School of Physics
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.(Click the image for a bigger picture.)
The Research
**Optical Waveguides**
Some of the theoretical developments in the computation of
form factors have resulted in significant deviations from earlier
work, which can be tested by suitable experiments. Here the atomic
scattering factor is given for Uranium at medium X-ray energies (keV). Click
the figure for the corresponding attenuation coefficients.
Near-field Optics
- Near-field interferometer with sub-wavelength resolution
- More...
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
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, Chris_Chantler.physics@muwayf.unimelb.edu.au
- Senior Scientist
- 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, 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, vonbibra@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Julian
Walford, walford@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Mirek
Walkiewiecz (MSc), mirek@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
- Honours Students
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.
School of Physics
HTML Primer
Rob Scholten, scholten@optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au
Last modified: 7th September 1995
Copyright © 1995 The University of Melbourne
Atom Optics
Multi-channel X-ray Optics and The Lobster-eye Satellite
Precision tests of QED
Theory and computation of Atomic Form Factors
Experimental measurement of attenuation and scattering in
matter
Interaction of X-rays with photographic emulsions
Improved densitometry/characterisation of X-ray emulsions
Single Capillary Optics and X-ray focussing
Nanofocusing atom beams with standing waves
The Donut mode laser as an atomic lens
Diode Laser technology for atomic physics
Laser coupling setup
Images
Refractive index retrieval