Optical Microresonators

In this project, a femtosecond laser at the University of Otago will use ultra-short pulses to make new kinds of optical micro resonators for medical imaging and astronomy. These are highly precise measurement tools. The resonators, or microcombs as they’re known, can generate microwave signals for remote sensing using LIDAR technology. Among other outcomes, the project will seek to optimise microcomb performance, test them at different frequencies in the UV spectrum and use them to construct a new type of radiometer for measuring the ozone layer. The project will benefit from collaborations with the University of Adelaide in Australia and the Australian Centre of Research Excellence in Optical Microcombs.