When two stars become one - the strange case of the R Coronae Borealis stars.

The R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars are a rare and unique class of stars. Most stars in the universe are 90% hydrogen. The RCB stars have no hydrogen. Typical stars have an oxygen isotopic ratio, 160/180 ~ 500. In the RCB stars, this ratio is close to one. Most stars have a constant brightness or vary in some periodic manner. The RCB stars can suddenly become 4000 times fainter in a matter of days. The brightness variations are due to the condensation of carbon grains in the atmosphere of the star. The strange elemental abundances of the RCB stars may be the result of their formation during the merger of two closely orbiting white drawf stars. Stellar mergers are of great interest in astrophysics as they may also result in supernova explosions and the production of gravitational radiation. Therefore, the identification of a class of star as a merger product is an exciting prospect.

1pm, Thursday 9th April

What are the limits of the spatial control of photons?

The fields of quantum information and quantum optics have recently found in the spatial properties of photons a new set of tools which are being used in many applications. In this talk I will summarize some of the latest achievements in the spatial control of photons and a few applications in quantum information. I will end my talk by discussing some of the new possibilities that can be explored in this field.

Dr Gabriel Molina Terriza, Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, Barcelona

11am, Thursday 26th March

Developments in 3D- and Fiber-spectroscopy at the AIP

Dr. Andreas Kelz, Astrophysics Institute Potsdam

Noon, Wednesday 29nd October

Non-equilibrium plasma nanoarchitectronics

Prof. Kostya Ostrikov,

Plasma Nanoscience Center Australia (PNCA)

Noon, Wednesday 22nd October

Dr Dominic Berry, Centre for Quantum Information Science and Security, Macquarie U.

3pm, Thursday 25th September

Dr Daniel Zucker,Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge

Dr Orsola De Marco,
Dept. of Astrophysics
American Museum of Natural History

 

Dr Laszlo Kiss, Institute of Astronomy, University of Sydney

 

Dr James P Lloyd
Department of Astronomy, Cornell University

 

Dr Jon Lawrence, School of Physics, University of NSW

 

Dr David McPhail, The Department of Materials, Imperial College London
 

Prof. Michael Burton, Prof. John Storey, Dr Jon Lawrence (UNSW) & Dr Will Saunders(AAO).
 

Optically Pumped Semiconductor Disk Lasers

Frictional properties of confined nanoparticles:  effects of particle size and shape

Direct writing of photonic integrated chips using ultrafast lasers

Diamond Growth and Applications

Global control of quantum information

Looking for information in quantum gravity

Joint ARC Nanotechnology Network and LEOS Distinguished Lecture:

"Applications of Optical Resonance to Biological Sensing and Imaging"

Abstract

Applications of techniques in quantum optics: ultrahigh Q microresonators and quantum imaging

Abstract
 

Wave Particle-Duality with a Single Photon: The Delayed Choice Gedanken Experiment - at Last a Real Experiment

Symmetry and polarization in photonic crystal fibers

"Cosmic sound and the WiggleZ: measuring dark energy"

Organic Semiconductor Lasers
 

Star Formation in the First Billion Years
 

Researching GaN to commercialisation - the last step

Dr Scott Butcher, BluGlass Ltd.

Heroic failures (or how not to commercialise your brilliant idea…)

AIP Women in Physics Lecture: " Light, particles, action"

Prof. Deb Kane, Department of Physics, Macquarie University

Scaling effects in ultra-thin ferroelectric heterostructures

Dr Nagarajan Valanoor, School of Materials Science and Engineering, UNSW.

ARC Proposals - Do's and Don'ts

Ilecture recording of this colloquium

Quantum Computing - Beyond the Hype
 

Spin-Based Semiconductor Heterostructure Devices