About the Project
Over the last two decades metamaterials, and more recently, metasurfaces have become the focus of interest in the field of optics, offering unparalleled capabilities to control the flow and properties of light, while retaining the simplicity and compactness of classical, linear devices.
Similar possibilities are now emerging and being explored in the field of acoustics. Interestingly, compared to the optical building blocks, typical elastic materials exhibit a much broader range of parameters with strong anisotropic characteristics, and allow for not only transverse, but also longitudinal waves to propagate and be scattered in a controllable fashion.
The project seeks to combine these two concepts and introduce novel designs of elastic metasurfaces and metamaterials to find new directions towards controlling interaction between mechanical vibrations and light, and pave ways to boosting the nonlinear properties of optical devices.
There are major theoretical challenges to be overcome to design such structures and develop the necessary formalism. The CUDOS research team at Macquarie University is seeking an outstanding student to work on theoretical aspects in this program. The student will develop and apply the theory of elastic wave scattering on single scatterers, propagation in elastic medium and scattering on metasurfaces, both at the analytical and numerical level, using HPC technologies. Furthermore, the student will contribute to the efforts of including such designs into non-linear optical system, and will help to develop the necessary theoretical formalism, on the boundary of classical and quantum physics, which would be suitable to describe the interaction of light and mechanical vibrations.
The project will require a high level of skill in analytic and numerical mathematics, strong foundations in electromagnetic theory and classical mechanics, as well as some experience in programming.
This is a highly collaborative project funded by a major grant from the Australian Research Council. Based within the group of Professor Michael Steel at Macquarie, you will collaborate closely with leading researchers Professor Ben Eggleton (University of Sydney) and Assoc. Professor Christopher Poulton (University of Technology, Sydney). Together we have run a multilarge program in both theory and experiment of light-sound interactions for 5 years, working as part of the internationally known CUDOS Centre of Excellence in photonics. We are also working with leading experimentalists at the Optical Research Centre of the University of Southampton, UK.
Macquarie University is located on a green campus in the north of Sydney, one of the world’s most beautiful and exciting cities.
The Department of Physics and Astronomy is a leading physical sciences department in Australia, with around 30 academics and 80 postgraduate students working in optics photonics and lasers, quantum science, and astronomy and astrophysics. We have a strongly international profile. Our facilities include start-of-the-art labs hosting femtosecond laser systems, quantum light sources and single photon detection systems, advanced characterisation facilities, and access to major supercomputers.
Students in our Department enjoy substantial opportunities for attending workshops and international conferences, international research collaboration, and networking for seeking future employment in industry or academia. We have a deep commitment to improving the representation in physics of women, LGBTIQ persons and other under-represented groups with a highly active Equity and Diversity Committee and a supportive workplace culture.
Applications are welcome from both domestic and international candidates. Prospective PhD applicants should have completed the equivalent of Macquarie University’s Master of Research (MRes) degree or other 2 year Masters degree with a major research component with excellent results.
For further information on the above and other activities please contact Professor Michael Steel ([Email Address Removed],+61 2 9850 8916) and visit the web pages at http://science.mq.edu.au/~msteel and http://web.science.mq.edu.au/groups/cudos.
Funding Notes
The 2017 iMQRTP scholarship full-time stipend rate is AUD 26,682 pa tax exempt for 3 years.
To be eligible for a PhD scholarship applicants are expected to have a record of excellent academic performance, especially in the research Masters degree, and additional relevant research experience and/or peer-reviewed research activity, awards and/or prizes in line with the University’s scholarship rating guidelines. Refer to the http://www.mq.edu.au/research/phd-and-research-degrees/how-to-apply/entry-criteria for more information.
To pursue this opportunity, please email [Email Address Removed] by July 20, 2017 attaching full CV, academic transcripts, evidence of English proficiency, and details of any prizes, awards and scientific publications.
Continue with Facebook
