Photonics centre awarded $23M

The Centre of Excellence for Ultrahigh Bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems (CUDOS) will receive $23.8 million from the Australian Research Council (ARC) over the next seven years.

This will allow the centre, which is a collaborative venture between seven Australian universities including Swinburne University of Technology, to build on its already significant achievements and take integrated photonics to the next level.

The funding is being administered under the second round of the ARC Centres of Excellence scheme announced last week. The scheme aims to enhance and develop innovative and collaborative research, as well as build Australia’s human capacity in a range of research areas.

According to Professor Ben Eggleton from the University of Sydney who heads up CUDOS, the continued funding with allow the centre to have a new vision with a strong foundation. 

“With new chief investigators, new international links and end-user partnerships we have the capacity and drive to revolutionise information systems and create and develop Australian industry,” he said. “Importantly we’ll also be training and mentoring young researchers in the science and application of nanophotonics and photonic processing.”

In the past two years the centre has published and presented a number of prestigious papers and attracted international media attention. Some breakthroughs include unprecedented Tbaud processing speeds and demonstrations of slow light enhanced optical processing, developments which have the potential to reduce internet information bottlenecks.

Eggleton said that the new CUDOS will take the next big step in optical systems by transforming photonic integrated circuits into a technology that will have a profound effect on economies and lifestyles around the world.

“This revolutionary research will allow the internet to transfer vast amounts of data with significantly improved energy efficiency and security using quantum photonics-based integrated devices.

“The outcomes that can be expected from this second round of funding will fuel research and development programs for decades, harnessing links between fundamental research and commercial applications through industry partners and start-up companies, and developing strong linkages between Australian and overseas universities and companies.”

Along with Professor Eggleton, chief investigators from the existing centre include Professor Min Gu from Swinburne, Professor Yuri Kivshar and Professor Barry Luther-Davies from the Australian National University and Professor Martijn de Sterke from the University of Sydney. The centre will also benefit from new expertise from Monash University’s Professor Arthur Lowery and other Australian researchers and international partner organisations.  For more details on the Australian Research Council announcement visit: http://www.arc.gov.au/ncgp/ce/2011_coe_funding.htm 

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