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

Materials Science and Engineering

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

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

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

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

Flexible GaN-based UV photodetectors

Flexible GaN for applications in wearable and flexible electronics.

Dr Sonachand Adhikari, Professor Hoe Tan, Professor Chennupati Jagadish

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

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

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

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

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

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

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-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

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

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

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