I have recently started a postdoc in the Department of Quantum Science at the Australian National University where I am working on developing laser systems for communication to aircraft and spacecraft, quantum key distribution for secure cryptography, and tracking and manoeuvring of space junk.
Laser communications will enable much higher bandwidth data links to and from aircraft and spacecraft, including space probes exploring the solar system. Quantum key distribution via laser links to satellites will be crucial to the security of global communications when the advent of advanced quantum computers threatens current cryptographic techniques. And better tracking of space junk, along with the ability to use powerful lasers to push the space junk, will help prevent catastrophic collisions between the ever increasing amount of defunct hardware orbiting overhead.
All of these applications require the development of systems that allow lasers to be beamed cleanly through the turbulent atmosphere.
Previously, my PhD research involved the development of stabilized reference frequency transfer systems for the Square Kilometre Array telescope. Stabilized transmission systems are required to synchronize the thousands of radio antennas in the array to the ultra-high precision required for them to act together as one giant telescope, and be able to peer deeper into the cosmos than ever before, allowing astronomers to study the first stars and galaxies that formed in our universe.
You can read about my PhD research here, or listen to me talking about my work on 3-Minute Thesis, ABC Radio National, and The Naked Scientists.
Publications
- Gozzard, D. R., Schediwy, S. W., Stone, B., Messineo, M. & Tobar, M. (submitted). Stabilized free-space optical frequency transfer.
- Schediwy, S. W., Gozzard, D. R., Gravestock, C., Stobie, S., Whitaker, R., Malan, J. A., Boven, P., Grainge, K. (in prep). “The Mid-Frequency Square Kilometre Array Phase Synchronisation System.”
- Gozzard, D. R., Schediwy, S. W., Wallace, B., Gamatham, R. & Grainge, K. (in prep). Stabilized modulated photonic signal transfer over 186 km of aerial fiber.
- Gozzard, D. R., Schediwy, S. W., Whitaker, R. & Grainge, K. (2018). Simple stabilized radio-frequency transfer with optical phase actuation. IEEE PTL.
- Gozzard, D. R., Schediwy, S. W. & Grainge, K. (2018). Simultaneous transfer of stabilized optical and microwave frequencies over fiber. IEEE PTL.
- Gozzard, D. R., Schediwy, S. W., Dodson, R., Rioja, M., Hill, M., Lennon, B., McFee, J., Mirtschin, P., Stevens, J. & Grainge, K. (2017). Astronomical verification of a stabilized frequency reference transfer system for the Square Kilometre Array. AJ.
- Gozzard, D. R., Schediwy, S. W., Wallace, B., Gamatham, R. & Grainge, K. (2017). Characterization of optical frequency transfer over 154 km of aerial fiber. Opt. Lett.
- Schediwy, S. W., Gozzard, D. R., Stobie, S. Malan, J. A. & Grainge, K. (2017). Stabilized microwave-frequency transfer using optical phase sensing and actuation. Opt. Lett.
- Grainge, K., Alachkar, B., Amy, S. et al. (2017). Square Kilometre Array: the radio telescope of the XXII century. Astron. Rep.
- Gozzard, D. & Schediwy, S. (2015). Stabilized frequency transfer for the Square Kilometre Array. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia.
- Schediwy, S. W., Gozzard, D. Baldwin, K. G. H. Orr, B. J. Warrington, R. B. Aben, G. & Luiten, A. N. (2013). High-precision optical-frequency dissemination on branching optical-fiber networks. Opt. Lett.
Invited talks and colloquia
- Stabilized frequency transfer for the SKA – CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility colloquium, Marsfield (Feb 2017)
Media releases
- Synchronisation System Designs Chosen For SKA Telescopes
- ICRAR researchers’ precision on point
- Synchronization System Designs Chosen for SKA Telescopes
- What to do when your atomic clock just isn’t accurate enough
- Australian Researchers Have Developed Ultra-Accurate Synchronisation Tech for Largest Telescope
- West Australian Innovation Could Save SKA Millions
Technical reports
- Gozzard, D. R., (2016). Notes on calculating the relationship between coherence loss and Allan deviation, Memo, SKA-TEL-SADT-0000619, Square Kilometre Array Organization.
- Gozzard, D. R. & Schediwy, S. W., (2016). STFR.FRQ.UWA astronomical verification, Tech. Rep. SKATEL-SADT-0000524, Square Kilometre Array Organization.
- Schediwy, S. W. & Gozzard, D. R., (2015). UWA South African SKA site long-haul overhead fibre field trial report, Tech. Rep. SKA-TEL-SADT-0000109, Square Kilometre Array Organization.
