I offer projects in the Photonics area. Some of my projects are in optical communications and microwave photonics. Most of the projects are related to optical sensing for biomedical applications, Bioengineering and Biophotonics. I expect good, highly motivated students willing and able to be immersed in a research training and mentoring environment and willing to collaborate with my postgraduates on projects with research focus and with (in some cases) publishable outcomes. Also, please contact me by email if you have ideas for projects of your own.

1 - Electronically controlled optical system for a ultra-compact laser rangefinder

Supervisor:	Aleksandar Rakic	Project ID:	1
Research Group:	Electromagnetics and Imaging Group	Max. students:	2
Discipline(s):	Photonics and Optical Communications	Num. students signed up:	0
Prerequisite(s):	Understanding of analogue and digital electronic circuits, software skills
Description:	Active alignment is a process frequently used in the photonics industry and in fiber optic systems in particular where the positions of the active components (laser or optical amplifier) and passive components (optical fibre, microlens) are adjusted using the signals coming from the system itself. This project will address similar issue in a laser based sensor – a rangefinder. In a laser rangefinder the output beam of the laser first has to be collimated to produce a parallel light beam which after reflection from the target will be used to determine the target distance from the laser. Subsequently beam can be focused on the target or even steered across the target. For this setup to work good alignment between the laser diode and the collimating lens is required. This can be extremely difficult to achieve with a compact system. By using a miniature lens actuator (commonly found on a CD/DVD optical pickup unit), electronically controlled collimation of the laser beam can be achieved. This project will involve design of electronic circuits to control the motion of the lens actuator which will lead to an implementation in hardware and software of a computer controlled active alignment system for a compact laser based sensor.

2 - Relative Intensity Noise of Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers for Gigabit Ethernet applications: measurement and parameter extraction

Supervisor:	Aleksandar Rakic	Project ID:	2
Research Group:	Electromagnetics and Imaging Group	Max. students:	2
Discipline(s):	Photonics and Optical Communications	Num. students signed up:	0
Prerequisite(s):	Desirable background is Photonics course COMS4103 or equivalent. Alternatively the student should plan to take COMS4103 in Sem 2 and do some reading in advance.
Description:	Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) are the most commonly used light source for high-speed data communications over multimode optical fiber including Gigabit Ethernet and 10-Gigabit Ethernet. An important consideration for such applications is the measurement of relative intensity noise (RIN) in the laser as it becomes the factor limiting the bit-error-ratio and the maximum signalling rate. In this project you will: (1) Investigate techniques for RIN measurements on VCSELs. (2) Characterise several VCSELs manufactured in the same technology and differing only in the resonator diameter. (3) Use standard RIN models to determine relaxation oscillation frequency and damping frequency and their dependence on bias current. (4) Extract model parameters using global optimising procedures and compare simulation against measurements. (5) Draw conclusions related to effect of resonator diameter on modal, spectral and temporal response of the device.

3 - Modelling the Self-Mixing Effect in VCSELs

Supervisor:	Aleksandar Rakic	Project ID:	3
Research Group:	Electromagnetics and Imaging Group	Max. students:	2
Discipline(s):	Photonics and Optical Communications	Num. students signed up:	0
Prerequisite(s):	ELEC3400, ability to design and make electronic circuits
Description:	This is a continuation of an extremely successful project. The aim is to improve the performance of a novel and compact laser range finder which is using a semiconductor laser both as a transmitter and a sensor. If you take this project you will be working in our research labs with a small group of motivated postgraduate students. This year we want to: 1) Redesign the optical part of the system (mostly optical system design work) 2) Investigate the limits of accuracy and resolution of the system. (mostly software work and/or electronic circuits design) Each student will have his/her well defined part of the project.