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The Laser Physics Centre

The Laser Physics Centre is one of the seven Departments which make up the Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering at the ANU.

The Laser Physics Centre focuses on the design of lasers and their application to the study of physical sciences. Work ranges from the growth and manipulation of materials for applied photonics to lasers as spectroscopic tools to probe the structure of matter.

Laser cooling and trapping techniques are used to create sources of metastable helium atoms for studying atom optics and atomic collision physics. A bright beam generates a high flux, low divergence beam of moderately slow atoms (~100 m/s), while a magneto-optic trap confines and cools them to sub-milliKelvin temperatures. These sources are then used to perform atom lithography, to study atom-atom and electron-atom collisions, to guide atoms through hollow optical fibres, and to create atomic beamsplitters and other devices for atom interferometry.

The Centre has an active research program involving novel materials such as organically modified silicate glasses which are essential for advancing the technologies of photonics and optical communications. Research spans the complete range from growth of such materials to the design and fabrication of waveguides and other photonic devices. The Centre has an extensive suite of device fabrication facilities such as laser direct write systems which enable us to manufacture "cutting edge" photonic devices such as planar waveguides, couplers and interferometers.

High power pulsed lasers are used to vaporise materials and re-deposit them in various novel forms such as carbon nanotubes and diamond-like films and glasses.

Lasers are also used for spectroscopic work within the Centre. The Centre is involved with the development of ultra high resolution dye laser systems, with applications in spectral hole burning and quantum computing. Non linear optical materials are also used to up-convert dye laser radiation to tunable ultraviolet light for high resolution molecular spectroscopy and studies of atmospheric physics.

Much more information about the Laser Physics Centre is available on the Department's own web pages.