Manipulate

TMOS researchers collaborated across institutions and international partners to deliver breakthroughs shaping the future of optical science and technology. From miniaturised medical sensors to advanced metasurfaces for wave manipulation, their work continued to push the boundaries of what light can achieve.

A key milestone was the development of a miniaturised optical glucose sensor operating in the near-infrared range (1600–1700 nm). Published in Advanced Sensor Research (Yang et al.), this innovation represents an important step towards compact, non-invasive biomedical monitoring. The underlying technology was further secured through a patent, paving the way for future translation and commercialisation.

Researchers also demonstrated broadband diffractive neural networks capable of classifying visible wavelengths (Advanced Photonics Research, Cheong et al.). This work opens new directions in all-optical machine learning and integrated photonic computing, where light rather than electrons carries out information processing.

Phase-change materials (PCMs) remained central to Manipulate activities.

• In collaboration between RMIT and ANU, the tunable optical properties of Sb₂Se₃ were demonstrated for multi-domain optoelectronics (Applied Materials Today, Murali et al.).

• In a cross-node and cross-theme project (Themes II & III), reconfigurable image processing metasurfaces using PCMs were reported in partnership with the University of Melbourne and PI Andrea Alù (Nature Communications, Cotrufo et al.).

These achievements showcased how hardware photonics and algorithmic design can be integrated to create adaptive, multifunctional optical platforms.

Significant progress was also made in metasurface research:

• Semiconductor metasurfaces extended temporal limits of resonance control (Nanophotonics, Yang et al.).

• Dielectric metasurfaces enabled the creation of a high-efficiency triple-helix solenoid beam, a novel form of structured light (ACS Photonics, Setareh et al.).

• Kovalev and Shadrivov introduced parametric metasurfaces for electromagnetic wave amplification (Optical Materials Express).

• Shvedov et al. developed laser-induced surface structuring techniques with controlled periodicity (Advanced Materials Interfaces).

Together, these works highlight the diversity of metasurface applications — from structured light beams to new regimes of wave control.

Further advances were achieved in fundamental wave manipulation. In collaboration with AI Miroshnichenko, TMOS researchers demonstrated active control of bound states in the continuum (BICs) in toroidal metasurfaces (Advanced Photonics Research, Kovalev et al.). Walden et al. contributed a comprehensive book chapter on soft-matter-based tunable metasurfaces (Elsevier), underscoring global interest in flexible, adaptable platforms for flat optics.

International collaboration also extended into ultrafast devices. A joint project with Friedrich Schiller University Jena demonstrated ultrafast Q-boosting, advancing the capabilities of high-speed photonic systems.

These achievements demonstrate TMOS’s strong presence in both fundamental optical research and translational innovation. Through close international collaboration, the centre is accelerating the development of next-generation metasurface and photonic technologies that promise to transform science and industry alike.

The TMOS research program continues to pioneer the development of compact, high-efficiency, and dynamically reconfigurable metasurfaces that manipulate light in ways traditional optics cannot. By tackling challenges in amplitude and phase tuning, polarisation control, and ultra-fast pixel-sized devices, researchers are accelerating the transition from fundamental science to real-world applications.

In 2024, strengthened collaborations across nodes and international partners delivered a series of remarkable breakthroughs in phase-change materials, ultrafast semiconductor metasurfaces, electro-optic systems, and soft-matter platforms. These advances are driving progress in next-generation imaging, sensing, and laser technologies.