Potential student research projects

The Research School of Physics performs research at the cutting edge of a wide range of disciplines.

By undertaking your own research project at ANU you could open up an exciting career in science.

Filter projects

Some other physics related research projects may be found at the ANU College of Engineering & Computer Science, the Mathematical Sciences Institute and the Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Validating a quantum information science concept inventory with online learners

A new quantum information concept inventory, QISCIT, has been validated by experts but never tested on students. This project administers it to learners in an online quantum computing course and performs the psychometric analysis needed to turn it into a genuine research-based assessment.

Mr Lachlan McGinness

Measuring conceptual understanding in astrophysics: building and validating a new concept inventory

This project develops a new concept inventory for astronomy and astrophysics. The key stages include expert interviews, question design and stastical validation with student cohorts.

Mr Lachlan McGinness

Advanced detector development for rare event particle physics

Experimental, simulation, and data analysis projects are available to help develop advanced detection technology which will form the basis of a future large particle physics experiment in Australia

Dr Lindsey Bignell, Dr Robert Renz Marcelo Gregorio, Miss Victoria Bashu, Professor Gregory Lane

Automated marking of astronomy questions: can AI read the night sky?

Since 2024, Large Language Models have become the standard tool used for automated marking of physics exams, especially for hand-written exams and questions which involve diagrams. Nobody has tested them on astronomy questions where students annotate a projection of the night sky. This project benchmarks LLMs against classical computer-vision methods on marking constellation and object identification tasks.

Mr Lachlan McGinness

Simulating cosmic-ray interactions with materials for dark matter and commercial applications

This project uses Geant4 simulations to investigate how naturally occurring cosmic rays interact with materials relevant to physics and environmental research, including NaI(Tl) crystals, gaseous detectors, and soil.

Dr Yiyi Zhong, Dr Lindsey Bignell

Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy

Understanding material defects at the atomic scale using anitmatter.

Dr Joshua Machacek, Professor Stephen Buckman

Atomic and Molecular Physics

Interactions between antimatter and ultracold atoms

Antiparticles and antimatter have progressed from theory and science fiction to become an important and exciting area of pure and applied science. This fundamental atomic physics project will investigate how antimatter and matter interact by experimentally studying the interaction of positrons (the electron anti-particle) with trapped ultracold rubidium atoms.

Dr Sean Hodgman, Professor Stephen Buckman, Dr Joshua Machacek

Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy

Understanding material defects at the atomic scale using anitmatter.

Dr Joshua Machacek, Professor Stephen Buckman

Positron interactions with structured surfaces

We are investigating novel effects and applications using positrons and structured surfaces.

Dr Joshua Machacek, Dr Sergey Kruk

Biophysics

Solid-state nanopore sensors: Unveiling new frontiers in biomolecule detection

Investigate novel nanopore bio-sensors using nanofabrication, bio-chemsity and machine learning.

Prof Patrick Kluth, Dr Shankar Dutt

Nanofluidic Processing of Biological Samples for Single-Molecule Detection

Solid-state nanopores detect disease biomarkers with exceptional sensitivity, but real samples like blood are crowded with cells, proteins and salts that overwhelm them. This project designs micro- and nanofluidic chips that separate and enrich the molecules that matter, feeding them directly into nanopore sensors for rapid, real-world diagnostics.

Dr Shankar Dutt, Prof Patrick Kluth

Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy

Understanding material defects at the atomic scale using anitmatter.

Dr Joshua Machacek, Professor Stephen Buckman

3D Electron Diffraction / MicroED at ANU

Project aims to develop new tools for 3D electron diffraction data acquisition and analysis using state of the art detector.

Dr Felipe Kremer

Specific ion effects

We are seeking students to perform fundamental research into how different ions exert influence in a myriad of systems.

Professor Vincent Craig

Engineering in Physics

The physics (and mathematics) of Artificial Intelligence

What is the environmental impact of using an AI chatbot? It is possible to model this from first principles by considering the GPU energy usage and the water required for cooling data centres. This project aims to estimate the joules of energy, litres of water and grams of carbon dioxide released from each LLM chatbot response.

Mr Lachlan McGinness

Gravimeter data and tidal analysis

The acceleration due to Earth’s gravity is not constant, but varies slightly over time due to the tidal influence of the Sun and Moon. These tidal signals are the largest periodic variations in gravity and are understood theoretically through models that combine celestial mechanics and geophysics.

Dr Samuel Legge

Advanced modulation techniques for next generation laser stabilisation systems

This project will explore new concepts and techniques in laser frequency stablisation.

Dr Andrew Wade, Dr Emily Rose Rees

Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy

Understanding material defects at the atomic scale using anitmatter.

Dr Joshua Machacek, Professor Stephen Buckman

Machine learning for optics and controls

Optical cavities are widely used in physics and precision measurement.  This project will explore the use of modern machine learning methods for the control of suspended optical cavities.

A/Prof Bram Slagmolen, Dr Jiayi Qin, Professor Robert Ward

Environmental Physics

Nanobubbles

Nanobubbles are simply nanosized bubbles. What makes them interesting? Theory tells us they should dissolve in less than a second but they are in some cases stable for days.

Professor Vincent Craig

The physics (and mathematics) of Artificial Intelligence

What is the environmental impact of using an AI chatbot? It is possible to model this from first principles by considering the GPU energy usage and the water required for cooling data centres. This project aims to estimate the joules of energy, litres of water and grams of carbon dioxide released from each LLM chatbot response.

Mr Lachlan McGinness

Surface forces and the behaviour of colloidal systems

We measure the basic forces that operate between molecules that are manifest at interfaces. These forces control the stability of colloidal systems from blood to toothpaste. We use very sensitive techniques that are able to measure tiny forces with sub nanometer distance resolution. Understanding these forces enables us to predict how a huge variety of colloidal systems will behave.

Professor Vincent Craig

Materials Science and Engineering

Colloidal systems in highly concentrated salt solutions

We are studying colloidal systems in highly concentrated salt solutions. Here a number of surprising and unexplained things happen that are associated with surprisingly long-ranged electrostatic forces

Professor Vincent Craig

Nano-Scale III-V Light Sources on Si

This project tackles the long-standing challenge of integrating efficient light sources on silicon by enabling direct epitaxy of InP/InAsP nanostructures. By engineering the III-V/Si interface to overcome lattice and polarity mismatch, it aims to unlock scalable, energy-efficient Si photonics critical for AI data centres and next-generation computing infrastructure.

Dr Wei Wen Wong, Professor Hoe Tan, Professor Chennupati Jagadish

Crystal Phase Engineering for Efficient Green-Emitting LEDs

This project addresses the LED “green gap” problem by engineering GaP and AlInP nanostructures to adopt the hexagonal wurtzite phase, transforming them into direct bandgap semiconductors. Using the crystal structure transfer technique, it aims to achieve efficient green emission, enabling true white RGB displays, advanced lighting, and next-generation microdisplays.

Dr Wei Wen Wong, Professor Hoe Tan, Professor Chennupati Jagadish

Nanofluidic diodes: from biosensors to water treatment

Controlling the flow of ions and molecules through nano-sized pores is fundamental in many biological processes and the basis for applications such as DNA detection, water desalination and drug delivery. The project aims to develop solid-state nanofluidic diodes and exploit their properties for applications in bio-sensors and ion-selective channels.

Prof Patrick Kluth, Dr Shankar Dutt

Electrically Injected Bottom-Up Micro-Cavity Lasers

This project aims to demonstrate electrically injected InP/InAsP micro-ring nanolasers grown by selective area epitaxy. By combining atomically smooth, low-loss cavities with scalable on-chip integration, it addresses a key challenge in nanophotonics. The resulting light sources promise transformative applications in telecommunications, sensing, and next-generation photonic integrated circuits.

Dr Wei Wen Wong, Dr Tuomas Haggren, Professor Hoe Tan, Professor Chennupati Jagadish

Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy

Understanding material defects at the atomic scale using anitmatter.

Dr Joshua Machacek, Professor Stephen Buckman

3D Electron Diffraction / MicroED at ANU

Project aims to develop new tools for 3D electron diffraction data acquisition and analysis using state of the art detector.

Dr Felipe Kremer

Positron interactions with structured surfaces

We are investigating novel effects and applications using positrons and structured surfaces.

Dr Joshua Machacek, Dr Sergey Kruk

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Nanobubbles

Nanobubbles are simply nanosized bubbles. What makes them interesting? Theory tells us they should dissolve in less than a second but they are in some cases stable for days.

Professor Vincent Craig

Colloidal systems in highly concentrated salt solutions

We are studying colloidal systems in highly concentrated salt solutions. Here a number of surprising and unexplained things happen that are associated with surprisingly long-ranged electrostatic forces

Professor Vincent Craig

Nanowire lasers for applications in nanophotonics

This project aims to investigate the concepts and strategies required to produce electrically injected semiconductor nanowire lasers by understanding light interaction in nanowires, designing appropriate structures to inject current, engineer the optical profile and developing nano-fabrication technologies. Electrically operated nanowire lasers would enable practical applications in nanophotonics.

Professor Chennupati Jagadish, Professor Hoe Tan

Nano-Scale III-V Light Sources on Si

This project tackles the long-standing challenge of integrating efficient light sources on silicon by enabling direct epitaxy of InP/InAsP nanostructures. By engineering the III-V/Si interface to overcome lattice and polarity mismatch, it aims to unlock scalable, energy-efficient Si photonics critical for AI data centres and next-generation computing infrastructure.

Dr Wei Wen Wong, Professor Hoe Tan, Professor Chennupati Jagadish

Solid-state nanopore sensors: Unveiling new frontiers in biomolecule detection

Investigate novel nanopore bio-sensors using nanofabrication, bio-chemsity and machine learning.

Prof Patrick Kluth, Dr Shankar Dutt

Nanofluidic diodes: from biosensors to water treatment

Controlling the flow of ions and molecules through nano-sized pores is fundamental in many biological processes and the basis for applications such as DNA detection, water desalination and drug delivery. The project aims to develop solid-state nanofluidic diodes and exploit their properties for applications in bio-sensors and ion-selective channels.

Prof Patrick Kluth, Dr Shankar Dutt

Nanofluidic Processing of Biological Samples for Single-Molecule Detection

Solid-state nanopores detect disease biomarkers with exceptional sensitivity, but real samples like blood are crowded with cells, proteins and salts that overwhelm them. This project designs micro- and nanofluidic chips that separate and enrich the molecules that matter, feeding them directly into nanopore sensors for rapid, real-world diagnostics.

Dr Shankar Dutt, Prof Patrick Kluth

Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy

Understanding material defects at the atomic scale using anitmatter.

Dr Joshua Machacek, Professor Stephen Buckman

Bottom-Up Nanolasers for Next-Generation Integrated Nanophotonics

This project develops bottom-up, epitaxially-grown nanolaser cavities with atomically smooth facets that overcome scattering losses in top-down fabricated devices. By exploring advanced cavity concepts—including flatband and topological nanolasers—it aims to deliver robust, scalable, and low-threshold light sources, redefining nanolaser technology for next-generation integrated photonic systems.

Dr Wei Wen Wong, Professor Hoe Tan, Professor Chennupati Jagadish

Positron interactions with structured surfaces

We are investigating novel effects and applications using positrons and structured surfaces.

Dr Joshua Machacek, Dr Sergey Kruk

Specific ion effects

We are seeking students to perform fundamental research into how different ions exert influence in a myriad of systems.

Professor Vincent Craig

Surface forces and the behaviour of colloidal systems

We measure the basic forces that operate between molecules that are manifest at interfaces. These forces control the stability of colloidal systems from blood to toothpaste. We use very sensitive techniques that are able to measure tiny forces with sub nanometer distance resolution. Understanding these forces enables us to predict how a huge variety of colloidal systems will behave.

Professor Vincent Craig

Photonics, Lasers and Nonlinear Optics

Nanowire lasers for applications in nanophotonics

This project aims to investigate the concepts and strategies required to produce electrically injected semiconductor nanowire lasers by understanding light interaction in nanowires, designing appropriate structures to inject current, engineer the optical profile and developing nano-fabrication technologies. Electrically operated nanowire lasers would enable practical applications in nanophotonics.

Professor Chennupati Jagadish, Professor Hoe Tan

Femtosecond laser cleaning of Aboriginal rock art

This project develops safe, damage-free laser cleaning for Australian Indigenous rock art and historic stone monuments, removing contaminants without altering surfaces. Using ultrashort pulse lasers at multiple wavelengths, it combines laboratory optimization and field-applicable procedures, in collaboration with heritage partners and Indigenous custodians, to restore and preserve culturally and visually significant sites.

A/Professor Ludovic Rapp, Dr Ksenia Maximova

Crystal Phase Engineering for Efficient Green-Emitting LEDs

This project addresses the LED “green gap” problem by engineering GaP and AlInP nanostructures to adopt the hexagonal wurtzite phase, transforming them into direct bandgap semiconductors. Using the crystal structure transfer technique, it aims to achieve efficient green emission, enabling true white RGB displays, advanced lighting, and next-generation microdisplays.

Dr Wei Wen Wong, Professor Hoe Tan, Professor Chennupati Jagadish

Electrically Injected Bottom-Up Micro-Cavity Lasers

This project aims to demonstrate electrically injected InP/InAsP micro-ring nanolasers grown by selective area epitaxy. By combining atomically smooth, low-loss cavities with scalable on-chip integration, it addresses a key challenge in nanophotonics. The resulting light sources promise transformative applications in telecommunications, sensing, and next-generation photonic integrated circuits.

Dr Wei Wen Wong, Dr Tuomas Haggren, Professor Hoe Tan, Professor Chennupati Jagadish

Advanced modulation techniques for next generation laser stabilisation systems

This project will explore new concepts and techniques in laser frequency stablisation.

Dr Andrew Wade, Dr Emily Rose Rees

Bottom-Up Nanolasers for Next-Generation Integrated Nanophotonics

This project develops bottom-up, epitaxially-grown nanolaser cavities with atomically smooth facets that overcome scattering losses in top-down fabricated devices. By exploring advanced cavity concepts—including flatband and topological nanolasers—it aims to deliver robust, scalable, and low-threshold light sources, redefining nanolaser technology for next-generation integrated photonic systems.

Dr Wei Wen Wong, Professor Hoe Tan, Professor Chennupati Jagadish

Positron interactions with structured surfaces

We are investigating novel effects and applications using positrons and structured surfaces.

Dr Joshua Machacek, Dr Sergey Kruk

Machine learning for optics and controls

Optical cavities are widely used in physics and precision measurement.  This project will explore the use of modern machine learning methods for the control of suspended optical cavities.

A/Prof Bram Slagmolen, Dr Jiayi Qin, Professor Robert Ward

Physics Education

Measuring conceptual understanding in astrophysics: building and validating a new concept inventory

This project develops a new concept inventory for astronomy and astrophysics. The key stages include expert interviews, question design and stastical validation with student cohorts.

Mr Lachlan McGinness

Automated marking of astronomy questions: can AI read the night sky?

Since 2024, Large Language Models have become the standard tool used for automated marking of physics exams, especially for hand-written exams and questions which involve diagrams. Nobody has tested them on astronomy questions where students annotate a projection of the night sky. This project benchmarks LLMs against classical computer-vision methods on marking constellation and object identification tasks.

Mr Lachlan McGinness

Evaluating the Spin-First Approach to Teaching Quantum Computing

This project analyses pre- and post-test data from students learning quantum computing through the spin-first approach. The aim is to evaluate question reliability, identify learning gains, and help develop a validated concept inventory tailored to this increasingly common teaching method.

Mr Lachlan McGinness

Physics of the Nucleus

Advanced detector development for rare event particle physics

Experimental, simulation, and data analysis projects are available to help develop advanced detection technology which will form the basis of a future large particle physics experiment in Australia

Dr Lindsey Bignell, Dr Robert Renz Marcelo Gregorio, Miss Victoria Bashu, Professor Gregory Lane

Simulating cosmic-ray interactions with materials for dark matter and commercial applications

This project uses Geant4 simulations to investigate how naturally occurring cosmic rays interact with materials relevant to physics and environmental research, including NaI(Tl) crystals, gaseous detectors, and soil.

Dr Yiyi Zhong, Dr Lindsey Bignell

Quantum Science and Technology

Validating a quantum information science concept inventory with online learners

A new quantum information concept inventory, QISCIT, has been validated by experts but never tested on students. This project administers it to learners in an online quantum computing course and performs the psychometric analysis needed to turn it into a genuine research-based assessment.

Mr Lachlan McGinness

Collective quantum enhancement in multiparameter estimation

Collective measurements can enhance multiparameter estimation precision by allowing joint measurements on multiple copies. This project investigates the extent to which collective measurements can enhance estimation precision and how close to the fundamental limit one can get without entanglement.

Dr Jie Zhao, Dr Jiayi Qin

Gravimeter data and tidal analysis

The acceleration due to Earth’s gravity is not constant, but varies slightly over time due to the tidal influence of the Sun and Moon. These tidal signals are the largest periodic variations in gravity and are understood theoretically through models that combine celestial mechanics and geophysics.

Dr Samuel Legge

Measuring quantum measurements: precision limits for quantum detector tomography

Develop new methods to determine the ultimate precision of quantum-detector calibration using detector quantum Fisher information. Projects may explore continuous-variable probes, multi-parameter incompatibility, or error-correction strategies for preserving Heisenberg scaling in realistic noisy measurements.

Dr Jie Zhao, Dr Jiayi Qin

Femtosecond laser cleaning of Aboriginal rock art

This project develops safe, damage-free laser cleaning for Australian Indigenous rock art and historic stone monuments, removing contaminants without altering surfaces. Using ultrashort pulse lasers at multiple wavelengths, it combines laboratory optimization and field-applicable procedures, in collaboration with heritage partners and Indigenous custodians, to restore and preserve culturally and visually significant sites.

A/Professor Ludovic Rapp, Dr Ksenia Maximova

Interactions between antimatter and ultracold atoms

Antiparticles and antimatter have progressed from theory and science fiction to become an important and exciting area of pure and applied science. This fundamental atomic physics project will investigate how antimatter and matter interact by experimentally studying the interaction of positrons (the electron anti-particle) with trapped ultracold rubidium atoms.

Dr Sean Hodgman, Professor Stephen Buckman, Dr Joshua Machacek

Evaluating the Spin-First Approach to Teaching Quantum Computing

This project analyses pre- and post-test data from students learning quantum computing through the spin-first approach. The aim is to evaluate question reliability, identify learning gains, and help develop a validated concept inventory tailored to this increasingly common teaching method.

Mr Lachlan McGinness

Quantum Light for Secure Communications

This project explores how the quantum properties of light can be used to develop new approaches to secure optical communication. Students will investigate squeezed light, optical measurements and information encoding, and explore how quantum correlations can enable communication capabilities beyond conventional optical systems.

Dr Jiayi Qin, Dr Jie Zhao

Quantum Communication for Secure and Anonymous Voting

This project explores how quantum communication could enable secure and anonymous voting between multiple participants. Students will investigate how quantum states of light, communication networks and information processing can be combined to protect both voting information and voter privacy.

Dr Jiayi Qin, Dr Jie Zhao