Optics Group

The Optics Group at the University of Melbourne covers a broad range of interesting aspects of modern optics. Think not of lenses and pin-hole cameras, but rather of X-rays, waveguides, fibres, lasers, novel microscopy and satellites!

Artist's impression of a "Lobster-eye" x-ray telescope flown on a small satellite. The eye of a lobster uses a lens consisting of approximately square microchannels, which reflect light onto the lobster retina. The Optics Group has borrowed this concept to design a prototype imaging X-ray telescope, and research is underway to model the performance and investigate the feasibility, in collaboration with groups at Los Alamos, NASA and the University of Leicester.

The People

Faculty
- Prof. Keith Nugent, nugent@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Dr. Ann Roberts, roberts@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Dr. Rob Scholten, scholten@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Dr. Chris Chantler, chantler@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
Senior Scientist
- Alberto Cimmino, cimmino@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
Post-doctoral Research Fellows
- Dr. Andrei Nikulin, nikulin@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
Research Assistants
- Patrick O'Brien, obrien@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
Postgraduate Students
- David Balaic, balaic@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Viviene Cucevic, cucevic@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Shaun Griffin, griffin@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Allan Horsfall, horsfall@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Shane Huntington, hunt@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Louise Mason, mason@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- John Murphy, murphy@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Dave Paganin (BSc Hons), paganin@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- David Paterson, paterson@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Andrew Peele, peele@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Stephen Rhodes, rhodes@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Mark von Bibra (BSc Hons), vonbibra@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Julian Walford (BSc Hons), walford@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Mirek Walkiewiecz (MSc), mirek@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
Honours Students
- Shu-Yen Lee (BSc), lee@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Justine Tiller (BSc), tiller@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Chanh Tran, tran@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Stuart Williams (BSc), williams@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au

The Research

Atom Optics

Nanofocusing atom beams with standing waves

The Donut mode laser as an atomic lens

Diode Laser technology for atomic physics

Optical Waveguides

Laser coupling setup

Images

Refractive index retrieval

Near-field interferometer with sub-wavelength resolution
More...

The Lobster-Eye Telescope
Capillary Optics for X-rays
Spectroscopy to test QED

The Facilities

Xray production and diagnostic equipment
Lasers - from HeNe's to Argon ion to 50W CO2 to laser diodes
Cooled CCD cameras (12-bit, for visible and X-ray)
Computer equipment -DEC Alpha workstation/4GB disk/4mm tape drive/650MB magneto-optical disk drive/colour Postscript printer, PC's etc.
5 MeV proton Microprobe

Would you like to work with us?

All potential students and visitors should direct their enquiries to one of the Faculty group members. Some totally unofficial information regarding awards, scholarships and funding programs is available.

Information on other institutions offering postgraduate positions is available (need Link here)

Feel free to call on us...

The Optics Group can be reached via:

Optics Group
School of Physics
University of Melbourne
Parkville
Victoria, 3052
AUSTRALIA

Phone: +61 (0)3 9344 5446 (Nugent)
       +61 (0)3 9344 8171 (Optics Computer Room)
Fax:   +61 (0)3 9347 4783
URL:   http://optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au/home.html
email: nugent@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au

There have been accesses to this page since July 18, 1995.

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