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

Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy

Understanding material defects at the atomic scale using anitmatter.

Dr Joshua Machacek, Professor Stephen Buckman

Atomic and Molecular Physics

Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy

Understanding material defects at the atomic scale using anitmatter.

Dr Joshua Machacek, Professor Stephen Buckman

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 interactions with structured surfaces

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

Dr Joshua Machacek, Dr Sergey Kruk

Enhancing particle builder: developing comprehensive physics explanations

This project aims to enhance the educational value of the online adaptation of Particle Builder by developing comprehensive physics and mathematical explanations. Through a literature review, content creation, and analysis of engagement data, the student researcher will contribute their physics expertise to create an engaging and effective learning resource.

Mr Lachlan McGinness

Biophysics

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

Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy

Understanding material defects at the atomic scale using anitmatter.

Dr Joshua Machacek, Professor Stephen Buckman

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

Clean Energy

Creating new materials using pressure and diamond anvil cells

New forms of materials can be made using extreme pressures via diamond anvil cells.

Prof Jodie Bradby, Dr Xingshuo Huang

Engineering in Physics

Creating new materials using pressure and diamond anvil cells

New forms of materials can be made using extreme pressures via diamond anvil cells.

Prof Jodie Bradby, Dr Xingshuo Huang

Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy

Understanding material defects at the atomic scale using anitmatter.

Dr Joshua Machacek, Professor Stephen Buckman

Miniature absolute gravimeter for long-term gravity surveys

Absolute gravimeters tie their measurement of gravity to the definition of the second 
by interrogating the position of a falling test mass using a laser interferometer. Our vision is to develop and prototype a miniaturised absolute gravimeter by 
leveraging modern vacuum, laser, and micro-electromechanical systems.

Dr Samuel Legge, Professor John Close, Prof Patrick Kluth, Dr Giovanni Guccione

Environmental Physics

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

Radioactivity in our environment

Radionuclides such as 236U and 239Pu were introduced into the environment by the atmospheric nuclear weapon tests and an be readily measured by accelerator mass spectrometry.

Dr Michaela Froehlich

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

Materials Science and Engineering

Wearable III-V nanofilm photodetectors and sensors

Semiconductor nanofilms are just some tens of nanometres thick single-crystalline structures with lateral dimensions in cm-scale. The ultra-low thickness gives these films interesting properties differing from bulk materials, and enables interesting novel device concepts in photodetection and gas sensing.

Dr Tuomas Haggren, Professor Hoe Tan, Professor Chennupati Jagadish

Creating new materials using pressure and diamond anvil cells

New forms of materials can be made using extreme pressures via diamond anvil cells.

Prof Jodie Bradby, Dr Xingshuo Huang

Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy

Understanding material defects at the atomic scale using anitmatter.

Dr Joshua Machacek, Professor Stephen Buckman

Bottom-up, quasi-bound states in the continuum (quasi-BIC) metasurface lasers

This project aims to demonstrate lasing in a bottom-up metasurface supporting a perturbed symmetry-protected quasi-BIC mode, while exploring its unique optical properties. We will also develop fabrication processes to achieve electrically injected lasing, highlighting the advantages of bottom-up metasurface design over conventional top-down laser fabrication approaches.

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

Functional nanopore membranes

Nano-pore membranes have important applications in chemical- and bio-sensing, water filtration and protein separation. This project will investigate our innovative technology to fabricate nanopore membranes in silicon dioxide and silicon nitride and exploit their use for advanced applications.

Prof Patrick Kluth

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 emitters on Si

Although planar growth of III-V materials on Si has been widely demonstrated, direct growth of III-V nanostructures on Si remains challenging. This project aims to realize InP/InAsP light-emitting nanostructures on Si substrates by engineering the III-V/Si interfacial energy, enabling monolithic integration of active photonic components on silicon.

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

Bottom-up, parity-time (PT) symmetric micro-cavity lasers

In this project, we aim to explore PT-symmetric lasing in III-V semiconductor micro-cavity lasers that are epitaxially grown on their substrates, free from any etching-induced damage. In particular, we aim to demonstrate performance improvements by exploiting some of the unique features of bottom-up grown laser cavities.

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

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

Flexible GaN-based UV photodetectors

Flexible GaN for applications in wearable and flexible electronics.

Dr Sonachand Adhikari, Professor Hoe Tan, Professor Chennupati Jagadish

Electrically-injected bottom-up III-V micro-cavity lasers

Bottom-up fabrication of lasers via epitaxial growth is emerging as a promising alternative to conventional top-down methods, offering potential to realize micro-lasers with ultra-low optical losses. In this project, we aim to demonstrate electrically injected lasing in InP/InAsP multi-quantum well micro-ring cavities, grown using the selective area epitaxy technique.

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

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Wearable III-V nanofilm photodetectors and sensors

Semiconductor nanofilms are just some tens of nanometres thick single-crystalline structures with lateral dimensions in cm-scale. The ultra-low thickness gives these films interesting properties differing from bulk materials, and enables interesting novel device concepts in photodetection and gas sensing.

Dr Tuomas Haggren, Professor Hoe Tan, Professor Chennupati Jagadish

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

Creating new materials using pressure and diamond anvil cells

New forms of materials can be made using extreme pressures via diamond anvil cells.

Prof Jodie Bradby, Dr Xingshuo Huang

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

Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy

Understanding material defects at the atomic scale using anitmatter.

Dr Joshua Machacek, Professor Stephen Buckman

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

Functional nanopore membranes

Nano-pore membranes have important applications in chemical- and bio-sensing, water filtration and protein separation. This project will investigate our innovative technology to fabricate nanopore membranes in silicon dioxide and silicon nitride and exploit their use for advanced applications.

Prof Patrick Kluth

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

Positron interactions with structured surfaces

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

Dr Joshua Machacek, Dr Sergey Kruk

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

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

Quantum-well nanowire light emitting devices

In this project we aim to design and demonstrate  III-V compound semiconductor based quantum well nanowire light emitting devices with wavelength ranging from 1.3 to 1.6 μm for optical communication applications.

Professor Lan Fu, Dr Ziyuan Li, 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

Photonics, Lasers and Nonlinear Optics

Bottom-up, quasi-bound states in the continuum (quasi-BIC) metasurface lasers

This project aims to demonstrate lasing in a bottom-up metasurface supporting a perturbed symmetry-protected quasi-BIC mode, while exploring its unique optical properties. We will also develop fabrication processes to achieve electrically injected lasing, highlighting the advantages of bottom-up metasurface design over conventional top-down laser fabrication approaches.

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

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 emitters on Si

Although planar growth of III-V materials on Si has been widely demonstrated, direct growth of III-V nanostructures on Si remains challenging. This project aims to realize InP/InAsP light-emitting nanostructures on Si substrates by engineering the III-V/Si interfacial energy, enabling monolithic integration of active photonic components on silicon.

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

Bottom-up, parity-time (PT) symmetric micro-cavity lasers

In this project, we aim to explore PT-symmetric lasing in III-V semiconductor micro-cavity lasers that are epitaxially grown on their substrates, free from any etching-induced damage. In particular, we aim to demonstrate performance improvements by exploiting some of the unique features of bottom-up grown laser cavities.

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

Quantum-well nanowire light emitting devices

In this project we aim to design and demonstrate  III-V compound semiconductor based quantum well nanowire light emitting devices with wavelength ranging from 1.3 to 1.6 μm for optical communication applications.

Professor Lan Fu, Dr Ziyuan Li, Professor Hoe Tan, Professor Chennupati Jagadish

Electrically-injected bottom-up III-V micro-cavity lasers

Bottom-up fabrication of lasers via epitaxial growth is emerging as a promising alternative to conventional top-down methods, offering potential to realize micro-lasers with ultra-low optical losses. In this project, we aim to demonstrate electrically injected lasing in InP/InAsP multi-quantum well micro-ring cavities, grown using the selective area epitaxy technique.

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

Quantum Science and Technology

Beam matching using machine learning

This project aims to use a machine learning algorithm to perform beam alignment in an optics experiment. It would involve mode-matching two optical beams using motorised mirror mounts. Additional degrees of freedom like lens positions and beam polarisation can be added later.

Dr Syed Assad, Dr Aaron Tranter, Dr Jie Zhao

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

Miniature absolute gravimeter for long-term gravity surveys

Absolute gravimeters tie their measurement of gravity to the definition of the second 
by interrogating the position of a falling test mass using a laser interferometer. Our vision is to develop and prototype a miniaturised absolute gravimeter by 
leveraging modern vacuum, laser, and micro-electromechanical systems.

Dr Samuel Legge, Professor John Close, Prof Patrick Kluth, Dr Giovanni Guccione

Theoretical Physics

Enhancing particle builder: developing comprehensive physics explanations

This project aims to enhance the educational value of the online adaptation of Particle Builder by developing comprehensive physics and mathematical explanations. Through a literature review, content creation, and analysis of engagement data, the student researcher will contribute their physics expertise to create an engaging and effective learning resource.

Mr Lachlan McGinness