-bed to evaluate and refine the hybrid technolgy - including the use of alternative fuels. Technical details... YouTube movie...



8th February 2010

Dr Daping Chu has become the new Head of the Photonics & Sensors Group. He takes over the reins from Emeritus Professor Bill Crossland whose unparalleled breadth of interests and matching enthusiasm and stamina in research and development have shaped and guided the Group since 1992. Dr Daping Chu has stepped smoothly into the complex weave of the Group's activities and under his leadership we look forward to facing the interesting challenges of our research adventures ahead. The Departmental announcement of his appointment to Head of the Group can be found here.


In the news... November 2009

Our work on holographic projection from our ViHPS project in collaboration with ALPS Electric through the CAPE partnership has been highlighted in the cover story of New Electronics in the 24 November 2009 issue. Click here to see the full article.

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Last updated: 11 November 2010