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Research Questions

Our research is centred around key research questions and themes.

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Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

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Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.What’s a Rich Text element?

The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.

Static and dynamic content editing

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

How to customize formatting for each rich text

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

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Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

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Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

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1: Decoherence and precision measurement (DM)

Overview:

Decoherence is the process by which quantum information is lost from a system as it interacts with its environment. Decoherence thus puts fundamental limits to the precision of measurements. At the same time, precision measurement techniques are required to reach the experimental regimes necessary to study the effects of decoherence. At the fundamental level, much remains to be learnt about decoherence, and a better understanding of the behaviour of quantum systems will lead to improvements in quantum technologies and precision measurements. For example, it is well known that decoherence represents one of the greatest obstacles for the realisation of useful quantum computers. The aim of this research question is to improve precision measurement techniques and expand our understanding of decoherence. Our initial research will be focused around the four flagship projects described below.

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Projects:

Project 1: DM1 — Monitored quantum systems

Project 2: DM2 Ring Laser Gyroscopes

Project 3: DM3 — Cavity QED

Project 4: DM4 — Quantum memories

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2: Self-organisation (SO)

Overview:

Self-organisation — the formation of large-scale ordered structures from initial disordered states — is a ubiquitous phenomenon that manifests itself in a variety of systems. It plays a key role in the emergence and persistence of complex structures that appear spontaneously in nature, including animal coats, fluid turbulence, and at the most sophisticated level, life itself. Self-organisation is also key to many technological applications, including ultra-short pulsed lasers, neural networks, and self-assembling nanostructures that could lead to breakthroughs in efficient and cheap nanotechnology. We will use the DWC’s world-leading expertise in photonic and quantum systems to (i) solve fundamental questions related to self-organisation and associated nonequilibrium dynamics, and (ii) harness self-organisation effects for the development of new technologies. During the first four years, we propose to focus on the four areas described below that move from understanding the fundamentals of quantum systems to applying self-organisation to create new laser sources for NZ manufacturing.

Projects:

Project 1: SO1 – Clusters, Cascades and dissipation in quantum turbulence

Project 2: SO2 — Understanding self-organisation in multi-scale systems

Project 3: SO3 – Universality in non-equilibrium dynamics

Project 4: SO4 — New sources of ultra-short pulses

3: Quantum and Classical Emulation (QCE)

Overview:

Engineered photonic and atomic systems are ideal platforms for proof-of-principle testing of new ideas and applications of unconventional states of matter. Trapped-atom gases offer a level of controllability for their single- and multi-particle properties unparalleled in any other physical system, while structured light offers flexible atomic manipulation and realisation of optical analogues. We will use such systems for simulating a variety of physical phenomena at the forefront of physics research, and develop tools and techniques enabling future quantum simulation experiments. Our long-term goal is to use table-top quantum and photonic systems as analog computers to solve model problems that are too hard for classical computers, e.g. the birth of a model universe from quantum fluctuations.

Projects:

Project 1: QCE1 — Emulating solid-state and quantum physics with fibre cavities

Project 2: QCE2 — Enabling quantum simulations with rare earths in optical tweezer

Project 3: QCE3 – Experimental Atomtronics

Project 4: QCE4 – Topological materials and coupled superfluids

Project 5: Project QCE5 — Nonlinear dynamics at the quantum limit

4: Health and Environment (HE)

Overview:

Photonic technologies enable compact, rapid, and minimally invasive imaging or sensing of human tissues, food samples, bacteria, and pollutants, the latter being at the core of the GEMM initiative. They offer unique opportunities for improvements to our health and the environment. This research area is multidisciplinary and collaborative by its very nature, and encompasses many distinct measurement methods and applications areas. In the first four years, we will focus on the following six flagship projects:

Projects:

Project 1: HE1 Improving the quality of NZ’s primary produce

Project 2: HE2 Laser lab on a chip

Project 3: HE3 Multiscale biomedical imagining to understand deterioration of human tissue

Project 4: HE4 Optical Probes for Biopsy Free Monitoring of Tissue and Bone

Project 5: HE5 Bio-active Molecules and Nanoparticles for Biological Sensing and Treatment

Project 6: HE6 Sensing and Protecting our Cultural and Natural World

5: Future technologies for communication systems (FC)

Overview:

Efficient, reliable and secure communication systems are at the heart of the economy, our well-being, entertainment, and exploration — including scientific exploration. While these systems come in many forms and scales, from bluetooth (radio) to provably secure quantum communications, they are all ultimately based on quantum and photonic technologies. Here we will leverage the DWC’s core expertise to explore and develop new technologies and protocols for the communication systems of the future. In the first four years, we will focus on the following flagship research projects.

Projects:

Project 1: FC1 — Microresonator optical frequency combs

Project 2: Project FC3 — Bi-directional microwave to optical conversion

Theme 1A: Phototonic Sensors & Imaging

In this theme we use their extraordinary light to see, hear, smell and feel far beyond the reach of our senses. When you fire a laser at an object there is a tremendous amount of information in the light that bounces back. We use different colours, pulses and powers of laser light to learn about the structure and function of biological tissue and many other surfaces.

Our expertise in interpreting the way light interacts with matter has led to many unexpected and fruitful collaborations across New Zealand and overseas. We are developing sensors to sort sperm for the dairy industry, detect bacteria on carcasses, grade the quality of meat and locate blossoms on kiwifruit plants. We are working with engineers and medical researchers to develop a technique for detecting eye disease, a new method for measuring the intensity of skin burns and a force sensor for keyhole surgery. We are also working with geophysicists to measure vibrations deep beneath New Zealand’s alpine fault.

Our sensing and imaging projects are underpinned by a strong focus on theory and numerical modelling. Our researchers are world renowned for their understanding of nonlinear optics, when light stops behaving according to the normal rules. We are able to exploit these nonlinear effects to create novel sensing and maging technologies.

Theme 1A: Phototonic Sensors & Imaging

Theme 1B: Photonic Sources & Components

They say workers are only as good as their tools. This theme is developing new and improved lasers, fibre optic cables and other optical tools to open up new frontiers for research and applications. We work in close collaboration with the other three themes to provide tools to enhance their research and probe further into the quantum world.

We are world-renowned for our expertise in fibre lasers, which are versatile, lightweight and cheap to produce. We develop them for use as cutters, sorters and sensors for a wide variety of industrial and science applications. We are also well known for our strength in nonlinear optics; understanding what happens when light stops behaving by the normal rules.

Our fundamental theories and numerical models are used by top research groups across the world and have led to advances in the development of optical frequency combs, cavity solitons and other nonlinear devices that could revolutionise the internet and many other fields.

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Theme 1B: Photonic Sources & Components

Theme 2A: Quantum Fluids & Gases

The quantum realm is the wild west of modern science. Although we know some of the basic rules, the vast majority of quantum interactions remain uncharted. In this theme we explore cold atom physics, which is like a playground for quantum phenomena.

By cooling atoms to just above absolute zero and precisely controlling their state, we have the ability to create and observe almost any quantum effect we can think of. We run experiments and develop theory to investigate quantum phenomena such as quantum vortices, quantum turbulence, the conditions before the Big Bang and biological processes involved in photosynthesis. We are exploiting this new understanding to develop quantum technologies such as extremely precise gravitometers and clocks.

We are world renowned for our legacy in quantum theory and despite our modest budget have developed outstanding experimental facilities which are enabling world-class results.

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Theme 2A: Quantum Fluids & Gases

Theme 2B: Quantum Manipulation & Information

It is one thing to understand how the quantum world works; it requires another level of precision and control to build reliable devices and systems that exploit quantum phenomena.

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This kind of ‘quantum engineering’ is the focus of this theme. Through precise observation and control of the interactions between photons of light and atoms we are contributing to the development of a new generation of quantum technologies. Our aim is to exploit the weird aspects of the quantum world like quantum superposition (the ability of a quantum particle to exist in more than one state at once) and quantum entanglement (when several particles behave as if they were a single entity).

Our researchers have record ability to isolate and control the motion of single atoms. We can move atoms around with laser light and stick them together to create completely new molecules and conduct ultra-precise experiments. Our research is contributing to the development of quantum computers capable of solving extremely complex problems.

We are looking at novel ways of creating qubits, the fundamental processing units for quantum computers, and developing solutions for quantum memory and quantum debugging. Quantum communication is the focus of several projects. We are working on a technique to enable communication between quantum computers over large distances. This involves translating single microwave photons, which quantum computers operate on, to optical photons, which are easily transported down optical fibres. We are also contributing to the fundamental theory behind quantum communication networks and quantum measurement.

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Theme 2B: Quantum Manipulation & Information

Publications

As a Centre of Research Excellence, the Dodd-Walls Centre has over 220 researchers and students from six partner institutions, working in quantum optics, photonics and precision atomic physics. The Centre engages in educational outreach and commercialisation activities.

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