Annual Report 2005.pdf - School of Physics - University of Melbourne

2005 

School of Physics 

ANNUAL REPORT 

The University of Melbourne 

> 

The School of Physics staff and postgraduates 

Photographer: David Hannah

The University of Melbourne 02 

The School of Physics 

Mission Statement 04 

Head's Report 05 

Growing Esteem & Future Directions 06 

Governance 06 

Executive Manager's Report 06 

Contents 2005 > 

Academic Staff 07 

Research Only Staff 10 

Honorary Staff 11 

Professional Staff 12 

Visitors 14 

Research Funding 17 

01 

Research Seminar Series 21 

Postgraduates in Progress 25 

Theses Passed 28 

Group Reports & Publications 

Astrophysics 31 

Experimental Particle Physics 33 

Micro-analytical Research Centre 35 

Optics 39 

Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics 41 

Theoretical Particle Physics 43 

Quantum Communications Victoria 45 

Postgraduate Physics Student Society 47 

Prizes & Awards 49 

Subjects Offered 51 

Outreach Programs 52 

Alumni 54 

Recruiting Organisations 55 

More Information 56 

www.ph.unimelb.edu.au

The University of Melbourne> XX 02 

INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE 

Postera crescam laude 

I shall grow in the esteem of future generations 

The University of Melbourne is a centre of 

cultural and intellectual life in Australia. Founded 

in 1853, the university commenced teaching 

its first students in 1855. Its main campus is 

located just north of Melbourne’s city centre. It 

is ranked as one of Australia’s highest researchintensive 

universities. Reinforcing Melbourne’s 

position as one of Australia’s leading research 

universities is our ability to attract Australian 

Postgraduate Awards (APAs), which are awarded 

to researchers of great promise. The most recent 

annual figures saw Melbourne receive 174 APAs 

– more than any other Australian university. 

Among those teaching and conducting research 

at the University of Melbourne are many people 

of international standing and reputation. 

As one of Australia’s oldest universities, the 

University of Melbourne has a long history of 

welcoming international students and has a 

sophisticated understanding of the infrastructure 

and specialized support where required. 

In 2005, the University of Melbourne was ranked 

#1 study, The International Standing of Australian 

Universities. This follows the worldwide ranking 

of the University at #22 by the Times Higher 

Education Supplement. Internationalisation is 

essential for the development and growth of the 

University of Melbourne. 

To t h i s e n d t h e U n i v e r s i t y h a s : 

Developed formal international exchanged 

agreements with over 100 institutions 

worldwide; 

Established the Eminent Scholars Scheme – an 

innovative program designed to enhance our 

teaching and research environment; 

Included distinguished members of the global 

higher education community in its governing 

council. The current international member is 

Professor John Hood, Vice-Chancellor, University 

of Auckland; 

Helped to create the prestigious Universitas 

21 network – an international network of 17 

research-intensive universities in ten countries. 

The University’s leading role in setting up and 

supporting Universitas 21 has greatly lifted its 

reputation in Europe, the United States and 

Asia. For further information visit http://www. 

universitas21.com/. 

The University has established strong links with 

industry. The University of Melbourne is a core 

participant in 21 of 26 Cooperative Research 

Centres and is a supporting participant in the 

remaining few. The Government’s Cooperative 

Research Centre Program, launched in 1990, 

fosters links between industry, educational 

institutions and government to encourage 

world-class research and to offer business 

an opportunity to collaborate with research 

institutions on R&D relevant to industry needs. 

The benefit of such alliances to postgraduate 

students is that they have access to state-ofthe-art 

facilities and their learning is informed 

by the latest research conducted by world-class 

academics.

The University of Melbourne> 

03 

FACULTY OF SCIENCE 

The Faculty of Science was established in 1903 at 

the University of Melbourne, under the first Dean, 

Professor Henry Laurie. The Faculty provides 

a range of teaching and postgraduate training 

programs and community services, based on 

a solid foundation of research in the pure and 

applied sciences. It comprises four schools 

and five departments - Botany, Chemistry, 

Earth Sciences, Physics, Genetics, Information 

Systems, Mathematics & Statistics, Optometry 

& Vision Sciences, and Zoology, and it has an 

active involvement in 13 competitively funded 

research centres. Over 6,500 undergraduate and 

postgraduate students are enrolled across its 

10 undergraduate and 12 postgraduate courses 

and its Honours program. 

Faculty staff gain approximately $22 million a 

year in competitive research grants, through 

peer-assessed grants, the Australian Research 

Council (ARC), the National Health and Medical 

Research Council (NHMRC) and other national 

funding and industry agencies. Its international 

agenda includes joint research ventures, 

exchange of staff and students, recruitment 

of overseas students and the inclusion of a 

global perspective in curricula. Through the 

quality of its research and teaching, the Faculty 

enjoys a strong reputation, both nationally and 

internationally. 

For over 100 years, our Faculty of Science has 

been recognised internationally for the role in 

expanding the frontiers of knowledge for the 

betterment of society.

"Providing outstanding innovative 

teaching and learning, research and 

research training, and knowledge 

transfer programs" 

The School of Physics > 

04 

MISSION STATEMENT 

To advance the knowledge and understanding 

of physics for the benefit of society, science 

and the environment by continually achieving 

excellence in teaching and research. Our aim 

is to be one of the best Physics Schools in the 

world. 

The School of Physics is one of the oldest and 

largest in Australia. It houses approximately 200 

teaching & research academic staff, research 

staff, professional staff, postgraduate and 4th 

year Honours students. The School is justifiably 

proud of its internationally competitive and 

comprehensive undergraduate and research 

programs, particularly with the Honours, 

Masters and PhD programs. 

The major research strengths of the department 

staff span a diverse range of interests including 

astrophysics, atom optics, cosmology, condensed 

matter physics, experimental particle physics, 

medical physics, nanotechnology and materials 

science, theoretical particle physics, quantum 

information science, X-ray and imaging optics. 

The breadth and depth of interests is reflected in 

the undergraduate teaching programs. 

The School enjoys excellent international 

reputation in research with its collaborators in 

CERN (Switzerland), KEK (Japan), Advanced 

Photon Source (USA), Argonne Lab (USA), 

Hubble Telescope (USA), NASA, NIST, National 

Oakridge Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley 

Laboratories, and many top universities in 

Europe, North America and Asia. 

In addition, the School locally collaborates with 

researchers at other Australian facilities such 

as Anglo-Australian Telescope, APAC, Austin 

Hospital, Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, 

Parkes Telescope, Australian Synchrotron, 

Walter & Eliza Hall Institute, Howard Florey 

Institute, CSIRO as well as laboratory facilities 

within the University of Melbourne Schools and 

Departments of Biochemical & Microbiology, 

Chemistry, Computer Science, Medicine, 

Pathology and Chemical & Biomolecular 

Engineering. 

The School has an outstanding record of 

achievement in attracting external research 

funding including grants from the Australian 

Research Council (ARC), Australian Academy 

of Science, Victorian Government and USA 

government bodies. 

The School’s research activities are aligned 

according to 6 research groups: 

Astrophysics (Astro) 

Experimental Particle Physics (EPP) 

Micro-analytical Research Centre (MARC) 

Optics 

Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics (TCMP) 

Theoretical Particle Physics (TPP)

HEAD'S REPORT 

Head of School, Professor Geoffrey Taylor 

In addition, the School currently hosts the 

Melbourne node of the ARC Centre of Excellence 

for Quantum Computing Computer Technology. 

This year we were successful in attracting 

major funding for two new initiatives: the ARC 

Centre of Excellence for Coherent X-ray Science 

and a special research centre – Quantum 

Communications Victoria (QCV) – an applied 

physics R&D effort in the area of quantum 

information science and cryptography. 

The School houses a suite of premier research 

laboratories and facilities within the Faculty of 

Science. These include: 

• a clean room complex equipped with 

advanced instrumentation for materials 

fabrication, characterisation and analysis 

including focused ion beam microscopes, UHV 

AFM/STM scanning probe system, UV Raman 

spectrometer, and a pulsed laser deposition 

system. 

• a particle detector development and 

construction facility comprising clean rooms, 

precision wirebonder detector development, 

assembly and evaluation capabilities. 

• state-of-the-art X-ray, laser, microscopy 

and atom optics laboratories 

• a 5 MV Pelletron accelerator providing 

source of MeV ion beams in 5 beamlines 

used in nuclear microprobe systems 

• excellent library with extensive collection 

of journals , books and texts (mostly on-line) to 

service the teaching and research activities of 

the School (as well as external institutions) 

The annual report of the School of Physics is an 

important communication between the School, 

the University and the broader community. We 

are delighted that you are taking the time to 

consult it. 

The work of an academic department takes 

many forms but teaching and research are at 

its heart. In the pages of this report you will 

find a snap-shot of our research and teaching 

activities in 2005. In doing so, we celebrate 

the achievements of our students, including 05 

those who have won academic prizes and 

those who have completed degrees. The report 

also celebrates the achievements of our staff, 

including the papers they have published and 

the research grants they have been awarded. 

We celebrate the diversity of our staff and 

students, their interests and backgrounds. We 

are passionate in our commitment to highest 

standards in teaching and research in physics. 

GROWING ESTEEM & FUTURE 

DIRECTIONS 

Guided by the University of Melbourne’s strategy 

of Growing Esteem, our community of staff and 

students continue to contribute strongly in each 

of the three important elements of a world-class 

university: 

Research – Faculty of Science researchers 

operate at the highest levels internationally 

across a breadth of disciplines, contributing 

to the store of human knowledge, finding 

applications that benefit society and informing 

teaching programs which position our students 

for the international marketplace; 

Learning and Teaching – attracting the best 

and brightest from around Australia and 

internationally, Science at Melbourne offers a 

broad range of disciplines to prepare scientists 

and professionals for the challenges of 

tomorrow; 

Knowledge Transfer – by engaging with industry, 

schools and our community, locally and around 

the world, our staff, students and alumni are 

able to define, analyse and help solve complex 

issues in science and business.

SCHOOL GOVERNANCE 

The School continues to be well served 

by the following Committee Structure and 

membership. 

Academic Programs 

Jeff McCallum (Chair), Andrew Melatos, Lloyd 

Hollenberg, Ray Volkas, Andy Martin, Ann 

Roberts, David Jamieson, Elisabetta Barberio, 

Helen Conley, Colin Entwisle (Executive Officer), 

Finance & Facilities 

Geoffrey Taylor (Chair), David Jamieson, Chris 

Chantler, Rachel Webster, Steven Prawer, Robert 

Scholten, William Belcher, Russel Walsh, Helen 

Conley, Marcia Damjanovitch-Napoleon Executive 

Officer), Paul Spizziri, Chris Witte (ex officio) 

Promotions & Marketing 

David Jamieson (Chair), Ann Roberts, Rachel 

Webster, Roger Rassool, Geoffrey Taylor, Bruce 

McKellar, Michelle Livett, Elisabetta Barberio, 

Helen Conley, Joanne Kuluveovski, Cilla Gloger 

(Executive Officer), Brant Gibson, Nick Stavrios 

(ex officio) 

Research & Industry 

Ray Volkas (Chair) , Stuart Wyithe, Chris Chantler, 

Les Allen, Rachel Webster, Keith Nugent, Helen 

Conley, Joanne Kuluveovski, Cilla Gloger 

(Executive Officer), Shane Huntington, Shannon 

Orbons (ex officio) 

Safety 

Rob Scholten (Chair), Wayne Powrie, Paul 

Spizziri, Phil Lyons, Steven Prawer, Helen 

Conley, Mary Fernandes (Executive Officer), 

Marco La Rosa, Matthew Lay (ex officio) 

Policy 

Geoffrey Taylor (Chair), Ray Volkas, Rachel 

Webster, David Jamieson, Steven Prawer, 

Keith Nugent, Bruce McKellar, Les Allen, 

Helen Conley (Executive Officer), Sasha 

Ignatiev, Chris Johnson (ex officio) 

School Meeting 

Geoffrey Taylor (Chair) , all staff, Paul Fraser (ex 

officio), Joanne Kuluveovski (Executive Officer) 

Executive Manager, Ms Helen Conley 

EXECUTIVE MANAGER'S REPORT 

The Teaching and Research effort of the 

School has been well supported again this 

year by excellent professional staff. Joanne 

Kuluveovski joined the School as Research and 

Communication Officer to support the School’s 

research effort. Kristine Philipp was employed as 

administrative support to the Head while Julie 

Warden, formerly with Human Resources at the 

university, moved across to support the finance 

team within the School. 

Within the IT group, we farewelled Tas Dionisakis 

and Nick Savvides who both moved onto 

positions within the university. They are replaced 

by Kathryn Sparks, Simeon Scott and Linh Vu. 

Later in the year, Jude Prezens joined Nick 

Nicola in the undergraduate laboratories, while 

Michael Gangoiti moved to the administration 

team primarily to replace Ms Mary Fernandes 

on reception. 

Building works have included the refurbishment 

of the professorial offices on Level 7, the 

development of a teleconference room, the 

installation of a new chiller in the basement 

and the commencement of a major upgrade of 

the Geoff Opat Seminar Room. Level 2 offices 

were also refurbished to create space for the 

newly funded QCV group. The IT office area 

was upgraded to accommodate all the staff in 

one central area. A new office space has also 

been created in Level 1, utilizing better the space 

formerly occupied by the sick bay area. 

06

Academic Staff > 

07 

PROFESSORS 

Head of School 

Geoffrey Taylor 

BSc(Hons) MSc UWA, PhD Hawaii, MAIP MAPS 

Research Interests: high energy particle physics, 

physics beyond the Standard Model, CERN 

laboratory, ATLAS project, supersymmetry, 

Higgs boson, CP violation, GRID computing, 

positron emission topography, medical physics 

Teaching Interests: Principles and Applications 

of Physics 

Deputy Head of School 

Raymond Volkas 

BSc(Hons) PhD Melb FAIP 

Research Interests: beyond the standard model, 

neutrinos, branes and extra dimensions, particle 

cosmology, particle phenomenology, early 

universe 

Teaching Interests: Quantum mechanics 

Federation Fellow 

Keith Nugent 

BSc(Hons) Adel, PhD ANU, FAA FAIP 

Research Interests: optics, synchrotron science, 

x-rays, coherence, quantitative phase imaging, 

biophysics, protein membrane imaging 

Teaching Interests: n/a 

Bruce McKellar 

BSc(Hons), PhD Syd, DSc Melb, FAA FInstP FAIP 

FAPS 

Research Interests: B Physics, neutrinos, CP 

Violation, quantum chromodynamics, early 

universe, particle phenomenology, general 

theoretical physics. 

Teaching Interests: Electromagnetism, Subatomic 

physics, Quantum mechanics 

David Jamieson 

BSc(Hons), PhD Melb, FAIP, FInst, MAPS 

Research Interests: quantum computing, 

nanotechnology, quantum physics, diamond, 

silicon, ion beam physics and analysis, ion 

implantation, microprobes, semiconductors, 

charge injection in semiconductors 

Teaching Interests: Advanced physics, 

Electromagnetic & Special relativity, Further 

Classical & Quantum Mechanics 

Steven Prawer 

BSc(Hons), PhD Monash, DSc Melb, MAIP MRS 

Research Interests: quantum information 

processing, diamond, ion implantation, 

micromachining, quantum optics, quantum 

communication, ion beam analysis, single photon 

sources, qubits, nanotechnology 

Teaching Interests: Sensors, Condensed Matter 

Physics

Rachel Webster 

BSc Monash, MSc Sussex, PhD Cambridge 

Research Interests: radio astronomy, cosmology, 

terabyte datasets, low frequency radio telescope, 

first stars, epoch of reionisation, galaxy 

formation, solar wind, quasars, gravitational 

lensing, eResearch 

Teaching Interests: Solar systems & cosmos, 

astrophysics, special relativity, 

Robert Scholten 

BSc Adelaide, BSc(Hons) PhD Flinders, MAIP, 

MAPS 

Research Interests: atom optics, quantum optics, 

atomic physics, laser cooling, imaging, quantum 

imaging, atomic coherence, lasers 

Teaching Interests: Advanced Physics, 

Computational Physics 

ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS & 

READERS 

Les Allen 

BSc(Hons), MSc Port Elizabeth, PhD Sth Africa 

Research Interests: atomic resolution imaging 

and spectroscopy, electron scattering, inner-shell 

ionization, phase imaging 

Teaching Interests: Atomic, Molecular and Solid 

State Physics; Scattering & Imaging 

ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS 

Ann Roberts 

BSc(Hons) PhD Syd, MAIP 

Research Interests: optics, photonics, 

Nanophotonics, Imaging, Microscopy 

Teaching Interests: Biomedical Physics, Standard 

Physics, Optics 

08 

Christopher Chantler 

BSc(Hons) UWA, DPhil Oxon 

Research Interests: X-ray optics, synchrotron, 

X-ray Absorption Fine Structure, powder 

diffraction, radiation shielding, atomic physics 

& quantum electro-dynamics, condensed matter 

physics 

Teaching Interests: Electromagnetism & Special 

Relativity; Thermal Physics; Quantum Optics 

Martin Sevior 

BSc(Hons) PhD Melb, FAIP 

Research Interests: high energy physics, quarks, 

anti-matter, Higgs particle, Data Grid 

Teaching Interests: Quantum Mechanics; 

Electrodynamics 

Lloyd Hollenberg 

BSc(Hons) PhD Melb, MAIP 

Research Interests: theoretical quantum 

computing and information, qubit system 

modelling and control, algorithm, single electron 

transistor, decoherence of gate operations, 

quantum error correction 

Teaching Interests: Advanced Physics; Stars & 

Galaxies 

Girish Joshi 

BSc Agra, MSc Allahabad, PhD Delhi 

Research Interests: quaternions, octonions, 

non-commutative geometry, chaotic maps, 

guage theoretic model building, particle 

phenomenology 

Teaching Interests: Quantum Mechanics; 

Quantum Field Theory; General Relativity 

Prof Keith Nugent and Assoc Prof Les Allen

SENIOR LECTURERS 

Elisabetta Barberio 

MSc Bologna, PhD Siegen 

Research Interests: experimental particle physics, 

dark matter, cosmology, ATLAS experiment, 

CERN laboratory, Higgs boson, structure of the 

universe, origin of the mass 

Teaching Interests: Principles and Applications 

of Physics, Particle Physics 

LECTURERS 

Andrew Martin 

BSc(Hons) PhD Lancaster 

Research Interests: theoretical condensed matter 

physics, Bose-Einstein condensation, quantum 

Hall Effect, superfluids, superconductivity 

Teaching Interests: Further classical & Quantum 

mechanics, Thermal Physics 

Michelle Livett 

BSc(Hons) PhD LaTrobe, DipEd MCAE , MAIP 

Research Interests: Physics education 

Teaching Interests: Biomedical Physics 

Andrew Melatos 

BSc(Hons) PhD Syd 

Research Interests: neutron stars, gravitational 

waves, plasma physics, superfluids 

Teaching Interests: Electrodynamics, Statistical 

Mechanics 

Jeffrey McCallum 

BSc(Hons) PhD Melb 

Research Interests: epitaxy and defect studies in 

silicon, semi-conductor physics disorder defects 

and amorphisation, open volume defects, ion 

implantation, solid phase epitaxial growth, 

shallow junctions, new materials science 

Teaching Interests: Advanced Physics, Quantum 

Mechanics and Thermal Physics 

Stuart Wyithe 


Research Interests: astrophysics, cosmology, 

first stars, reionization, black holes, gravitational 

lensing, the early universe, eclipsing binaries, 

quasars 

Teaching Interests: Extragalactic astrophysics & 

Cosmology; Stars & Galaxies 

TUTOR 

James Richmond 

LLB(Hons) BSc(Hons) Melb 

09 

Roger Rassool 


Research Interests: particle and nuclear physics, 

nuclear particle photons, industrial applications 

of physics, instrumentation, silicon detectors, 

medical physics 

Teaching Interests: Advanced Physics, Standard 

Physics, Instruments for Scientists, Energy & 

Environment 

Dr Andy Martin

RESEARCH STAFF 

Senior Research Fellows 

Shane Huntington, BSc(Hons) PhD Melb 

Harry Quiney, BSc(Hons) MSc Monash, DPhil Oxon 

Paul Spizzirri, BAppSc Swinburne, MSc Melb 

Steven Trpkovski, BSc(Hons) PhD VUT 

Centenary Fellow 

Duncan Galloway, BSc(Hons) PhD Tas 

Australian Research Fellow 

Chanh Tran, BSc(Hons) BE, PhD Melb 

Dr Nicoletta Dragomir 

Australian Postdoctoral Fellows 

Nicoletta Dragomir, BSc Romania PhD VUT MAIP 

Adrian Flitney, BSc(Hons) Tas, PhD Adel 

Paolo Olivero, MSc PhD Torino 

Patrick Reichart, PhD Munich 

10 

Research Fellows 

Eric Ampem-Lassen, DipEd BSc MPhil Ghana, PhD Melb 

David Barnes, BSc PhD Melb 

Markus Bischofberger, BSc PGDip PhD Zurich 

Bipin Dhal, BSc MSc MPhil PhD India MAIP 

Mark Dijkstra, BSc MSc Groningen, PhD Columbia 

Scott Findlay, BSc(Hons) PhD Melb 

Robert Foot, BSc(Hons) PhD Melb 

Brant Gibson, BE PhD LaTrobe 

Andrew Greentree, BSc(Hons) Adel, PhD ANU 

Justin Kimpton, BSc(Hons) PhD Swinburne 

Marco La Rosa, BSc(Hons) PhD Melb 

Adrian Mancuso, BSc(Hons) Melb 

Katherine Manson, BSc PhD ANU 

Glenn Moloney, BSc(Hons) PhD Melb 

Matthew O’Dowd, BSc(Hons) PhD Melb 

Christopher Pakes, BSc(Hons) PhD Birmingham 

Nicholas Parker, MSci PhD Durham 

James Rabeau, BSc Waterloo PhD Heriot-Watt 

Sergey Rubanov, MSc Russia, PhD NSW 

Elizabeth Trajkov, BSc(Hons) PhD Melb 

Randall Wayth, BSc BE PGDip PhD Melb 

Cameron Wellard, BSc PhD Melb 

Garth Williams, BSc Akron, MS PhD Illinois 

Jared Winton, BSc Melb 

Lyle Winton, BSc(Hons) PhD Melb 

Changyi Yang, BSc MSc PhD Sweden

HONORARY STAFF 

Professors Emeritus 

Herbert Bolotin, BSc CUNY MSc PhD Indiana 

DSc, FAIP 

David Caro, DSc(Hons) MSc LLB(Hons) Tas, 

PhD Birm OBE AE FACE FAIP 

Anthony George Klein, AM BEE PhD DSc Melb 

FAA HonFAIP 

Colin Arnold Ramm, MSc UWA PhD Birm, 

FlnstP FAIP 

Professorial Fellows 

Allan Clark, BSc Tas, DPhil Oxon., University of 

Geneva 

Jeremy Mould, BSc(Hons) Melb, PhD ANU, 

University of Arizona 

Colin Norman, BE Melb, DPhil Oxon, The John 

Hopkins University 

Sir Andrew Grimwade and Prof Sankar Das Sarma 

Miegunyah Fellow 

Professor Sankar Das Sarma 

Distinguished University Professor & Director of 

Condensed Matter Theory Center, University of 

Maryland, USA 

11 

Principal Fellows with the title Associate 

Professor 

KenAmos, BSc PhD Adel DSc Melb, FAIP 

Zwi Barnea, BSc MSc PolytechLNY PhD Melb, 

MAIP 

Les Bursill, BSc DipEd Melb, PhD Monash DSc 

Melb 

Norman Frankel, BSc MIT PhD Melb 

James Jury, BSc MSc PhD Tor 

Fulvio Melia, BSc(Hons) Melb, PhD MIT 

Edmund Muirhead, MSc PhD Melb, MAIP 

Alan Spargo, BSc PhD WA, MAIP 

Maxwell Thompson, MSc PhD Melb DSc FAIP 

Stuart Tovey, BA Canterbury, PhD Bristol, MAIP 

John Wignall, BA BSc MSc Melb, PhD Cant 

Senior Fellows 

Brendan Allman, BSc(Hons) PhD Melb, DipEd 

Monash, MBA LaTrobe 

Valery Gurarie, MSc PhD Moscow 

Graeme O'Keefe, BSc PhD Melb 

Salvy Russo, BSc Melb, PhD RMIT 

Fellows 

Igor Andrienko, MSc PhD Russia MRACI 

David Bardos, BSc PhD Melb 

Vivianne Buzzi, BSc(Hons) PhD Melb PGDipMgmt 

MBS 

Alberto Cimmino, BSc Naples MSc Melb PhD 

Melb 

Mukunda Das, MSc PhD India 

Michael Drinkwater, BSc Syd PhD Cant 

Matthias Eberspaecher, PhD JLUGieben 

DipPhys 

Moshi Geso, PhD California 

Steven Karataglidis, BSc MSc, AssDipMusic PhD 

Melb 

Victor Kowalenko, BSc PhD Melb 

Jasmina Lazendic-Galloway, BA Belgrade 

BSc(Hons) NSW, PhD US 

Victoria Millar, BSc(Hons) DipEd MSc Melb 

Andrew Peele, BSc LLB PhD Melb 

Andrew Rawlinson, BSc PhD Adel 

Emma Ryan-Weber, BSc(Hons) PhD Melb 

Meryl Waugh, BSc(Hons) Monash DipEd TTC 

PhD Melb

Apparatus for the measurement of mechanical equivalent heat, with Eric Hercus 

and Jack Osborne , 1920 

Professional Staff > 

12 

ADMINISTRATION 

Ms Helen Conley, BSc Deakin DipEd Monash 

Adv. Dip Gestalt Psychotherapy 

Executive Manager 

Mr Russell Walsh, Diploma Electronics RMIT 

Finance & Resources Manager 

Ms Kristine Philipp, BA (Hons) LaTrobe 

PA to Head & Administrator 

Ms Rhiannon Taylor 

Project Officer, QCV 

Mrs Julie Warden 

Administrative Assistant (Finance) 

Ms Janet Carlon, 

MARC administrator 

Ms Marcia Damjanovich-Napoleon, BA UWA 

Finance Officer 

Mr Michael Gangoiti, Diploma Electronics 

Reception 

Ms Cilla Gloger, NHDip Admin Sth Africa 

Administrative Officer 

Ms Mary Fernandes 

Reception (part-time) 

RESEARCH, COMMUNICATIONS & 

TEACHING 

Mr Colin Entwisle, BSc(Hons) Melb 

Teaching Administrative Officer 

Ms Joanne Kuluveovski, BSc(Hons) Melb 

Research & Communications Officer 

Ms Kamala Lekange, 

Librarian 

Ms Helga Kendy 

Reception (part-time)

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 

Mr William Belcher, BElecE 

Manager, IT services 

Mr Tas Dionisakos 

IT Support Officer 

Mr Timothy Dyce, BSc 

Faculty Systems and IT Administrator 

Mr Peter Fuggle 

Systems Network Officer 

Mr Nick Savvides 

IT Officer CQCT 

Mr Simeon Scott 


Ms Kathryn Sparks 


Mr Linh Vu, BComSci Melb 

Web and Database Administrator 

TECHNICAL CENTRE 

Mr Roland Szymanski, PostgradDip Vacuum 

Technology, Certificate Industrial Electronics 

Technical Manager 

Mr Eliecer Bonilla Parra, Certificate Fitter & 

Turner 

Technical Officer 

Mr Ashley French, Certificates in Mechanical 

Instrumentation Making, Fitter & Turner 


Mr Philip Gargano 


Mr Stephen Gregory, BAppSc(Hons), BE 

Melb 


Mr Scott Moncrieff 

Technical Officer EPP 

Mr Wayne Powrie, Certificates in Toolmaking, 

Fitter & Turner 

Senior Technical Officer 

13 

UNDERGRADUATE LABORATORIES 

Mr Nick Nicola, BAppSc RMIT 

Laboratory Manager 

Mr Steven Damen, BSc Ballarat 


Mr Sandor Szilagyi 

Senior Electronics Technician 

Mr Michael Zammit, Certificate Fitter & 

Turner 


Dr David Hoxley, BSc (Hons) PhD Melb 

2nd and 3rd Year Laboratory Coordinator 

Mr Philip Lyons 


Mr Jude Prezens, BAppSc RMIT 

Undergraduate Laboratory Assistant

Visitors > 

14 

The School of Physics encourages international exchanges and visitors to the department, including 

academics of international standing in their field of study. 

Dr Jenni Adams, BSc(Hons) DPhil Oxon 

Senior Lecturer, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Canterbury, New Zealand 

Mr Andrew Alves, BSc RMIT 

PhD, School of Applied Science, RMIT, Australia 

Dr David Belton, BSc(Hons) JCU PhD Melb 

CSIRO Exploration and Mining, School of Geosciences, Monash University, Australia 

Mr Adam Boag 


Professor Sankar Das Sarma 

Distinguished University Professor & Director of Condensed Matter Theory Center, 

University of Maryland, USA 

Dr Michael Brown, BSc(Hons) MSc PhD Melb 

Research Associate, Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, USA 

Professor Sudhendu Choudhury, BSc MSc PhD Dehli 

Department of Physics & Astrophysics, University of Delhi 

Mr Jules Cluitmans 

PhD candidate, Department of Applied Physics, Technicial University of Eindhoven

Mr Martin Draganski, BSc RMIT 


Dr Vladimir Gudkov, MSc PhD Russia 

Associate Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of South Carolina, 

Columbia 

Professor Xiao-Gang He, BSc China MSc PhD Hawaii 

Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 

Professor Phillip Hemmer, BSc Dayton PhD MIT 

Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A & M University, Texas, USA 

Associate Professor Yanping Huang, BSc MSc PhD China 

Physics Department, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China 

Professor Rafi Kalish, MSc PhD Israel 

Institute of Solid State Physics, Technion, Israel 

15 

Dr Alexander Kalloniatis, BSc(Hons) Tas, PhD Adel 

Australian Research Fellow, CSSM, University of Dortmund, Germany 

Professor Yong Kim, BSc MSc PhD Korea 

Department of Physics, College of Natural Sciences, Cheju National University, Republic of Korea 

Dr Weihua Liu, BEG MEG China PhD Monash 

CSIRO Exploration and Mining, School of Geosciences, Monash University, Australia 

Dr Gerard Monnom, HDR PhD France 

Laboratoire de Physique de la Matiere Condensee, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 

Univesite de nice-Sohia Antipolis, Nice, France 

Miss Bridget Murphy, BSc(Hons) Monash 

PhD candidate, Victorian College of Pharmacy, Monash University, Australia 

Mr Silvio Petriconi 

PhD candidate, Faculty of Physics and Geosciences, Institute for Experimental Physic II, Department 

of Nuclear Solid State Physics, University of Leipzig, Germany 

Professor Lisa Randall, BA PhD Harvard 

Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA 

Dr Werner Richter BSc(Hons) South Africa, MSc Kansas, PhD South Africa 

Physics Department, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, South Africa 

Professor Joseph Salzman, BSc MSc PhD Israel 

School of Electrical Engineering, Technion, Haifa, Israel

Dr Bart Smeets, BSc Belgium, MSc PhD Netherlands 

Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology,The Netherlands 

Professor Gerard Stephenson Jr, BSc PhD Massachusetts 

Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA 

Dr Juris Svenne, BSc Canada PhD Massachusetts 

Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada 

Dr Jian Yin Sze, BE Singapore 

Ion Beam Processing Laboratory, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 

Dr Charles Tahan, BSc Virginia PhD Wisconsin 

Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge, UK 

Mr Michael Taylor, BSc RMIT 


Mr Rick Van Bijnen, BSc The Netherlands 

PhD, Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands 

16 

Dr Zbigniew Was, MSc PhD Poland 

The Henryk Niewodniczanski Institute of Nuclear Physics, Krakow, Poland

Dr Chris Pakes 

Research Funding > 

17 

The School of Physics is proud of its success 

in competitive research grants gained 

predominately from the Australian Research 

Council. The list below represents new and 

current research funding awarded to the 

University of Melbourne in 2005 only, unless 

indicated otherwise. 

AUSTRALIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 

Dr Elisabetta Barberio 

Travel Visit to Europe 

$5000 

AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 

Dr Paolo Olivero 

Study of Deuterium Incorporation in Diamond 

Nanocrystals Embedded in a Fused Quartz Matrix 

by Means of Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy 

$6,208.00 

AUSTRALIAN NUCLEAR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ORGANISATION 

Dr Chanh Tran 

Correlations in a Synchrotron Beam Measured 

Using Phase Space Tomography 

$10,410.00 

Dr Bipin Dhal 

Coherent X-ray Diffraction Imaging of Malaria 

Affected Blood Cells 

$3,325.00 

Dr Garth Williams 

Coherent Diffractive Imaging of Nanostructured 

Arrays 

$10,410.00 

AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH COUNCIL 

Associate Professor Les Allen 

Atomic Resolution Imaging and Spectroscopy 

$76,575 

Associate Professor Christopher Chantler 

Dr Chanh Tran, Dr Harry Quiney, Assoc Prof Zwi 

Barnea 

Synchrotron Developments of New Techniques in 

X-ray Interactions With Matter, Resolving Major 

Discrepancies in Quantum Physics and Chemistry 

$146,285 

Professor David Jamieson et al 

Foundation Studies of Ion-beam Nanotechnology 

$96,264

Professor David Jamieson et al 

ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computer 

Technology (Melbourne node) 

$823,000 

Dr Adrian Flitney 

Quantum Decoherence: A Game - Theoretic 

Perspective 

$70,267 

Dr Shane Huntington 

Nano-Engineering of Optical Fibre Fresnel 

Lenses 

$112,310 

Professor Bruce McKellar 

Neutrino Physics: A Window on Physics Beyond 

the Standard Model 

$83,591 

Dr Andrew Martin 

Dynamics of Interacting Bose Gases/Fluids in 

Atomic and Condensed Matter Systems 

$71,470 

Professor Keith Nugent et al 

Advanced X-ray Optical Systems: From 

Innovative Idea to Intelligent Implementation 

$182,449 

Professor Keith Nugent et al 

ARC Centre of Excellence for Coherent X-Ray 

Science 

$900,000 

Professor Keith Nugent 

Associate Professor Robert Scholten 

Non-interferometric Phase Measurement of 

Exotic Waves 

$144,461 


Development in Optical Sciences - Federation 

Fellowship 

$310,325 

Professor Steven Prawer et al 

Diamond Quantum Dots Fabricated by Ion 

Implantation 

$101,612 

Professor Steven Prawer et al 

MNRF Nanostructural Analysis 

$101,375 

Dr James Rabeau 

Diamond Single Photon Source 

$51,050 

Associate Professor Ann Roberts 

Innovation in Photonic Device Imaging: The 

Keystone for Future Technologies 

$177,632 


Micro-characterisation of Rare-Earth-doped 

Optical Fibres 

$12,588 



Quantum and Classical Imaging With Light and 

Atoms 

$158,255 

Associate Professor Martin Sevior 

The Development of Data Grids For High Energy 

Physics 

$85,080 

Associate Professor Martin Sevior 

Professor Geoffrey Taylor 

Associate Professor Stuart Tovey 

Frontier Experiments in High energy Physics 

$383,040 

Professor Geoffrey Taylor et al 

Support for the Australian Experimental High 

Energy Physics Program 

$361,693 


High Precision Silicon Pixel Detectors for High 

Energy Physics, Synchrotron and Medical 

Imaging Applications 

$255,250 

Professor Raymond Volkas 

Particle Physics and Cosmology of Neutrinos 

18

$90,916 

Professor Raymond Volkas 

Associate Professor Lloyd Hollenberg 

Professor Bruce McKellar 

Associate Professor Girish Joshi 

In and Beyond the Standard Model of Particle 


$51,341 

Professor Rachel Webster et al 

Australian Virtual Observatory 

$142,450 

Professor Rachel Webster 

Dr Andrew Melatos 

Formation and Evolution in the Extragalactic 

Universe 

$237,486 


Gravitational Lensing Probes of Quasar 

Structure 

$78,367 

Dr Stuart Wyithe 

The First Objects in the Universe 

$60,705 

Dr Stuart Wyithe 

The End of the Dark Ages of the Universe 

$91,890 

AUSTRALIAN SYNCHROTRON RESEARCH PROGRAM 

Dr Chanh Tran 

ANSTO Travel 

$70,491 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION & TRAINING 


Phase Imaging of Cold Atoms 

$60,315 

Dr Shane Huntington et al 

Ultra High Throughput Optical Probes 

$251,204 


Australian High Energy Physics Collaboration 

with CERN 

$147,822 

DEPARTMENT OF INNOVATION INDUSTRY & REGIONAL 

DEVELOPMENT 


Advancing X-ray and Electron Imaging 

$150,000 

Dr Shane Huntington et al 

Quantum Communication Victoria - Industry 

Development Initiative 

$800,000 

IATIA PTY LTD 



Sponsoring Research Higher Degree Stipend - 

Optics Characterisation Using Quantitative 

Phase Imaging 

$55,300 

UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE 

19 

Associate Professor Christopher Chantler 

ANSTO Travel 

$6,680 

COLONIAL FOUNDATION LTD 

Associate Max Thompson 

Dr Roger Rassool 

Outreach Programme 

$120,000 

Melbourne Research & Innovation Office 

Dr James Rabeau 

Melbourne Research Grant Scheme 

Diamond Single Photon Source 

$25,000

Associate Professor Chris Chantler 

Melbourne Research Grant Scheme 

Critical Tests of Quantum Electro-dynamics in 

Medium-Z-Systems 

$25,000 

Dr Elisabetta Barberio 

Early Career Researchers’ Grant 

Understanding the Matter-Antimatter Asymmetry 

in the Universe 

$26,000 

Dr Andrew Martin 

Early Career Researchers’ Grant 

Scattering of Dilute Gas Bose-Einstein 

Condensates 

$19,500 

US ARMY RESEARCH OFFICE 

20 

Professor Steven Prawer 

Quantum Computing in Diamond 

$164,041 

VIC PARTNERSHIP FOR ADVANCED COMPUTING LTD 


Australian e-Astronomy and Astrophysics 

$75,015 

Dr Glenn Moloney 

Australian Data Grid for Experimental & 

Theoretical High Energy Physics 

$75,015

Prof Bruce McKellar and Prof Helen Quinn 

Research Seminar Series > 

21 

School of Physics Colloquia 

Prof Sankar Das Sarma, University of Maryland 

Tidbits about qubits: Spin quantum computation in semiconductor nanostructures (Jan 27) 

Joachim Ullrich, Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany 

The Attosecond Heisenberg-Microscope (Jan 28) 

Prof Helen Quinn, Stanford University 

What is the difference between matter and antimatter in the laws of Physics? (Feb 28) 

Prof Keith Nugent, School of Physics, University of Melbourne 

The Centre of Excellence in Coherent X-ray Science (Mar 2) 

Prof Rafi Kalish, Technion, Haifa, Israel 

Diamond: a new high-tech semiconductor with outstanding properties (Mar 16) 

Dr Michelle Livett, School of Physics, University of Melbourne on behalf of AUTC 

Physics project 

Key Findings from the National Physics Project on Learning and Teaching (Apr 6) 

Dr Nicole Bell, Kellogg Radiation laboratory, Caltech, USA 

Topics in Particle Physics and Cosmology (Apr 8) 

Dr Damien Easson, Syracuse University, USA 

Cosmology, String Theory and Why We Live in a Three Dimensional Universe (Apr 8) 

Prof Brad Gibson, Swinburne University 

Building a Universe Byte-by-Byte (Apr 13)

Assoc Prof TC Ralph, ARC CQCT, University of Queensland 

Quantum Teleportation: What is it? What is it good for? (May 4) 

Prof Dick Manchester, ARC Federation Fellow, Australia Telescope National Facility, 

CSIRO 

Pulsars and Gravity 9 (May 11) 

Dr Roland Crocker, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics 

Neutrons and Neutrinos from the Center of the Galaxy (May 18) 

Prof Robert A Vincent, University of Adelaide 

Atmospheric Waves and their impact on the Atmosphere and Climate (May 25) 

Prof Rod Tucker, Dept of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Melbourne 

Slow Light Optical Buffers for Data Storage (Jul 20) 

Prof George Ellis, University of Cape Town, South Africa 

Cosmology: Critical View of Cosmology Today (Jul 22) 

22 

Prof Klaus H. Ploog , Paul Drude Inst for Solid State Electronics, Germany 

Ferromagnet-Semiconductor Nanostructures for Spintronics (Jul 25) 

Assoc Prof Vladimir Gudkov, University of South Carolina 

Fundamental Neutron Physics at the Spallation Neutron Source (Jul 27) 

Dr Brenton Hall, ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum-Atom Optics, Centre for Atom 

Optics and Ultrafast Spectroscopy, Swinburne University of Technology 

Bose Einstein Condensates in A Permanent Magnetic Film Atom Chip (Aug 3) 

Prof Pip Pattison and Dr Garry Robins, Department of Psychology, University of 

Melbourne 

Exponential random graph models for social networks (Aug 10) 

Prof Lisa Randall, Harvard University, USA 

Localized Gravity (Aug 17) 

Dr Leo Brewin, School of Mathematical Sciences, Monash University 

Black holes and Numerical General Relativity (Aug 24) 

Dr Robert H Frater , VP for Innovation, ResMed Ltd 

A journey from industry to industry (Aug 31) 

Dr Jenni Adams 

Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Canterbury, New Zealand 

Opening a New Window on the Universe with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory (Sep 7)

Dr Andrew Melatos, School of Physics, University of Melbourne 

Superfluids in Neutron Stars (Sept 14) 

Prof Bruce McKellar, School of Physics, University of Melbourne 

Ethics in research and teaching (Oct 5) 

Prof Robert Elliman, Department of Electronic Materials Engineering, RSPhysSE ANU 

Light from Silicon – size does matter! (Oct 12) 

Dr George Dracoulis , RSPhysSE, Australian National University 

Metastable States and Nuclear Spectroscopy (Oct 19) 

Prof Howard Wiseman, ARC Centre for Quantum Computer Technology, Griffith 

University 

Einstein and the Prehistory of Quantum Computing (Oct 26) 

Prof Michelle Simmons , Federation Fellow, University of New South Wales 

Scanning Probe Microscopy for Atomic-scale Device Fabrication (Nov 2) 

Prof Ed Hinds, Centre for Cold Matter, Imperial College, London 

Atom chips: a vision for quantum information processing (Nov 23) 

23 

Seminars - Theory 

Dr Shui Yin Lo 

Onsager relations, water clusters and infrared imaging system ( Feb18) 

Prof Jim Jury, Trent University 

2-quark photo-production, on a 9-quark system (Mar 2) 

Prof Bruce Barrett, University of Arizona, USA 

The Ab Initio No-Core Shell Model And Its Applications (Jul 26) 

Assoc Prof Vladimir Gudkov, University of South Carolina 

Neutron beta-decay: radiative and recoil corrections and sensitivity to new physics (Aug 2) 

Dr Jenni Adams, University of Canterbury, New Zealand 

From Gamma Ray Bursts to Light in Ice (Sept 6) 

Leanne Duffy, Department of Physics, University of Florida, USA 

Yukawa scalar self-mass on a conformally flat background (Dec16) 

Seminars - Optics 

Dr Klaus-Dieter Liss, Bragg Institute, ANSTO, Lucas Heights Science and Technology 

Centre, NSW 

High-Energy Synchrotron Radiation: A Unique Tool For Bulk Investigations Of Crystalline Materials 

(Feb18)

Mr Thijs Meijer, University of Melbourne, and Eindhoven University, The Netherlands 

Electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and lasing without population inversion (Apr 27) 

Dr Matthew Sellars, Laser Physics Centre, RSPhysSE, ANU 

Quantum computing with rare-earth ions (Jun 2) 

Dr Arturo Lezama, Institute of Physics, Universidad de la República, Uraguay 

Coherence effects in “slow” and “fast” light atomic media (Jun 17) 

Dr Bart Smeets, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands 

Atom lithography of Fe (22-Jun) 

Ruben Dilanian, Department of Physics, Monash University 

Image reconstruction from X-Ray diffraction data (Oct 19) 

Prof Wolfgang Treimer, Technische Fachhochschule, - Berlin, University of Applied 

Sciences, Germany 

Advances in Neutron Tomography (Dec 14) 

24 

Seminars - Astrophysics 

Dr Paul Francis, Australian Gemini Project Scientist, Australia National University 

Gemini Telescopes Update (Mar 9) 

Dr Matthew Baring, Rice University 

Gamma-Ray Bursts and Cosmic Rays: Implications from Shock Acceleration Theory (Mar16) 

Dr Jamie Stevens, School of Physics, University of Melbourne 

What do loose groups tell us about galaxy formation? (Apr 5) 

Dr Scott Croom, Anglo-Australian Observatory 

The Evolution of Super-Massive Black Holes (Jun 2) 

Dr Doug Johnstone, Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics, Canada (Jul 22) 

Dr Chris Tinney, Anglo-Australian Observatory & ARC College of Experts 

Proposal Writing for Fun and Profit ...and a Career (Aug 19) 

Prof Jeremy Mould, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, USA 

The distance to the radiogalaxy Centaurus A and the Thirty Meter Telescope (Sep 5) 

Dr Andre Fletcher, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory 

Radio-loud AGN Surveys, Black Hole Magnetosphere Theories, and Sgr A* Variability (Oct 24) 

Seminars – Experimental Particle Physics 

Dr Zbigniew Was, Institute of Nuclear Physics PAN Krakow, Poland 

Photos as a pocket Parton Shower - and recent developments (Jul 7)

Postgraduates and research staff: Philip, Scott, Paul, Rotha, Adrian, Lachlan, Garth and Clare 

Postgraduates in Progress > 

25 

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY 

Ang, Joo Chew 

Quantum computing 

Aruldoss, Celine K 

Novel methods for the determination of the 

coherence properties of classical fields 

Atkinson, Tom ME 

Studies in high energy physics at the Atlas 

experiment. 

Bellair, Catherine J 

Quantitative phase microscopy: performing 

measurements of the refractive index and 

volume of cells 

Carson, Ben J 

The phenomenology of higher dimensional 

physics. 

Conrad, Vincent 

Readout for solid state quantum computer 

Coulthurst, Andrew 

The phenomenology of the physics of extra 

dimensions 

Crosby, Sean C 

New directions in ghost imaging 

Dalseno, Jeremy P 

Using B - D* + D*- Ks to measure cos 2ϕ1 

Demaria, Alison 

Extensions of standard model 

Devitt, Simon J 

Quantum algorithm development 

Cole, Jared H 

Theoretical and computational investigation of a 

type-II quantum computer 

Colton, Imogen 

Propagation-based phase imaging of Bose- 

Einstein condensates 

Doukas, Jason A 

Higher dimensional physics 

Dusza, Andrew 

Physics of higher dimension 

Filewood, Gregory 

A theoretical study of the dark sector of nature

Gassull, Daniel 

Materials issues in quantum computing 

Flewett, Samuel 

Experimental investigations in wavefield 

recovery 

McFadden, Rebecca A 

Advanced algorithms for the detection of the 

EOR signal 

Melchiori, Adrian G 

A low frequency imaging telescope 

Fraser, Paul R 

A multi-channel algebraic scattering theory 

and predictions of low energy nucleon-nucleus 

reaction cross sections 

George, Damien P 

Higher dimensional membrane world models 

McDonald, Kristian L 

Neutrino Mass Matrices 

Orbons, Shannon M 

Fabrication of photonic structures using ion 

implantation 

Hopf, Toby F 

Single ion implantation for construction of a 

quantum computer 

Kandasamy, Gajendran 

Quantum computation 

Kazi, Sandor I 

Studies in high energy physics. 

Peralta, Carlos 

Superfluidity in neutron stars 

Rae, Nicholas 

Absolute measurement of XAFS and atomic 

form factors 

Scott, Rebecca J 

Precise half-life measurement of the fermi 

superallowed B + decay of 26m A1 

26 

Kil, Il Joong 

Studies in high energy physics 

Kinnane, Mark N 

Fundamental and applied investigations in X-ray 

optics. 

Sidiroglou, Fotios 

Microscopic characterisation of high power fiber 

laser 

Smale, Lucas F 

X-ray absorbtion fine structure 

Greig-Lau, Deborah 

Raman analysis of artists' pigments and media 

Sobott, Bryn A 

An innovative pixel detector for x-rays 

Law, Sandy SC 

Particle physics and cosmology in the brane 

world 

Srbinovsky, Jhan A 

Ionized bubbles at the end of cosmic 

reionization 

Lay, Matthew 

Defect studies of ion implanted silicon and silicondioxide 

for next-generation electronic devices 

Stavrias, Nikolas 

Measurement of wavefunction overlap of 

phosphorous donors in silicon 

Low, Catherine I 

Lepton family symmetries and the Quartification 

grand unified theory 

Lydon, Jennifer M 

Monte Carlo characterisation of narrow photon 

fields for intensity modulated radiotherapy 

Starling, Timothy R 

Solid state quantum computing 

Takau, Viliami T 

A measurement of the near-threshold cross 

section on proton

Testolin, Matthew J 

Quantum computation and device modelling 

Phillip Urquijo 

Semileptonic decays in Belle 

Villis, Byron J 

A defect study of MOS devices 

Vigelius, Matthias 

Compact objects as sources and detectors of 

gravity waves 

Wong, Ivy O 

Neutral hydrogen in galaxy cluster environment 

Wedd, Robin H 

Investigation of B meson decay 

Witte, Chris 

Atomic resolution imaging and spectroscopy 

MASTERS DEGREE BY RESEARCH 

Cosgriff, EC 

Theory and computations of atomic-cluster 

wave functions for x-ray absorption near-edge 

structure 

Henderson, Clare A 

Unique phase recovery from light fields carrying 

screw dislocations 

Johnston, Chris 

Quasar stromgen spheres 

Kidwani, Nader M 

Breaking of CP and CPT symmetries 

Martini, Berin 

The effect of surface reconstruction on the 

growth of aluminium nitride by Pulsed Laser 

Depositions 

Mastrano, Alpha 

Superfluid instabilities and pulsar glitches 

27 

Meehan, Alistair J 

Optic characterisation using quantitative phase 

imaging 

Pyke, Daniel J 

Phase separation of hydrogen in amorphous 

silicon 

Stenborg, Travis N 

Planetary lagrange point dynamics 

Singh, Swati 

The faint quasar luminosity function 

Tse, Yun Fai 

Search for direct CP violation in B-PII delays

Postgraduates and students: Celine , Sally, Nadia and Swati 

Theses Passed > 

28 

We congratulate the following students who 

completed theses. 

POSTGRADUATE THESES 

Culpepper, Joanne 

A PET detector module using silicon photodiode 

arrays 

Masters Degree by Research, 17 August 2005 

Dowd, Rohan T 

Search for B → ρ ρ and B → K * ρ decays at Belle 

Doctor of Philosophy, 5 September 2005 

Findlay, Scott D 

Theoretical aspects of scanning transmission 

electron microscopy 

Doctor of Philosophy, 26 August 2005 

Fowler, Austin G 

Towards large-scale quantum computation 

Doctor of Philosophy, 17 May 2005 

Karick, Arna M 

Galaxy formation and destruction in the fornax 

cluster 

Doctor of Philosophy, 2 November 2005 

Lin, John Jia An 

Spatial coherence measurement of undulator 

radiation using uniformly redundant arrays. 

Doctor of Philosophy, 18 April 2005 

McCaw, James M 

Quantum chaos: spectral analysis of floquet 

operators 

Doctor of Philosophy, 22 April 2005 

Michna, Magda L 

Novel imaging techniques using the transport of 

intensity equation 

Doctor of Philosophy, 23 August 2005 

Payne, Donald JB 

Magnetic field evolution in accreting neutron 

stars 

Doctor of Philosophy, 14 June 2005 

Stevens, Jamie B 

Neutral hydrogen in nearby galaxy groups 


Trott, Cathy M 

Structure of dark matter in galaxies 

Doctor of Philosophy, 6 June 2005

Turner, Lincoln D 

Holographic imaging of cold atoms 

Doctor of Philosophy, 1 March 2005 

Wayth, Randall B 

The structure of galaxies and AGN using 

gravitational lensing 


De Jonge, Martin D 

High-accuracy measurements of the x-ray mass 

attenuation coefficients of molybdenum and tin: 

testing theories of photoabsorption 

Doctor of Philosophy, 3 October 2005 

O'Leary, Nicole L 

Structure retrieval at atomic resolution using 

electrons 

Doctor of Philosophy, 14 November 2005 

Otsuka, Paul H 

Analysis of thermal shock and implantationinduced 

processes in ceramic crystals 

Doctor of Philosophy, 26 October 2005 

Pace, Peter 

Characterisation of optical fibres based on high 

resolution imaging 

Masters Degree by Research, 22 June 2005 

HONOURS PROJECTS 

Moritz Backes 

Semianalytical approach for electromagnetic 

showers in sampling calorimeters 

Supervisor: Dr Elisabetta Barberio 

Nicholas Bate 

Microimaging quasars 

Supervisor: Professor Rachel Webster 

Simon Bell 

Four-wave mixing in a rubidium vapour cell 

Supervisor: Associate Professor Robert Scholten 

Jay Bourke 

Finite difference method calculations of x-ray 

absorption fine structure 

Supervisor: Associate Professor Chris Chantler 

Christine Chung 

Time dependent accretion in compact objects 

Supervisor: Professor Rachel Webster 

David Curtin 

Fermion confinement in brane world models 

with SO(10) unification 

Supervisor: Professor Ray Volkas 

Nadia Davidson 

Looking for SUSY dark matter with ATLAS 

Supervisor: Dr Elisabetta Barberio 

29 

Zac Evans 

Analysis of B → K Π and B → Π Π decays with 

flavour SU(3) symmetry 

Supervisor: Professor Bruce McKellar 

Jack Glover 

Experimental and theoretical investigation of 

the S-ray mass attenuation coefficient of gold: 

testing theories of photoabsorption, XAFS & 

XANES 

Supervisor: Associate Professor Chris Chantler 

Xiao Ming Goh 

Tomographic reconstruction of asymmetrical 

optical fibres and microspheres 

Supervisor: Associate Professor Ann Roberts

Christoph Hofmann 

Diffraction contrast imaging of Ultra cold 85Rb 

atoms 

Supervisor: Associate Professor Robert Scholten 

Yi Sun Wu 

Characterisation of the avalanche diode through 

charged particle detection 

Supervisor: Professor David Jamieson 

Sally Langford 

Earth: a prototype extra-solar planet 

Supervisor: Dr Stuart Wyithe 

Ilya Zalizniak 

Investigation of the physics of diamond MEMS 

Supervisor: Professor David Jamieson 

Jiufu Lim 

Diffraction of TNC-based explosives detection 

Supervisor: Dr Roger Rassool 

Nils Lippock 

Investigation of MOS-devices using deep-leveltransient-spectroscopy 

Supervisor: Dr Jeff McCallum 

Anthony Morley 

Capacitive coupling fault identification and 

reduction in ATLAS silicon detectors 

Supervisor: Professor Geoffrey Taylor 

30 

Andre Petersen 

A generalisation of the nonlinear many body 

dynamics of a double delta-kicked quantum 

rotator using Bose-Einstein condensation 

Supervisor: Dr Andrew Martin 

Nitin Rughoonauth 

Constraining cosmic reionisation at Z ~ 6 

Supervisor: Dr Stuart Wyithe 

Ashley Stephens 

Threshold and crossover in the implementation 

of quantum error correction 

Supervisor: Assoc Prof Lloyd Hollenberg 

Andre Trosky 

Pulsar glitches and self-organised criticality 

Supervisor: Dr Andrew Melatos 

Lachlan Whitehead 

Optical phase imaging from a single far-field 

intensity measurement 

Supervisor: Professor Keith Nugent

Group Reports & Publications> 

31 

ASTROPHYSICS 

PROF RACHEL WEBSTER 

The Astrophysics group has continued its strong 

research program and its commitment to a 

successful research training program. 

Dr Stuart Wyithe was appointed to the new 

faculty position in the group in 2004. He has 

continued his research collaboration with 

Professor Avi Loeb at Harvard, working on the 

Epoch of Reionisation and the formation and 

evolution of supermasssive black holes. During 

2005, Stuart has started supervising his first PhD 

student, Jhan Srbinovsky, working on the Epoch 

of Reionisation. 

Dr Andrew Melatos has further developed his 

models of gravitational radiation from accreting 

neutron stars, with promising predictions for 

the possibilities of detecting this radiation 

with the current generation of long baseline 

interferometers such as LIGO. In addition, Dr 

Melatos published the results of his Gemini 

observations of the Crab pulsar wind nebula. His 

collaboration with PhD student Peralta and Dr 

Andrew Ooi’s group in Mechanical Engineering 

at Melbourne yielded new results in superfluid 

hydrodynamics, with laboratory applications. 

Dr David Barnes resigned to follow his passion 

of photography. Dr Barnes has made a 

substantial contribution to the development of 

the Australian Virtual Observatory, www.ausvo.org, 

and also to the ongoing analysis of the 

HIPASS dataset. 

Professor Rachel Webster continued her work 

on the microlensing of lensed quasars, a project 

which will develop new techniques to measure 

the sizes of quasar emission regions. This 

program was supported by a large allocation 

of Gemini time. Professor Webster was the 

inaugural Caroline Herschel Distinguished 

Lecturer at the Space telescope Science Institute 

in June 2005. 

During 2005, the Melbourne group worked with 

collaborators at MIT and Harvard to deploy 3 

tiles at Mileura Station in WA. This project was 

managed by David Barnes, who was assisted 

by Jamie Stevens, Randall Wayth and Chris 

Johnston. The deployment was spectacularly 

successful, with at least two publishable results 

from the first datasets. 

Five PhDs were awarded in the group in 2005: 

Drs Donald Payne, Cathy Trott, Randall Wayth, 

Arna Karick and Jamie Stevens. In addition, 

PhD student Ivy Wong spent a year working at 

Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, with 

Dr Gerhardt Meurer, and PhD student Matthias 

Vigelius spent two months at Harvard, working 

with Prof Bryan Gaensler. Research Fellows Neil 

Killeen and Mark Dijkstra also joined the Astro 

group.

Publications for 2005 include: 

Mastrano A & Melatos A, “Kelvin-Helmholtz 

instability and circulation transfer at an isotropicanisotropic 

superfluid interface in a neutron 

star” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical 

Society 361:927-941 (2005) 

Melatos A & Payne DJB, “Gravitational radiation 

from an accreting millisecond pulsar with a 

magnetically confined mountain” Astrophysical 

Journal 623:1044-1050. 2005. 

Melatos A, Scheltus DE, Whiting MT, Eikenberry 

SS, Romani RW, Rigaut F, Spitkovsky A, Arons 

J & Payne DJB, “Near-infrared, kilosecond 

variability of the wisps and jet in the crab pulsar 

wind nebula” Astrophysical Journal 633:931-940 

(2005). 

Peralta CA, Melatos A, Giacobello M & Ooi 

ASH,”Global three-dimentional flow of a neutron 

superfluid in a spherical shell in a neutron star” 

Astronomical Journal 635:1224-1232 (2005) 

Lazendic-Galloway J, Wang Z & Morgan 

EH,”Discovery of pulstions in the x-ray transient 

4U 1901+03” Astronomical Journal 635:1217- 

1223 (2005) 

Martinez H & Peralta CA,”Self-similarity in a 

Kantowski-Sachs universe with a string cloud” 

Revista Mexicana de Fisica 51:22-26 (2005) 

Wayth RB, Warren SJ, Lewis GF & Hewitt PC, 

“The lens and source of the optical Einstein 

ring gravitational lens ER 0047-2808” Monthly 

Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 

360:1333-1344 (2005) 

Wyithe JSB & Loeb A, “Calibrating the galaxy 

halo-black hole relation based on the clustering 

of quasars” Astrophysical Journal 621:95-103 

(2005) 

Wyithe JSB & Loeb A, “Undetected sources 

allow transmission of the Lyα line from galaxies 

prior to reionization” Astrophysical Journal 

625:1-5 (2005) 

Kilborn VA, Koribalski BS, Forbes DA, Barnes DG 

& Musgrave RC, “A wide-field HI study of the 

NGC 1566 group”, Monthly Notices of the Royal 

Astronomical Society 356:77-88 (2005) 

Venugopal S, Beeson BA, Melnikoff S & Barnes 

DG, “A Portal for Grid-enabled Physics” In R 

Buyya, PD Coddington, P Montague, R Safavi- 

Naini, NP Sheppard & AL Wendelborn (eds), 

ACSW Frontiers 2005, 2005 ACSW Workshops 

- the Australasian Workshop on Grid Computing 

and e-Research (AusGrid 2005) and the Third 

Australasian Information Security Workshop 

(AISW 2005) 44 : 13-20 Sydney, Australia: 

Australian Computer Society Inc. 

32 

Skjaeraasen O, Melatos A & Spitkovsky 

A,”Particle-in-cell simulations of a nonlinear 

transverse electromagnetic wave in a pulsar 

wind termination shock” Astrophysical Journal 

634:542-546 (2005) 

Trott CM & Melatos A, “Collapsed and extended 

cold dark matter halos in softened N-body 

gravity” Astrophysical Journal 618:38-45 (2005) 

O'Dowd M & Urry CM, “Host galaxy evolution in 

radio-loud active galactic nuclei” Astrophysical 

Journal 627:97-124 (2005) 

O'Dowd M, Urry CM, Scarpa R, Wayth RB & 

Webster RL, “H1517+656: The birth of a BL 

lacertae object?” Astrophysical Journal 627:125- 

133 (2005) 

Wayth RB, O'Dowd M & Webster RL, “A 

microlensing measurement of the size of a 

broad emission-line region in the lensed quasar 

QSO 2237+0305” Monthly Notices of the Royal 

Astronomical Society 359:561-566 (2005)

EXPERIMENTAL 

PARTICLE PHYSICS (EPP) 

ASSOC PROF MARTIN SEVIOR 

In 2005 Roger Rassool became the 4th academic 

member of the EPP group, following the 

closure of the Photonuclear Group within the 

School. We've benefited greatly from Roger's 

contributions in the areas of detector physics and 

his links with external organizations such as the 

Australian Synchrotron and the Austin Hospital. 

In addition 2005 saw Markus Bischofberger (Atlas 

analysis) and Marco La Rosa (grid development) 

join us as postdoctoral fellows and Jared Winton 

was hired as an engineer for Silicon Detector 

development. 

The group’s activities focused mostly on the 

Belle experiment currently collecting data at 

the KEK laboratory in Japan and the ATLAS 

experiment, under construction at the CERN lab 

in Geneva, Switzerland. We continued to lead 

the Australian deployment of computational 

GRID technology within Australia and initiated 

the collaboration with the PSI lab in Switzerland 

for the development of pixel detectors for 

Synchrotron radiation science. 

At Belle we study CP violation (the difference 

between matter and anti-matter), rare decays 

sensitive to Physics beyond the Standard Model, 

and make precision measurements of the 

CKM parameters Vcb and Vub. For the ATLAS 

experiment we have constructed detector 

modules for the Silicon Central Tracker (SCT), 

developed power supplies for the SCT, and have 

designed and constructed 4200 in-line filter 

and voltage limited systems. These have been 

mounted in 13 large electronics racks directly 

beside the ATLAS detector in the main cavern. 

In addition to these hardware contributions 

we are developing software to significantly 

speedup detector simulation and have designed 

algorithms for the reconstruction of electrons 

which have a complex trajectory in the ATLAS 

detector. 

When ATLAS begins operation in 2007 it will 

produce roughly 15 million gigabytes of data 

per year, equivalent to 3 million DVDs or 1% of 

the total global digital information output. The 

Worldwide LHC Computing grid (WLCG) is a 

massive, distributed, international computing 

infrastructure designed to enable analysis of 

this enormous data set. It coordinates and 

shares processing power, data, applications 

and network resources from many thousands 

of linked computers. The EPP group has played 

a leading role in the development of grid and 

has deployed a grid infrastructure across 300 

computers at 5 facilities in Sydney, Canberra, 

Melbourne and Adelaide. In 2005 this grid was 

used to simulate complex particle collisions in 

the Belle experiment and to participate in ATLAS 

data challenges. 

We are looking forward with eagerness to the 

commencement of ATLAS data taking scheduled 

for late 2007. We have worked for many years to 

build up the hardware, software and data analysis 

skills needed to explore the data obtained at this 

frontier experiment. The ATLAS experiment will 

explore the nature of Electroweak Symmetry 

Breaking at an energy regime almost guaranteed 

to discover new physics. 


Abbiendi G, .. Barberio LME…, “Search for 

radions at LEP2” Physics Letters B 609:20-34 

(2005) 

Abbiendi G, .. Barberio LME…, “ Measurements 

of Rb in e + e - collisions at √s between 182 and 

209 GeV” Physics Letters B 609:212-225 (2005) 

Nishida S, .. Sevior ME..,”Observation of B + → 

K + ηγ” Physics Letters B 610:23-30 (2005) 

Mohapatra D, ..Taylor GN, ..Barberio LME, 

..Moloney GR…,”Search for the b → dγ process” 

Physical Review D 72(1):11011-11015 (2005) 

Xie QL, .. Sevior ME, ..Urquijo P, ..Barberio 

LME..,”Observation of B - → J/ΨΛρ¯ and searches 

for B - → J/ΨΣ 0 ρ¯ and B 0 → J/Ψρρ¯ decays” 

Physical Review D 72(5):11051-11056 (2005) 

Abe K, .. Sevior ME..,”Improved measurement of 

CP-violation parameters sin 2ϕ1 and /γ/, B meson 

lifetimes, and B 0 - antiB 0 mixing parameters 

∆md” Physical Review D 71(7):20031-200312 

(2005) 

33

Chang M-C, ..Moloney GR, ..Sevior ME, ..Taylor 

GN, Urquijo P..,”Search for B 0 → ρρ¯, B 0 → ΛΛ¯, 

and B + → pΛ¯ at Belle” Physical Review D 

71(7):20071-20075 (2005) 

Chao Y, .. Sevior ME, .. Taylor GN..”Improved 

measurements of the partial rate asymmetry in 

B → hh decays” Physical Review D 71(3):15021- 

15025 (2005) 

Okabe T,..Moloney GR, ..Sevior ME..,”Spectra 

of prompt electrons from decays of B + and B 0 

mesons and ratio of inclusive semielectronic 

branching fractions” Physics Letters B 614:27- 

36 (2005) 

Saigo M, ..Sevior ME..,”Study of the suppressed 

decays B - → [K + π - ]DK - and B - → [K + π - ]Dπ - ” 

Physical Review Letters 94(9):16011-16016 

(2005) 

Clark AG, .. Moorhead GF, .. Taylor GN..,”Design 

and test of a prototype silicon detector module 

for ATLAS semiconductor tracker endcaps” 

Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics 

Research - Section A 538:265-280 (2005) 

Hara K, Kuwano T, Moorhead GF, Ikegami 

Y, Kohriki T, Terada S & Unno Y, “Beam splash 

effects on ATLAS silicon microstrip detectors 

evaluated using 1-w Nd: YAG laser” Nuclear 

Instruments & Methods in Physics Research - 

Section A 541:15-20 (2005) 

Klein AG, “Geoffrey Ivan Opat 1935-2002” 

Historical Records of Australian Science 16:65- 

89 (2005) 

Wang CC, .. Sevior ME, .. Taylor GN..,”Study of 

B 0 → ρ nullplusmn π plusmn time-dependent 

CP violation at Belle” Physical Review Letters 

94(12):18011-18016 (2005) 

34 

Zhang J, ..Moloney GR, ..Sevior ME, ..Taylor 

GN..”Measurement of the branching fraction 

and CP asymmetry in B + → p + π 0 ” Physical 

Review Letters 94(3):18011-18015 (2005) 

Li J, ..Sevior ME, ..Taylor GN..,”Search for D 0 -anti 

D 0 mixing in D 0 → K + π - decays and measurement 

of the doubly-cabibbo-suppressed decay rate” 


(2005) 

Majumder G, ..Sevior ME, .. Urquijo P, .. Taylor 

GN..,”Evidence for B 0 → D + D - and observation 

of B - → D 0 D - and B - → D 0 D* decays” Physical 

Review Letters 95(4):18031-18035 (2005) 

Zhang J, ..Barberio LME, .. Moloney GR, ..Sevior 

ME, ..Urquijo P..,”Measurements of the branching 

fraction and polarization in B + → ρ + K* 0 decays” 


(2005) 

Campabadal F, ..Taylor GN, ..Atkinson TME, .. 

Moorhead GF…,”Design and performance of 

the ABCD3TA ASIC for readout of silicon strip 

detectors in the ATLAS semiconductor tracker” 

Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics 

Research Section A - Accel Spectrom Detect & 

Assoc Equip. 552:292-328 (2005) 

Campabadal F, .. N, Taylor GN, ..Atkinson TME, 

Moorhead GF..,”Beam tests of ATLAS SCT silicon 

strip detector modules" Nuclear Instruments & 

Methods in Physics Research Section A - Accel 

Spectrom Detect & Assoc Equip. 538:384-407 

(2005)

Prof Steven Prawer and Prof David Jamieson 

MICRO-ANALYTICAL 

RESEARCH CENTRE (MARC) 

ARC Centre for Quantum Computer Technology 

PROFESSOR DAVID JAMIESON 

Over the past twelve months the Melbourne 

node has been deeply involved in the production 

of counted atom devices, especially the routine 

production of two atom devices for the charge 

qubit experiments. With the advent of exciting 

experimental data on some of these devices, the 

device modelling program has also been deeply 

involved in the interpretation of this data. All 

this work has proceeded in close collaboration 

with the other nodes of the Centre. 

The production of counted atom devices 

depends on ion implantation using on-chip 

integrated detectors. This process underwent 

further optimization in 2005 to improve 

reproducibility and reliability. A particular 

challenge was to make the integrated detector 

structure compatible with subsequent fabrication 

of increasingly sophisticated and complex 

nanocircuitry for control and readout of the 

charge configuration of the device. We developed 

a strategy using buried heavily doped wells set 

back more than six microns from the implant 

sites leading to electrical contacts that-are more 

than 500 microns further back. This keeps the 

construction site free from metal contamination. 

In 2005, more than 25 devices were fabricated 

with the new detector structures and some of 

these were employed in competed devices that 

went through to measurement. The highlights of 

these measurements are presented in the report 

from the New South Wales node. Given the very 

promising data being obtained on these devices 

we anticipate further developments within 

the Ion Beam Program, in close collaboration 

with the Integrated Quantum Computer Device 

Program, of the single ion implantation system 

with the view to perform the implantation at 

lower energies in conjunction with a thinner 

surface oxide to improve the lateral precision. 

The issue of how phosphorus implanted into 

silicon at the very low concentrations needed for 

quantum computer devices was addressed in 

detail by the Materials Program. In collaboration 

with Dr Wayne Hutchinson of ADFA, electrically 

detected magnetic resonance was observed 

for the first time in an ion implanted device. 

This allowed us to check that the implanted 

phosphorus was electrically active and this 

work was complemented with our in-house 

deep level transient spectroscopy system that 

allowed us to measure the density of electron 

traps at the interface between the gate oxide 

and the silicon substrate. This is a critical issue 

for Si:P architectures. The problem of dopant 

activation was addressed in the Atomic Level 

Manipulation and Imaging Program where 

highly sensitive Scanning Kelvin Microscopy 

images were taken of the buried charge created 

by both P and Si implanted silicon. The Si 

control implants yielded signals below the 

noise level which itself approximates to the 

signal that would arise from an array of charge 

traps spaced by approximately 70 nm, which 

exceeds the typical inter-qubit spacing utilised 

in qubit test devices showing implantation 

damage has been repaired. The issue of the 

activation of extremely low concentrations of 

implanted phosphorus ions remains open but 

we hope to resolve this issue in 2006 once a 

suitably sensitive alternative analysis method 

is developed. However the Hybrid Optical Sold- 

State Program provided extraordinarily sensitive 

measurement on ensembles of as few as 104 

single P donors and pairs of P donors. These 

measurements provide information on the 

Heisenberg exchange constant, J, which is an 

indication of the wavefunction overlap between 

donor pairs. 

The exciting results from the Quantum 

Measurement Program showing controlled 

single charge quantum transfer has spurred the 

more detailed modelling of the charge transfer 

process which has greatly assisted with data 

interpretation. A particular challenge has been 

the modelling of charge transfer in a counted 

four atom device. The results from the modelling 

are consistent with all four atoms being active 

as donors and that microwave induced charge 

transfer events were possible under a narrow 

set of configurations of the device – consistent 

with the experimental data. The Device 

Modelling Program team also reached several 

important milestones with the development of 

architectures for the transport of single electrons 

in a process describes as Coherent Transport by 

Adiabatic Passage (CTAP). This allows separation 

of qubit interaction zones from readout zones 

in a two dimensional multi-qubit device. The 

Device Modelling Program also keeps watch on 

developments in quantum computing schemes 

that complement the Si:P system. Some 

schemes, such as those that involve N-V centres 

in diamond, have the potential to provide single 

photon sources or strongly coupled light-matter 

35

interactions when fabricated into quasi periodic 

photonic band gap cavities which may be useful 

in the readout of Si:P qubits. Much of the work 

in the Device Modeling Program was given a 

tremendous boost from the two visits of Prof 

Sankar Das Sarma, University of Maryland, in 

February and October of 2005. Prof Das Sarma 

also gave a major public lecture during his 

October visit which attracted over 400 people to 

hear about his vision of quantum mechanics in 

future technology. 

Staff, postdocs and students were in high demand 

in 2005 for lectures at scientific conferences but 

were also keen participants in the vast range of 

activities that took place in 2005 to mark the UNdeclared 

International Year of Physics. We were 

involved in more than 30 events which often 

featured the work of the Centre presented to 

large and enthusiastic audiences of the general 

public. For 2006 we look forward with keen 

anticipation to the realization of Si:P qubits. 


Lee KH, Greentree AD, Dinale JP, Escott CC, 

Dzurak AS & Clark RG, “Modelling single 

electron transfer in Si:P double quantum dots” 

Nanotechnology 16:74-81 (2005) 

Oi DKL, Schirmer SG, Greentree AD & Stace TM, 

”Robust charge-based qubit encoding” Physical 

Review B 72(7):53481-53486 (2005) 

Olivero P, Rubanov S, Reichart PT, Gibson BC, 

Huntington ST, Rabeau JR, Greentree AD, 

Salzman J, Moore D, Jamieson DN & Prawer S, 

“Ion-beam-assisted lift-off technique for threedimensional 

micromachining of freestanding 

single-crystal diamond” Advanced Materials 

17:2427-2430 (2005) 

Rabeau JR, Huntington ST, Greentree AD & 

Prawer S, “Diamond chemical-vapor deposition 

on optical fibres for fluorescence waveguiding” 

Applied Physics Letters 86(13):41041-41043 

(2005) 

Schirmer SG, Oi DKL & Greentree AD, 

“Controlled phase gate for solid-state chargequbit 

architectures” Physical Review A 

71(1):23251-232513 (2005) 

Cole JH, Schirmer SG, Greentree AD, Wellard 

CJ, Oi DKL & Hollenberg LC, “Identifying an 

experimental two-state Hamiltonian to arbitrary 

accuracy” Physical Review A 71(6):23121- 

231211 (2005) 

Conrad VI, Greentree AD, Jamieson DN & 

Hollenberg LC, “Analysis and geometric 

optimization of single electron transistors for 

read-out in solid state quantum computing” 

Journal of Computational and Theoretical 

Nanoscience 2:214-226 (2005) 

Greentree AD, Hamilton AR, Hollenberg LC & 

Clark RG, “Electrical readout of a spin qubit 

without double occupancy” Physical Review B 

71(11):33101-33104 (2005) 

Hill CD, Hollenberg LC, Fowler AG, Wellard CJ, 

Greentree AD & Goan H-S, “Global control and 

fast solid-state donor electron spin quantum 

computing” Physical Review B 72(4):53501- 

53509 (2005) 

Tarnopolsky A, Fletcher N, Hollenberg LC, Lange 

B, Smith J & Wolfe J, “The vocal tract and the 

sound of a didgeridoo” Nature 436:39 (2005) 

Testolin MJ, Greentree AD, Wellard CJ & 

Hollenberg LC, “Optically induced spin-to-charge 

transduction in donor-spin readout” Physical 

Review B 72(19):53251-53257 (2005) 

Wellard CJ & Hollenberg LC, “Donor electron 

wave functions for phosphorus in silicon: 

beyond effective-mass theory” Physical Review 

B 72(8):52021-52028 (2005) 

Boag AP, McCulloch DG, Jamieson DN, Hearne 

S, Hughes AE, Ryan CG & Toh SK, “Combined 

nuclear microprobe and TEM study of corrosion 

pit nucleation by intermetallics in aerospace 

aluminium alloys” Nuclear Instruments & 

Methods in Physics Research Section B - Beam 

Interact with Materials and Atoms 231:457-462 

(2005) 

Hopf TF, Jamieson DN, Hearne S, Yang C, 

Pakes CI, Dzurak AS, Gauja E & Clark RG, “Ion 

beam induced charge and numerical modeling 

study of novel detector devices for single ion 

implantation” Nuclear Instruments & Methods 

in Physics Research Section B - Beam Interact 

with Materials and Atoms 231:463-466 (2005) 

Ryan CG, Van Achterbergh E & Jamieson DN, 

“Advances in dynamic analysis PIXE imaging: 

correction for spatial variation of pile-up 

components” Nuclear Instruments & Methods 



Szymanski R, Jamieson DN, Rout B & Brenn R, 

“The retro-cut process: precision reshaping of 

magnetic quadrupole lens profiles to improve 

field strength” Nuclear Instruments & Methods 



36

Van Dijk L, Bozkurt M, Alves A, Johnston 

PN, Davis TJ, Reichart PT & Jamieson DN, 

“Macrochannelling: characterisation of nanostructures 

by ion beam analysis” Nuclear 

Instruments & Methods in Physics Research 

Section B - Beam Interact with Materials and 

Atoms 231:130-135 (2005) 

McCamey DR, Francis M, McCallum JC, Hamilton 

AR, Greentree AD & Clark RG, “Donor activation 

and damage in Si-SiO2 from low-dose, lowenergy 

ion implantation studied via electrical 

transport in MOSFETs” Semiconductor Science 

and Technology 20:363-368 (2005) 

Gibson BC, Huntington ST, Rubanov S, Olivero 

P, Digweed-Lyytikainen K, Canning J & Love 

JD, “Exposure and characterization of nanostructured 

hole arrays in tapered photonic crystal 

fibers using a combined FIB/SEM technique” 

Optics Express 13(22):9023-9028 (2005) 

Gurarie VN, Otsuka PH, Jamieson DN & Prawer 

S, “Crack-arresting compression layers produced 

by ion implantation” Nuclear Instruments & 

Methods in Physics Research Section B - Beam 

Interact with Materials and Atoms 242:421-423 

(2005) 

Gurarie VN, Otsuka PH, Jamieson DN & Prawer S, 

“Raman-based analysis of implantation-induced 

expansion and stresses in sapphire crystals” 

Journal of Materials Research 20(5):1131-1138 

(2005) 

Hoffman A, Andrienko I, Jamieson DN & Prawer 

S, “Electron trapping and detrapping in ionbeam-damaged 

diamond surfaces” Applied 

Physics Letters 86(4):41031-41033 (2005) 

Huang L, Lau SP, Yang HY, Leong SP, Yu SF & 

Prawer S, “Stable superhydrophobic surface via 

carbon nanotubes coated with a ZnO thin film” 

Journal of Physical Chemistry B 109:7746-7748 

(2005) 

Jamieson DN, Yang C, Hopf TF, Hearne S, Pakes 

CI, Prawer S, Mitic M, Gauja E, Andresen SE, 

Hudson FE, Dzurak AS & Clark RG, “Controlled 

shallow single-ion implantation in silicon using 

an active substrate for sub-20-keV ions” Applied 

Physics Letters 86(20):21011-21013 (2005) 

Millar V, Pakes CI, Prawer S, Rout B & Jamieson 

DN, “Thin film resists for registration of singleion 

impacts” Nanotechnology 16:823-826 

(2005) 

Rabeau JR, Chin YL, Prawer S, Jelezko JR, 

Gaebel T & Wrachtrup J, “Fabrication of single 

nickel-nitrogen defects in diamond by chemical 

vapour deposition” Applied Physics Letters 

86(13):19231-19263 (2005) 

Sakoolnamarka R, Burrow MF, Prawer S & Tyas 

MJ, “Raman spectroscopic study of noncarious 

cervical lesions” Odontology 93(1):35-40 (2005) 

Sze JY, Tay BK, Pakes CI, Jamieson DN & Prawer 

S, “Conducting Ni nanoparticles in an ionmodified 

polymer” Journal of Applied Physics 

98(6):61011-61013 (2005) 

Trajkov E, Prawer S, Butler JE & Hearne S, 

“Charge trap levels in sulfur-doped chemicalvapour-deposited 

diamond with applications 

to ultraviolet dosimetry” Journal of Applied 

Physics 98(2):37041-37047 (2005) 

Ang JC, Wellard CJ & Hollenberg LC, “Dephasing 

of charge qubits in the presence of charge 

traps” In J-C Chiao, DN Jamieson, L Faraone 

& AS Dzurak (eds), Proceedings of SPIE. 5650 : 

527-535. Washington, United States of America: 

SPIE - The International Society for Optical 

Engineering (2005) 

Conrad VI, Greentree AD, Jamieson DN & 

Hollenberg LC, “Optimising single electron 

transistors as electrometers for high-precision 

electrometry of charge on quantum dots” In J- 

C Chiao, DN Jamieson, L Faraone & AS Dzurak 

(eds), Proceedings of SPIE. 5650 : 536-547. 

Washington, United States of America: SPIE - 

The International Society for Optical Engineering 

(2005) 

Devitt SJ, Fowler AG & Hollenberg LC, 

“Investigating the practical implementation of 

Shor's algorithm” In J-C Chiao, DN Jamieson, 

L Faraone & AS Dzurak (eds), Proceedings of 

SPIE. 5650 : 483-494. Washington, United States 

of America: SPIE - The International Society for 

Optical Engineering (2005) 

Fowler AG, Devitt SJ & Hollenberg LC, 

“Constructing steane code fault-tolerant gates” 

In J-C Chiao, DN Jamieson, L Faraone & AS 

Dzurak (eds), Proceedings of SPIE. 5650 : 557- 

568. Washington, United States of America: 

SPIE - The International Society for Optical 

Engineering (2005) 

Greentree AD, Cole JH, Hamilton AR & 

Hollenberg LC, “Scaling of coherent tunnelling 

adiabatic passage in solid-state coherent 

quantum systems” In J-C Chiao, DN Jamieson, 


SPIE. 5650 : 72-80. Washington, United States 



Hill CD, Hollenberg LC, Fowler AG, Wellard CJ, 

Greentree AD & Goan H-S, “Fast donor based 

electron spin quantum computing” In J-C Chiao, 

DN Jamieson, L Faraone & AS Dzurak (eds), 

Proceedings of SPIE. 5650: 44-54. Washington, 

37

United States of America: SPIE - The International 

Society for Optical Engineering (2005) 

Starling TR, Wellard CJ, Quiney HM, Haig W & 

Hollenberg LC, “Calculation of the exchange 

coupling in Si:P donor systems” In J-C Chiao, 


Proceedings of SPIE. 5650: 495-503. Washington, 



Testolin MJ, Hollenberg LC, Greentree AD & 

Wellard CJ, “Single-spin detection and readout 

for the solid-state quantum computer via 

resonant techniques” In J-C Chiao, DN Jamieson, 


SPIE. 5650: 516-526. Washington, United States 



Wellard CJ & Hollenberg LC, “Exchange 

in phosphorus donor spin based quantum 

computers” In J-C Chiao, DN Jamieson, L 

Faraone & AS Dzurak (eds), Proceedings of 

SPIE 5650: 94-101. Washington, United States 



Alves A, Hearne S, Reichart PT, Siegele R, 

Jamieson DN & Johnston PN, “Ion beam 

lithography with single ions” In J-C Chiao, 


Proceedings of SPIE 5650: 381-390. Washington, 



Chan V, Buehler TM, McCamey DR, Ferguson AJ, 

Reilly DJ, Yang C, Hopf TF, Dzurak AS, Hamilton 

AR, Jamieson DN & Clark RG, “Single-electron 

transistor coupled to a silicon nano-MOSFET” 


Dzurak (eds), Proceedings of SPIE 5650: 89-93. 



(2005) 

Mitic M, Andersen SE, Chan V, Buehler TM, 

Ferguson AJ, Gauja E, Hudson FE, Reilly DJ, 

Hamilton AR, Dzurak AS, Clark RG, Yang C, Hopf 

TF, Pakes CI & Jamieson DN, “Nanofabrication 

of charge-based Si:P quantum computer devices 

using single-ion implantation” In J-C Chiao, 


Proceedings of SPIE 5650: 55-63. Washington, 



Villis BJ, McCallum JC, Lay M & Gauja E, 

“Constant capacitance deep-level transient 

spectroscopy study of bulk traps in interface 

states in P implanted Si MOS capacitors” In 

AD Rakic & YT Yeow (eds), 2004 Conference on 

Optoelectronic and microelectronic materials 

and devices 113-116. Piscataway, United States 

of America: IEEE - Institute of Electrical and 

Electronic Engineers (2005) 

Cole JH, Greentree AD, Wellard CJ, Hollenberg 

LC & Prawer S, “Measuring decoherence 

properties of charge qubits using buried donor 

cellular automata” In J-C Chiao, DN Jamieson, 


SPIE 5650: 504-515. Washington, United States 



Olivero P, Peng J, Reichart PT, McCallum JC, 

Sze JY, Lau SP, Kalish R, Dhar D, Feldman L, 

Jamieson DN & Prawer S, “Formation of carbon 

nanoclusters by implantation of KeV carbon ions 

in fused silica followed by thermal annealing” 





(2005) 

Yang C, Jamieson DN, Hopf TF, Andersen 

SE, Hearne S, Hudson FE, Pakes CI, Mitic M, 

Gauja E, Dzurak AS, Prawer S & Clark RG, 

“Optimization of single KeV ion implantation 

for the construction of single P-donor devices” 





(2005) 

Francis PS, Barnett NW, Smith TA, Spizzirri PG 

& Wang X, “Near-infrared chemiluminescence 

from the oxidation of ammonia in aqueous 

alkaline solution” Luminescence 20:442-444 

(2005) 

38 

Lay M, Pakes CI & McCallum JC, “Kelvin-probe 

force microscopy defect study of ion implanted 

thermal oxide thin films on silicon” In AD 

Rakic & YT Yeow (eds), 2004 Conference on 

Optoelectronic and microelectronic materials 

and devices. 405-408. Piscataway, United States 

of America: IEEE - Institute of Electrical and 

Electronic Engineers (2005)

OPTICS 

PROFESSOR KEITH NUGENT 

Research Highlights 

In an often-crowded and vibrant atom optics 

lab, Assoc Prof Robert Scholten and his team 

continued their work on novel approaches to 

imaging cold atoms, developing a minimally 

destructive, quantitative, yet experimentally 

practical method. The insight of PhD student 

Lincoln Turner led to an elegant approach, in 

which the diffraction pattern of cold atoms 

illuminated by an off-resonant laser beam is 

computationally inverted to provide an image of 

the atoms. The technique offers great promise as 

an easy yet precise method of phase imaging, 

for both cold atoms and for some applications 

of x-ray imaging. Lincoln left the group midyear, 

with a Fulbright Fellowship to work with 

Nobel Laureate Bill Phillips at NIST, Washington 

DC. 

The lab also demonstrated a blue laser based 

on establishment of a coherent quantum 

superposition of atomic states. Energy was 

converted with unprecedented efficiency, to 

generate a coherent blue beam – like a laser, 

but without mirrors. The work was published on 

the front cover of the Australian Optical Society 

News in March, and in Optics Letters. 

The coherent x-ray group published a total of 12 

refereed papers, including some work on a new 

approach to coherent imaging, and two papers 

on the work of Benedicta Ahartari on phasecontrast 

radiography. In particular, its work on 

diffractive imaging with curved wavefields is 

grabbing international attention. 

In October A/Prof Roberts presented a paper on 

one aspect of this research at the Optical Society 

of America Annual Meeting in Tucson. She 

also visited Singapore and, with PhD student 

Nicole Tse, obtained the first in-situ Electronic 

Speckle Pattern Interferometry images of canvas 

paintings in the Singapore Art Museum. While 

in Singapore, she gave seminars at the National 

Heritage Centre and the National University 

of Singapore and also visited the Singapore 

Synchrotron Light Source and the Centre for Ion 

Beam Applications. 

The precision x-ray optics team continues its 

work on pinning down physical constants to 

unprecedented resolution and published a 

number of very high quality publications in 

this area. The group was heavily involved in the 

international X-ray and Inner Shell Processes 

Conference held in Melbourne (X05, 4-8 July 

2005). Assoc Prof Chris Chantler was Scientific 

Chair and Editor of the refereed proceedings, 

Group members continue to be invited to 

present at conferences around the world. 

Grants 

A collaboration led by Keith Nugent was 

successful in being awarded ARC, University 

and Victorian State Government funding to 

establish the Centre of Excellence for Coherent 

X-ray Science. The Centre is a major coup for the 

School of Physics, bringing together outstanding 

research groups from the Schools of Physics and 

of Chemistry, the Australian Synchrotron, CSIRO, 

Latrobe, Monash and Swinburne Universities, 

and a number of prestigious international 

partners. 

Robert Scholten and Ann Roberts were 

successful in receiving an ARC Discovery Project 

grant, ‘Quantum and classical imaging with light 

and atoms’ to extend our innovative research in 

physical optics to quantum optics. 

Students and Visitors 

In 2005, the atom optics group enjoyed the 

year-long sabbatical of A/Prof Jamie White 

from Juniata College in the USA, and long 

stays by several visiting PhD students from 

The Netherlands including Thijs Meiijer, 

Kenian Domen, and Bart Smeets, through our 

collaboration with the quantum-atom-optics 

group at Eindhoven University. 

Martin de Jonge completed his PhD ‘with 

distinction’ (top 5% of all PhDs) according 

to the examiner, who wrote ‘these careful 

measurements will continue to serve as THE 

yardstick for measuring the performance 

of future theories for a long time.’ Well done, 

Martin. 

Adrian Mancuso completed his PhD 

and commenced work with Quantum 

Communications Victoria, housed within the 

School. Former student, Magda Michna, now at 

McGill University in Canada, was awarded her 

PhD in December and Peter Pace (now at Victoria 

University) received his MSc in August. 

39


E. C. Cosgriff, C. T. Chantler, C. Witte, L. F. Smale, 

C. Q. Tran, “Atomic cluster-structure calculations 

of the X-ray near-edge absorption of silver”, Phys 

Lett A, 343, 174-180 (2005). 

C.Q. Tran, A.G.Peele, D.Paterson, A.Roberts, 

I.McNulty and K.A.Nugent, “X-Ray Imaging: 

A Generalised Approach Using Phase Space 

Tomography”, Journal of The Optical Society of 

America A-Optics Image Science and Vision, 22, 

1691-1700 (2005). 

A.G. Peele, A.P. Mancuso, C.Q. Tran, D. Paterson, 

I. McNulty, J.P. Hayes, K.A. Nugent, “Phase 

retrieval from coherent soft X-ray optics”, 

Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related 

Phenomena, 144-147, 1171-1173 (2005) 

De Jonge MD, Tran CQ, Chantler CT, Barnea Z, 

Dhal BB, Cookson DJ, Lee W-K & Mashayekhi 

A, “Measurement of the x-ray mass attenuation 

coefficient and determination of the imaginary 

component of the atomic form factor of 

molybdenum over the 13.5-41.5-keV energy 

range” Physical Review A 71(03):27021-270216 

(2005) 

Kinnane MN, Kimpton JA, De Jonge MD, 

Makonyi K & Chantler CT, “The correction of 

systematic image deformations inherent 

to two-dimensional proportional counters” 

Measurement Science and Technology 16:2280- 

2286 (2005) 

Tran CQ, Chantler CT, Barnea Z, De Jonge MD, 

Dhal BB, Chung CTY, Paterson D & Wang J, 

“Measurement of the x-ray mass attenuation 

coefficient of silver using the x-ray-extended 

range technique” Journal of Physics B - Atomic 

Molecular and Optical Physics 38:89-107 (2005) 

Arhatari BD, Nugent KA, Peele AG & Thornton 

J, “Phase contrast radiography II: imaging 

of complex objects” Review of Scientific 

Instruments 76(11):37041-37046 (2005) 

Nugent KA, Peele AG, Quiney HM & Chapman 

HN, “Diffraction with wavefront curvature: 

a path to unique phase recovery” Acta 

Crystallographica Section A 61:373-381 (2005) 

Tran CQ, Peele AG, Paterson D, Roberts A, 

McNulty I & Nugent KA, “Phase space density 

measurement of interfering x-rays” Journal of 

Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena 

144 -147:947-951 (2005) 

Tran CQ, Peele AG, Roberts A, Nugent KA, 

Paterson D & McNulty I, “Synchrotron beam 

coherence: a spatially resolved measurement” 

Optics Letters 30(2):204-206 (2005) 

Tran CQ, Peele AG, Roberts A, Nugent KA, 

Paterson D & McNulty I, “X-ray imaging: a 

generalized approach using phase-space 

tomography” Journal of The Optical Society of 

America A - Optics Image Science and Vision 

22(8):1691-1700 (2005) 

Ampem-Lassen E, Huntington ST, Dragomir 

NM, Nugent KA & Roberts A, “Refractive index 

profiling of axially symmetric optical fibers: a 

new technique” Optics Express 13(9):3277-3282 

(2005) 

Curl CL, Bellair CJ, Harris T, Allman BE, Harris PJ, 

Stewart A, Roberts A, Nugent KA & Delbridge LM 

“Refractive index measurement in viable cells 

using quantitative phase-amplitude microscopy 

and confocal microscopy” Cytometry Part A 

65a:88-92 (2005) 

Dragomir NM, Ampem-Lassen E, Huntington ST, 

Baxter GW, Roberts A & Farrell PM, “Refractive 

index profiling of optical fibers using differential 

interference contrast microscopy” IEEE 

Photonics Technology Letters 17(10):2149-2151 

(2005) 

Rollinson CM, Wade SA, Dragomir NM, Baxter 

GW, Collins SF & Roberts A, “Reflections near 

1030 nm from 1540 nm fibre Bragg gratings: 

evidence of a complex refractive index structure” 

Optics Communications 256:310-318 (2005) 

Sidiroglou F, Huntington ST & Roberts A, “Microcharacterisation 

of erbium-doped fibers using a 

Raman confocal microscope” Optics Express 

13(14):5506-5512 (2005) 

Turner LD, Domen KF & Scholten R, “Diffractioncontrast 

imaging of cold atoms” Physical Review 

A 72(3):14031-14034 (2005) 

Belpassi L, Tarantelli F, Sgamellotti A & Quiney 

HM, “Computational strategies for a fourcomponent 

Dirac-Kohn-Sham program: 

implementation and first applications” Journal 

of Chemical Physics 122(18):41091-410913 

(2005) 

Quiney HM & Wilson S, “Literate programming 

in quantum chemistry: a collaborative approach 

to the development of theory and computer 

code” Molecular Physics 103(2-3):389-399 

(2005) 

Smeets B, Herfst RW, Maguire LP, Te Sligte E, Van 

Der Straten P, Beijerinck HCW & Van Leeuwen 

KAH, “Laser collimation of an Fe atomic beam 

on a leaky transition” Applied Physics B 80:833- 

839 (2005) 

Dragomir NM, Roberts A & Baxter GW, “Phase 

sensitive imaging techniques applied to optical 

fibre characterization” In M Wicks (ed), 7th 

Optical Fibre Measurement Conference 107-111. 

Middlesex, United Kingdom: National Physical 

Laboratory (2005) 

Turner LD, Domen KFEM & Scholten R, 

“Holographic imaging of cold atoms” In M Colla 

(ed), Australian Institute of Physics 16th Biennial 

Congress 2005. 1-4. Cronulla, Australia: The 

Australian Institute of Physics. 

Jeppesen M, White JD, Domen KFEM & Scholten 

R, “Coherent blue laser beam production in a 

rubidium vapour cell” In M Colla (ed), Australian 

Institute of Physics 16th Biennial Congress 2005. 

1-4. Cronulla, Australia: The Australian Institute 

of Physics. 

Turner LD, Slavec A, Weber KP, White JD, Domen 

KFEM & Scholten R,”Control theory for frequency 

stabilisation of external cavity diode lasers” In 

M Colla (ed), Australian Institute of Physics 16th 

Biennial Congress 2005. 1-4. Cronulla, Australia: 

The Australian Institute of Physics. 

40

Assoc Prof Les Allen with Chris Witte 

THEORETICAL CONDENSED 

MATTER PHYSICS (TCMP) 

ASSOC PROFFESSOR LES ALLEN 

Research carried out within the TCMP group in 

2005 can be classified into two general areas: 

Imaging of condensed matter systems and the 

dynamics of dilute gas BECs. The research carried 

out has resulted in a total of nine publications 

(three in the prestigious Physical Review Letters, 

the flagship journal of the American Physical 

Society and one in Applied Physics Letters). 

The academic staff in the group, Assoc Prof 

Les Allen and Dr Andy Martin each delivered 

three invited contributions at international 

conferences. The software IWFR, used for 

phase imaging at atomic resolution in electron 

microscopy, developed in the Allen subgroup, 

was successfully commercialized in conjunction 

with the Japanese company HREM Inc. 

The group was funded by two Australian 

Research Council (ARC) Discovery Project 

(DP) grants and one Melbourne Early Career 

Researcher (ECR) grant, worth $164,500 in 2005. 

The DP grants have enabled the appointment 

of two postdoctoral research fellows in the 

group, namely Dr Scott Findlay and Dr Nicholas 

Parker. The ECR grant has established computer 

facilities and provided travel money for Dr A M 

Martin’s subgroup. 

Strong international collaborations have been 

a feature of the research done. Link are in 

place with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 

The SuperSTEM Facility at Daresbury, Trinity 

College Dublin, Nottingham University, Imperial 

College London, The University of Otago, The 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (with the 

group of Nobel Prize winner Prof W Ketterle) and 

the University of Durham. 


Cosgriff EC, Oxley MP, Allen LJ & Pennycook SJ, 

“The spatial resolution of imaging using coreless 

spectroscopy in the scanning transmission 

electron microscope” Ultramicroscopy 102:317- 

326 (2005) 

Findlay SD, Oxley MP, Pennycook SJ & Allen 

LJ, “Modelling imaging based on core-loss 

spectroscopy in scanning transmission electron 

microscopy” Ultramicroscopy 104:126-140 

(2005) 

Lupini AR, Chisholm MF, Van Benthem K, Allen 

LJ, Oxley MP & Findlay SD “Limitations to 

the measurement of oxygen concentrations 

by HRTEM imposed by surface roughness” 

Microscopy and Microanalysis 11:111-115 (2005) 

McBride WE, O'Leary NL, Nugent KA & Allen 

LJ “Astigmatic electron diffraction imaging: a 

novel mode for structure determination” Acta 


O'Leary NL & Allen LJ, “Quantitative 

structure retrieval at atomic resolution” Acta 


Oxley MP, Cosgriff EC & Allen LJ, “Nonlocality in 

imaging” Physical Review Letters 94(20):39061- 

39064 (2005) 

Van Benthem K, Lupini AR, Kim M, Baik HS, 

Doh S, Lee J-H, Oxley MP, Findlay SD, Allen LJ, 

Luck JT & Pennycook SJ, “Three-dimensional 

imaging of individual hafnium atoms inside a 

semicondutor device” Applied Physics Letters 

87(3):41041-41043 (2005) 

Scott RG, Martin AM, Fromhold TM & Sheard 

FW, “Anomalous quantum reflection of Bose- 

Einstein condensates from a silicon surface: the 

role of dynamical excitations” Physical Review 

Letters 95(7):32011-32014 (2005) 

A m o s K A , Karataglidis S & K i m 

YJ,”Complementary reaction analyses and the 

isospin mixing of the 4- states in 160” Nuclear 

Physics A 762:230-251 (2005) 

Amos KA, Karataglidis S, Van Der Knijff DJJ, 

Canton L, Pisent G & Svenne JP, “Comparison 

between two methods of solution of coupled 

equations for low-energy scattering” Physical 

Review C 72(6):46041-46045 (2005) 

Canton L, Pisent G, Svenne JP, Van Der Knijff 

DJJ, Amos KA & Karataglidis S, “Role of the 

41

Pauli principle in collective-model coupledchannel 

calculations” Physical Review Letters 

94(12):25031-25034 (2005) 

Deb PK, Clark BC, Hama S, Amos KA, Karataglidis 

S & Cooper ED, “Comparison of optical model 

results from a microscopic Schrödinger approach 

to nucleon-nucleus elastic scattering with those 

from a global Dirac phenomenology” Physical 

Review C 72(1):46081- 460810 (2005) 

Karataglidis S, Amos KA & Giraud BG, “Local scale 

transformations and extended matter distributions 

in nuclei” Physical Review C 71(6):46011-460113 

(2005) 

Pisent G, Svenne JP, Canton L, Amos KA, 

Karataglidis S & Van Der Knijff DJJ,l “Compound 

and quasicompound states in low-energy 

scattering of nucleons from 12C” Physical Review 

C 72(1):46011-460111 (2005) 

Amos KA & Karataglidis S, “Proton interactions 

with nuclei to probe the neutron matter distribution 

of nucleus” In RC Haight, MB Chadwick, T Kawano 

& P Talou (eds), AIP Conference Proceedings 769: 

1081-1084 New York, United States of America: 

American Institute of Physics (2005) 

42 

Deb PK & Amos KA,”Simple functional forms 

for total and total reaction cross sections from 

nucleon-nucleus collisions” In RC Haight, 

MB Chadwick, T Kawano & P Talou (eds), AIP 

Conference Proceedings 769: 1092-1095 New York, 

United States of America: American Institute of 

Physics (2005) 

Svenne JP, Amos KA, Van Der Knijff DJJ, Canton 

L & Pisent G, “MCAS: a multichannel algebraic 

scattering theory of low energy nucleon-nucleus 

reactions” In RC Haight, MB Chadwick, T Kawano 

& P Talou (eds), AIP Conference Proceedings 769: 

1096-1099. New York, United States of America: 

American Institute of Physics (2005)

THEORETICAL PARTICLE PHYSICS 

(TPP) 

PROFESSOR RAY VOLKAS 

The theoretical particle physics group continues 

to thrive as it manages generational change of 

its permanent academic staff. 

After almost thirty-five years of dedicated 

service to the School of Physics, Dr Girish Joshi 

retired from teaching and administration at 

the end of 2005. He remains active in research, 

continues to supervise PhD students and holds 

a joint ARC Discovery Project grant for 2006- 

2008 with Bruce McKellar and Ray Volkas. It is 

appropriate to reflect on Girish’s long career, 

which has seen him publish almost 200 papers 

and supervise more than a dozen PhD students. 

Research Fellow, Dr Alexandre Ignatiev also left 

the group. We welcome Dr Adrian Flitney who 

was awarded Australian Postdoctoral Fellow. 

efforts exemplify this trend. We are also keenly 

awaiting the Large Hadron Collider, and looking 

to enhance our already strong links with the 

experimental particle physics group. 

Group member Associate Professor Lloyd 

Hollenberg continues to lead Melbourne’s theory 

effort within the ARC Centre of Excellence for 

Quantum Computing Technology, supervising 

a large number of research students and two 

postdocs. Good progress has been made in 

their efforts to construct a solid state quantum 

computer, a project to be described in more 

detail elsewhere in this annual report. 

Selected publications for 2005 include: 

43 

Dr Nicole Bell will join us on 1 January 2007 

as a new continuing Lecturer in theoretical 

particle physics. After completing her PhD at 

Melbourne with Ray Volkas, she was a postdoc 

at the influential theoretical astrophysics group 

at Fermilab for three years, and is presently a 

Sherman Fairchild Scholar at Caltech. She has 

won numerous awards, and has written several 

very influential papers in particle cosmology and 

astrophysics as well as in straight theoretical 

particle physics. 

The Head of the TPP group, Professor Bruce 

McKellar, shall effectively retire from teaching 

and administration at the end of 2006. During 

2006, we shall run a search for a second 

continuing lectureship to fill his shoes (very 

large shoes to fill!). So, from 2007 we anticipate 

having a new-look group under the leadership 

of Ray Volkas, with Bruce and Girish continuing 

to be very active in research as honorary staff. 

In 2005, the TPP group had 13 PhD and Masters 

students active in theoretical particle physics 

research, and two research fellows. The currently 

active research fields cover physics beyond 

the standard model, including brane-worlds, 

extra-dimensions and gravity, as well as particle 

cosmology and high-energy astrophysics. 

Particle physics worldwide has for some time 

been broadening into a cross-disciplinary effort 

involving our friends the astrophysicists and 

cosmologists, and the TPP group’s research 

He XG, Li X, McKellar BHJ & Zhang Y, “Berry 

phase in neutrino oscillations” Physical Review 

D 72(5):30121-30128 (2005) 

Ignatiev A, Joshi GC & McKellar BHJ, “Spectator 

effects in the decay B →Κγγ” International 

Journal of Modern Physics A 20(17):4079-4084 

(2005) 

McCaw JM & McKellar BHJ, “Pure point spectrum 

for the time evolution of a periodically rank - N 

kicked Hamiltonian” Journal of Mathematical 

Physics 46(3):21081-210824 (2005) 

Stephenson Jr GJ, Goldman T, McKellar BHJ 

& Garbutt M, “Large mixing from small: 

pseudo-dirac neutrinos and the singular seesaw” 

International Journal of Modern Physics A 

20(28):6373-6390 (2005) 

Terasaki K & McKellar BHJ, “Charmed scalar 

resonances - conventional and four-quark 

mesons” Progress of Theoretical Physics 

114(1):205-211 (2005) 

Crocker RM, Fatuzzo M, Jokipii JR, Melia F & 

Volkas RR, “The agasa and sugar anisotropies 

and TeV gamma rays from the galactic center: 

a possible signature of extremely high energy 

neutrons” Astrophysical Journal 622:892-909 

(2005)

Crocker RM, Melia F & Volkas RR, “Neutrinos from 

the galactic center in the light of its gamma-ray 

detection at TeV energy” Astrophysical Journal 

622:L37-L40 

Dando G, Davidson A, George DP, Volkas RR 

& Wali KC, “Clash of symmetries in a Randall- 

Sundrum-like spacetime” Physical Review D 

72(4):50161-50169 (2005) 

Demaria A & Volkas RR, “Kink-induced 

symmetry breaking patterns in brane-world 

SU(3)3 trinification models” Physical Review D 

71(10):50111-50119 (2005) 

George DP & Volkas RR, “Stability of domain 

walls coupled to Abelian gauge fields” Physical 

Review D 72(10):50111-50115 (2005) 

Low CI, “Abelian family symmetries and the 

simplest models that give Φ 13 ≡ 0 in the neutrino 

mixing matrix” Physical Review D 71(7):30071- 

300713 (2005) 

44 

Foot RT, “Avoiding the gauge hierarchy problem 

with seesawed neutrino masses” Modern Physics 

Letters A 20(39):3035-3043 (2005) 

Foot RT & Silagadze ZK, “Supernova explosions, 

511 keV photons, gamma ray bursts and mirror 

matter” International Journal of Modern Physics 

D - Gravitation, Astrophysics and Cosmology 

14(1):143-151 (2005) 

Wignall JWG, “An absolute replacement for the 

standard kilogram” Measurement Science and 

Technology 16:682-684 (2005) 

Wignall JWG, “Quantum mechanics without a 

quantization postulate” Journal of Physics A: 

Mathematical and General 38:5315-5328 (2005) 

Garoni TM, Forrester PJ & Frankel NE, “Asymptotic 

corrections to the eignevalue density of the 

GUE and LUE” Journal of Mathematical Physics 

46(10):33011-330117 (2005) 

McKellar BHJ & Carlsson JL, “Harmonic oscillator 

spectrum for glueball states in 2+1 dimensions in 

the large N limit” Nuclear Physics B - Proceedings 

Supplements 141:179-185 (2005) 

Okuniewicz I, McKellar BHJ & Friedland A, 

“Construction and analysis of a many-body 

neutrino model. In M Colla (ed), Australian 

Institute of Physics 16th Biennial Congress 1-4. 

Cronulla, Australia: The Australian Institute of 

Physics (2005)

QUANTUM COMMUNICATIONS 

VICTORIA (QCV) 

DR SHANE HUNTINGTON 

QCV was established within the School of 

Physics in July 2005. QCV is funded by a State 

Government of Victoria Science, Technology and 

Innovation (STI) grant in addition to support from 

the Faculty of Science. QCV is an Unincorporated 

Joint Venture between The University of 

Melbourne, MagiQ Technologies (New York and 

Boston), Qucor Pty Ltd and Silicon Graphics 

Inc. The program has three major milestones to 

meet over the course of the next three years: 

* Development of a prototype single photon 

source based on diamond 

* Enhance the communications abilities of 

our research staff and offer similar services to 

external clients 

* Engage industry to determine their interest in 

Quantum Communications and their possible 

involvement 

The first 6 months of the program have been 

dedicated to corporate branding and establishing 

the QCV team, including new staff Dr Elizabeth 

Trajkov, Materials Engineer; Dr Steven Trpkovski, 

Photonics Prototype Development Engineer; and 

Mr Hugh Wilson, Research Fellow, all arriving in 

2005. 

The QCV is directed by an Executive Board 

consisting of members from each of the Joint 

Venture Partner organisations. In addition, a 

prestigious Industry Advisory Group has been 

established to provide expert advice on a range 

of commercial topics. 

A key challenge for a commercially driven 

program such as the QCV is to demonstrate 

value to the School of Physics with regards to the 

traditional areas of teaching and research. To this 

end the program is proud to support numerous 

research programs through the acquisition of 

equipment, staff resources, collaborations, and 

the provision of student scholarships. Members 

of the QCV have been encouraged to engage 

in teaching and have strong involvement in the 

school’s outreach programs. 

The QCV program is providing an opportunity 

for a crossover between a variety of sectors. 

Collectively, the team represents all of the 

sectors involved in commercialisation. It is 

my strong feeling that the existence of this 

program within the school will greatly benefit 

our traditional research and teaching programs 

in addition to meeting the new demands for 

knowledge transfer being placed upon us all. 

45 

To date this process has been highly successful 

with the establishment of the QCV office on 

Level 2. The majority of the staff positions for 

the program have now been filled with a variety 

of research, commercial and administrative 

staff. The team has also successfully submitted 

to Government the Commercial, Marketing, 

Technical, and Industry Engagement Plans for 

the next 3 years. 

Initial discussions for the formation of a QCV 

corporate entity have also been initiated in order 

to capitalise on investor interest in the program. 

This strategic plan will enable the continuation 

of the QCV program well beyond the end of the 

State Government funding period.


Olivero P, Rubanov S, Reichart PT, Gibson BC, 

Huntington ST, Rabeau JR, Greentree AD, 

Salzman J, Moore D, Jamieson DN & Prawer S, 

“Ion-beam-assisted lift-off technique for threedimensional 

micromachining of freestanding 

single-crystal diamond” Advanced Materials 

17:2427-2430 (2005) 

Rabeau JR, Huntington ST, Greentree AD & 

Prawer S, “Diamond chemical-vapor deposition 

on optical fibers for fluorescence waveguiding” 

Applied Physics Letters 86(13):41041-41043 

(2005) 

46 

Gibson BC, Huntington ST & Love JD, “Selfaligning 

method of fibre-to-waveguide 

pigtailing” Optics Letters 30(21):2858-2860 

(2005) 

Dragomir NM, Ampem-Lassen E, Huntington ST, 

Baxter GW, Roberts A & Farrell PM, “Refractive 

index profiling of optical fibers using differential 

interference contrast microscopy” IEEE 

Photonics Technology Letters 17(10):2149-2151 

(2005) 

Dower PM, Farrell PM & Gibson BC, “A 

numerical optimal control approach to the 

design of an optical fibre-based evanescent 

field” In P Horacek & M Simandl (eds), 16th IFAC 

World Congress 2005. 1-6. Laxemburg, Austria: 

International Federation of Automatic Control

Students: XiaoMing, Lachlan and Melissa 

PPSS > 

47 

POSTGRADUATE PHYSICS 

STUDENT SOCIETY (PPSS) 

DR STUART WYITHE 

Within the School of Physics, postgraduate 

research is an integral part of all research areas. 

Physics postgraduates are therefore integrated 

into School life at all levels. For example, the 

crucial role played by students in the research 

success of the School is highlighted during 

the weekly postgraduate seminar series. This 

series serves to inform the School as a whole of 

individual research programs. 

In addition, the seminar series offers our 

students valuable experience in scientific and 

oral presentation skills. Postgraduate students 

are also integrated into the day-to-day workings 

of the School through representatives on each 

of the Schools committees. Postgraduate 

student participation on School committees is 

coordinated by the Postgraduate student society, 

and aims to ensure that postgraduate student 

needs are met at all levels. 

The School organises a focus day for senior 

postgraduate students to assist with the 

transition out of postgraduate study. The School 

also recognises the importance of bridging the 

gap between undergraduate and postgraduate 

study. To this end the School organises a 

Postgraduate student research exhibition. 

This exhibition showcases the work of our 

postgraduates to interested 2nd and 3rd year 

physics students. 

Each of the above activities was undertaken 

during 2005. In 2006, we have already had our 

induction day, attended by more than 20 new 

postgraduates. Additionally we will continue 

to run the Senior Focus day and Research 

exhibitions. As a new initiative in 2006, the 

School will expand the postgraduate seminar 

series to include a full colloquium by final year 

students, describing the work presented in 

their thesis. This final colloquium will provide 

the opportunity for the School to celebrate the 

achievements of postgraduate students. 

The School aims to assist postgraduates with 

the skills they will need to successfully complete 

their degree and to move forward in the future. To 

prepare postgraduate students to make the most 

of their time within the department, the School 

conducts an induction day, where the roles and 

perceptions of students and supervisors alike, 

as well as the requirements of postgraduate 

study are discussed.

PAUL FRASER (PPSS President) 

The Postgraduate Physics Student Society (PPSS) 

is an association of which each postgraduate 

degree student is automatically a member. It 

is affiliated with the University of Melbourne 

Postgraduate Association, which formally 

provides funding for the range of activities the 

PPSS undertakes, though the School of Physics 

significantly supports the PPSS both financially 

and logistically. 

The purposes of the PPSS are to enhance the 

academic and professional life of its members, 

encourage social interaction of students within 

the School, to co-ordinate representation of 

School of Physics Postgraduate students on 

School committees and to represent School of 

Physics Postgraduate Students to the Science 

Faculty and University. 

In 2005, these goals were achieved by running 

traditionally well received social events such 

as barbecues and a trivia night, as well as the 

new addition of a pool competition. On the 

more formal side, student attendance at the 

various School committee meetings was high, 

indicating the enthusiasm of postgraduate 

students to participate in the running of School 

and the business of the University that affects 

the School. Additionally, the PPSS creates 

leadership positions for its members, enhancing 

skills prior to entering formal employment. 

48 

In 2006 the PPSS aim to continue fulfilling 

these duties, and with the enthusiastic group 

of volunteers in office bearer roles and on 

committees, the coming years should be quite 

productive. 

For more information, visit the PPSS website at 

http://www.ph.unimelb.edu.au/pgss/ 

Postgraduates: Chris, Paul and Alistair

Prizes & Awards > 

Dr Lincoln Turner 

49 

UNDERGRADUATE 

Bryan Scholarship in Natural Science 

Selection Criteria: Awarded to a student who has 

completed their BSc degree and is undertaking 

Honours in a branch of the Natural Sciences, on 

recommendation by Faculty of Science. 

Value: $2,350 

Recipient: Chun-Hsu Su 

Dwight Prize 

Selection Criteria: Awarded to the student 

achieving the highest results in First year 

advanced level, on recommendation by the 

Head 

Value: $700 

Recipient: Douglas Brumley 

E M and J F Ward Prize for Experimental 


Selection Criteria: Awarded to the most 

outstanding student in experimental physics in 

the final year of the BSc degree with a major in 

physics. 

Value: $600 

Recipient: Alastair Stacey 

John Tyndall Scholarship Prize 

Selection Criteria: Awarded to a student who is 

enrolled in a Masters or Doctorate degree who 

is conducting advanced studies or research in 

the School of Physics 

Value: $550 

Recipient: Melissa Makin (nee Wals) 

Ramm Prize in Experimental Physics 

Selection Criteria: Prize is awarded to a student 

enrolling in either Honours or postgraduate 

degree by research in Experimental Physics who 

has demonstrated excellent research potential. 

Value: $1000 

Recipient: Nadia Davidson 

T F Ryan (Roentgen) Prize 

Selection Criteria: Prize is awarded to the student 

with the highest aggregate score in 640-151 and 

640-152 Physics for Biomedical Science at First 

Year. 

Value: $600 

Recipient: Grace Liu 

William Sutherland Prize 

Selection Criteria: Awarded to the student 

achieving the highest results in Second Year 

Physics who is proceeding to study I Physics at 

the Third Year level. 

Value: Book vouchers worth $200 

Recipient: Jayne Thompson 

Wyselaskie Scholarship in Natural Science 

Selection Criteria: Awarded on academic merit 

to a student proceeding to the Honours Year in a 

branch of the Natural Sciences. 

Value: $2,100 

Recipient: Paul Geil

POSTGRADUATE 

Fulbright Scholarship 

Selection Criteria: Applicants must have a 

record of achievement in their chosen field, such 

as academic record, professional recognition, 

publications, exhibitions, performances or 

presentations and must relay their ability 

to promote mutual understanding between 

Australia and the United States 

Host Institution: National Institute of Standards 

and Technology 

Project: Seeking to measure the Abraham 

force and thus developments in precision 

measurement. 

Recipient: Dr Lincoln Turner 

Puzey Scholarship by Faculty of Science 

Selection Criteria: Be offered a place in a 

relevant Postgraduate Program and availability 

of appropriate supervisors 

Value: $25,000 up to 4 years 

Recipient: Damien George 

50 

Professor Kernot Research Scholarship in 


Selection Criteria: Awarded on recommendation 

of the Head on the basis of Honours results. 

Holders are required to conduct research in 

Physics at postgraduate level. 

Value: $2,525 

Recipient: Nadia Davidson 

Dixson Research Scholarship in Physics 

Selection Criteria: Awarded on the basis of 

Honours results in Physics. The holder is required 

to conduct research in Physics at the University 

at postgraduate level 

Value: $2000 

Recipient: John Paul Goldby 

STAFF 

Assoc Prof Les Allen 

John Sanders Medal for “Excellence in 

Developing or Applying Electron Microscope 

Techniques”, provided by the Australian 

Microscopy and Microanalysis Society 

Assoc Prof Lloyd Hollenberg 

Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, provided 

by Faculty of Science

Subjects Offered > 

51 

FIRST YEAR SUBJECTS 

640-121/2 Physics (Advanced) 

640-141/2 Physics 

640-151/2 Physics Biomedical A/B 

640-161/2 Principles & Applications 

640-176 Solar System & Cosmos 

640-177 Stars & Galaxies 

SECOND YEAR SUBJECTS 

640-223 Quantum Mechanics & Thermal Phys (Adv) 

640-225 Electromagnetism & Relativity (Adv) 

640-234 Further Classical & Quantum Mechanics 

640-237 Astrophysics & Optics 2 

640-243 Quantum Mechanics & Thermal Phys 

640-245 Electromagnetism & Relativity 

640-251 Instrumentation for Scientists 

640-261 Energy & Environment 

HONOURS 

The Honours year comprises course work and 

research project. The content of course work 

may vary from year to year but typically include 

subjects chosen from: 

Atom Optics & Photonics 

Extragalaxies, Astro & Cosmology 

General Relativity 

Particle Physics 1 

Particle Physics 2 

Quantum Mechanics A 

Quantum Mechanics B 

Quantum Structures 

Quantum Field Theory 

Scattering & Imaging 

Statistical Mechanics 

THIRD YEAR SUBJECTS 

640-321 Quantum Mechanics (Advanced) 

640-322 Thermal Physics (Advanced) 

640-323 Electrodynamics (Advanced) 

640-341 Quantum Mechanics 

640-342 Thermal Physics 

640-343 Electrodynamics 

640-351 Astrophysics & Optics 3 

640-353 Atomic, Molecular & Solid State Phys 

640-354 Subatomic Physics 

640-356 Theoretical Methods for Physics 

640-364 Computational Physics 

640-381 Principles & Applications of Sensors 

640-385 Modelling, Visualisation and Analysis

MUPPETS show, Mildura 

Outreach Programs > 

52 

JULY LECTURES 

This very popular series of free public lectures 

has a long and enviable history in the school. 

They are aimed at giving an insight into 

fundamental questions in physics, and advances 

in current research. They are given by researchers 

from this school, and delivered in a format that 

is accessible to the interested lay person. This 

year’s theme was ‘Einstein Explained’ 

Professor Raymond Volkas, School of Physics 

The light quantum: from the humble photoelectric 

effect to the strange world of modern physics 

(1 July) 

Professor David Jamieson, School of Physics 

Einstein's theory of Special Relativity: light, time 

and space (8 July) 

Professor Bruce McKellar, School of Physics 

How the mass movement of trillions of atoms 

changed the world (15 July) 

Professor George Ellis, Professor of Applied 

Mathematics and General Relativity at the 

University of Cape Town, Templeton prize 

winner (2004) 

Curved Space and Compassion: Is there a link 

between Einstein's General Theory of relativity 

and our Humanity? (22 July) 

Dr Elisabetta Barberio, School of Physics 

E=mc²: Energy and matter entwined (29 July) 

PHYSICS GYMNASIUM 

This series of monthly lectures is specifically 

designed to provide enrichment and 

encouragement for senior high-school students 

who are studying physics. The meetings are 

held monthly during the school year at 5 15 pm. 

Assoc Prof Lloyd Hollenberg, School of Physics 

The frontiers of physics and the limits of 

knowledge (23 February) 

Dr Stuart Wyithe, School of Physics 

Structure of the Universe (20 April) 

Prof Geoffrey Taylor, School of Physics 

ATLAS: map for the beginning of the Universe 

(18 May) 

Dr Norman Frankel, School of Physics 

Queer Universe (15 June) 

Dr Maurizio Toscano, Melbourne Girls Grammar 

School 

Physics and Thinking (20 July) 

Professor David Jamieson, School of Physics 

Einstein’s theory of relativity: outrageous but 

true! (10 August)

PHYSICS IN SERVICE DAY 

This professional development day consists of 

5 sessions relevant to teachers of VCE Physics. 

It is designed to keep teachers aware of 

developments in physics, expand their horizons, 

and assist them in keeping up to date with the 

current high schools physics syllabus. 

Dr Roger Rassool (School of Physics) 

Alternative energy sources: the answer? 

Professor Keith Nugent, School of Physics 

The Australian Synchrotron: a meeting place for 

physics and biomedical science 

School of Physics Alumni 

Gabriella Bright, James McCaw and Jessie 

Carlsson 

Where to from here? Careers after a Physics 

degree 

Associate Professor Peter Farrell, Dept of 

Electrical and Electronic Engineering 

How to build an optical communication system 

Dr Shane Huntington, School of Physics 

Physics for fun and profit! 

MUPPETS 

MUPPETS stands for Melbourne University 

Physics Promotion, Education &Teaching 

Services 

significant media attention. The images in this 

feature were taken by Mildura’s Sunraysia Daily 

newspaper. 

Other MUPPETS Programs 

In excess of 3,500 primary and secondary 

students parents, teachers and careers teachers 

in Australia and overseas benefited directly from 

MUPPETS programs this year. Summer schools 

attracted 490 high achieving students, some 

of whom will undoubtedly be students of the 

future for us. 

Melbourne Physics Forum at the Melbourne 

Town Hall 

With ABC's Bernie Hobbs as the master of 

ceremonies, this was a fun day of physics for 

1500 Year 10 -12 school students. The day event 

was designed to introduced Einstein's four big 

ideas from 1905 and the ghost of Melbourne's 

own physicist, William Sutherland, who actually 

beat Einstein to one of these ideas. 

The show comprised 4 mini-lectures with 

demonstrations: 

E=mc 2 and cosmology presented by Prof Rachel 

Webster 

Brownian motion presented by Dr David Hoxley 

Photo-electric effect presented by Dr Roger 

Rassool 

Special Relativity presented by Prof David 

Jamieson 

In addition, alumni were on hand to help out 

in a discussion panel on physics careers, the 

role of physicists and the really “big science” 

questions. 

53 

Bendigo February Tour 

Setting up base at the Bendigo Science 

Discovery Centre, the Muppets team, led by Dr 

Roger Rassool, put on 2- 4 shows over 5 days in 

which nearly every primary school in Bendigo 

attended. The final show was hugely successful 

which was open for parents and the general 

public. 

Outback Roadshow 

Presented as part of the Einstein International 

Year of Physics, the roadshow was the biggest 

and most ambitious yet for MUPPETS . 

The vehicle convoy, carrying two tonnes of 

equipment, covered more than 2400 kilometres 

on its two-week outback itinerary. Led by Physics 

academics Dr Roger Rassool and Associate 

Professor Max Thompson, the MUPPETS team 

of Physics staff and graduate students presented 

major public shows and workshops in Mildura, 

Broken Hill and Cobar and visited more than 30 

schools along the way. As well as drawing fullhouse 

audiences, the roadshow also attracted

Alumni & Friends > 

54 

The School of Physics renewed its focus with 

alumni and friends with the development 

of the Alumni Physics Newsletters. These 

have been well received, especially by 

the physics community who now live 

overseas, as a way of keeping in touch. 

In February, we hosted a Cocktail party reunion 

which proved to be a great success. Young and 

old took up the opportunity to reconnect with 

familiar faces. It was especially pleasing to 

see graduates from the 1940s at the party. We 

were also privileged to have guest speaker and 

alumnus, theoretician Professor Helen Quinn 

AO join us for the event. She completed her 

undergraduate degree at Melbourne before 

moving to Standford. 

DONATIONS and SUPPORT 

The School greatly acknowledges the support 

of the Mr Andrew Brooks of the Colonial 

Foundation. They have generously provided 

$360,000 over 3 years to expand Dr Roger 

Rassool's Outreach activities. 

in computer equipment destined for teaching 

undergraduate and postgraduate purposes. 

In 1984, Emeritus Professor JF Ward of 

Townsville, set up a trust in memory of his greataunt 

Edith Ward, who in 1896 was among the 

first 55 women to graduate at The University of 

Melbourne. Such support also commemorates 

the association over a span of four generations 

of the Ward Family with the School of Physics. 

Colin A Ramm was appointed a 'Professor of the 

University' in 1972, with a Personal Chair in the 

Department of Physics 1982 - 1986. In 1987 he 

became an Honorary Professor, and Professor 

Emeritus in 1999. We value the contributions of 

the Ramm family in support of the scholarship 

prizes in their name. 

The School continues to value the donations 

to the University made by Misses Betty and 

Jean Laby whose late father, Professor Thomas 

Laby, was the Professor of Natural Philosophy 

(Physics) from 1915-1944. 

The School of Physics also acknowledges 

the support of the Pierce Bequest, set up by 

philanthropist Arthur Albert Howard Pierce. The 

annual funds worth $30,000 have been invested 

Vic Millar, Helen Conley and Prof Steven Prawer

Recruiting Organisations > 

55 

In addition to many universities and schools, organisations that have recruited our 

graduates include: 

ANSTO 

Austin Hospital 

Australian Synchrotron 

Australian Government 

Australian Strategic Policy Institute 

Bureau of Meteorology 

Boston Consulting Group 

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) 

Department of Human Services 

Defence Science Technology Organisation (DSTO) 

Ernst & Young 

GBC Scientific Equipment 

Google 

Howard Florey Institute of Experimental Physiology and Medicine 

LEK Consulting 

Momentum Funds Management 

Walter Hall & Eliza Institute

More information > 

56 

For more information visit our web site 

www.ph.unimelb.edu.au 

Additional contact information: 

School of Physics 

The University of Melbourne VIC 3010 

Australia 

T: +61 8344 7670 

F: +61 9347 4783 

E: enquiries@physics.unimelb.edu.au 

Publication title: The School of Physics, Annual Report 2005 

Authorised by: Professor Geoffrey Taylor 

Published by: The School of Physics, November 2006 

Copyright: The University of Melbourne 

Photography: David Hannah, Jim Rule, Mark Silver, Les O'Rourke 

CRICOS Provider Code: 00116K 

The information in this publication was correct at the time of printing. 

The University reserves the right to make changes as appropriate. 

As details may change students are encouraged to visit the 

University's web site or contact the International Centre to obtain 

the latest information.

Annual Report 2005.pdf - School of Physics - University of Melbourne

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?