Research Groups

High Energy Physics

Dr. Prasanta Kumar Das	I work in the area of High Energy Physics and Astrophysics. My interests - to look for the signatures of Beyond the Standard Model of Particle Physics e.g. Extra Dimension, noncommutative Standard Model, Dark Matter at the High Energy Colliders ( e.g. Large Hadron Collider, Linear Collider etc). I am also interested in Dark Matter: collider and astrophysical searches of dark matter and model building. To know more about my research click here. Selected Publications Under Construction
Dr. Raghunath Ratabole	I work in the area of theoretical High Energy Physics. Understanding bound states within the framework of Quantum Chromodynamics is of particular interest to me. Towards this, my work focussed on combining lattice gauge theory formulation within the light front framework to build a model for understanding mesonic structure within QCD. The major part of my work can be found here: https://arxiv.org/abs/hep-lat/0508020 Due my current responsibility as an Associate Dean of Digital Learning with Work Integrated Learning Programmes and my long standing interest in education and pedagogy, I have begun to get interested in addressing problems in the area of outcomes oriented learning in a variety of different context which are unique to the Indian context. http://universe.bits-pilani.ac.in/goa/ratabole/profile
Dr. V. Sunilkumar	My research work during PhD period was on polynomially deformed Lie algebras and their representations. It is found that those algebras contains both finite and infinite dimensional representations.We have obtained a way of generating these algebras from the usual Lie algebras by a generalization of the Jordan Schwinger formulation of Sl(2) algebra.This helps to classify a special class of deformed algebras and with different(not all) representations.I have also worked in topological defects formations in the context of baryon formatioy a special class of deformed algebras and with different(not all) representations.I have also worked in topological defects formations in the context of baryon formation in heavy ion collisions and the non-commutative space field theories. Currently I am working on Renormalizable Quantum Field Theories in Lifshitz type space times. Selected Publications Supersymmetric Quantum mechanics on Non-Commutative Plane, E. Harikumar, V.Sunil Kumar and Avinash Khare. Phys. Lett B 589 (2004) 155. http://universe.bits-pilani.ac.in/goa/vsunil/profile
Dr. Chandradew Sharma	At present this is the following topics on which I want to work. My areas of research fall under High Energy physics and application of Quantum Field Theory to understand financial data Problems in High energy physics that I work on are related to - B meson decays, CP violation, New Physics beyond the Standard model and Dark Matter. Problems in Econophysics that interest me are related to - Quantum finance, stock market, quantum model, crashes of stock markets Selected Publications http://universe.bits-pilani.ac.in/goa/csharma/profile
PhD students
Selvaganapathy Jaganathan	I am working on the Phenomenological aspects of the Noncommutative Standard Model(NCSM): in particularly the collider searches of space-time noncommutativity at the Large Hadron Collider and Linear Collider and model building (extension of the NCSM).
Akhila Mohan	My broad area of research is Theoretical High Energy Physics. I am working in Lifshitz type Quantum Field Theories . Currently studying the Lifshitz-type theories in supersymmetric scenario.
Atanu Guha	I am working in the area of Dark Matter Phenomenology: collider and astrophysical searches of dark matter and model building.

Condensed Matter

Dr. Ram Shanker Patel	Spintronics Our group is working on electronic charge and spin transport studies in magnetic tunnel junctions, metal-semiconductor hetero-structures. We are investigating various newly discovered 2d materials, transition metal dichalcogenides for nanoelectronics and spintronics applications. Selected Publications Electrical creation of spin polarization in silicon at room temperature, Saroj P. Dash, Sandeep Sharma, Ram S. Patel, Michel P. de Jong, and Ron Jansen, Nature 462, 491 (2009) Tunnel magnetoresistance with atomically thin two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride barriers, Andre Dankert, M. Venkata Kamalakar, Abdul Wajid, R.S.Patel, and Saroj P. Dash, Nanoresearch (Springer), 8, 1357 (2015) http://universe.bits-pilani.ac.in/goa/rsp/profile https://sites.google.com/bits-pilani.ac.in/rsplab/home_1?authuser=1
Dr. Teny John	Dilute Magnetic Semiconductors The emerging paradigm of spintronics – solid state electronics is based on the spin property of the electron rather than the property of charge which is traditionally exploited which has provided the impetus for investigation of DMS’s (Dilute Magnetic Semiconductors). I am currently working on synthesis and properties of dilute magnetic oxide semiconducting nanoparticles. My focus is mainly on transition metal doped ZnO, SnO₂ and TiO₂nanoparticles. My research interest also includes thin film semiconductors for photovoltaic applications. Selected Publications Effect of [OH]- linkages on luminiscent properties of ZnO nano particles,Teny Theresa John, K. R. Priolkar, Aurelie Bessiere, P. R. Sarode, Bruno Viana Do the grain boundaries of β- In₂S₃ thin films have a role in sub-band-gap photosensitivity to 632.8 nm ? R. Jayakrishnan, Teny Theresa John, C. Sudha Kartha, K.P.Vijayakumar Deepti Jain, S. Sharath Chandra, and V. Ganesan, Journal of Applied Physics 103 (2008) 053106 http://universe.bits-pilani.ac.in/goa/teny/Profile
Dr. E.S. Kannan	Nano-materials The primary research focus of Nano-materials lab is to develop hybrid materials for various electrical, optical and sensing application. We are synthesizing 1D heterostructures of metal oxides (ZnO, CuO, SnO2), multijunction ferromagnetic (Ni,Fe, Co) nanorods, and composites of 0D Transition metal chalcogenides (MoS2) nanoparticles and 2D graphene oxide using electrochemical and hydrothermal techniques. Metal oxide heterostructures and MoS2-graphene oxide composites are primarily investigated for their gas sensing and photovoltaic properties. Spin transport mechanism in 1D ferromagnetic multijunction nanorod is being investigated for developing spintronic devices. Selected publications High performance MoS2-based field-effect transistor enabled by hydrazine doping, Dongsuk Lim, E S Kannan, Inyeal Lee, Servin Rathi, Lijun Li, Yoontae Lee, Muhammad Atif Khan, Moonshik Kang, Jinwoo Park and Gil-Ho Kim, Nanotechnology, 27 225201 (2016). Improving the hydrogen sensing properties of thermally reduced graphene oxide using tin oxide nanoflowers at low operating temperature, A. Venkatesan, In-Yeal Lee, Servin, Rathi, Gil-Ho Kim, and E. S. Kannan, Semiconductor Sci and Technology 31, 125014 (2016) In-situ reduction of graphene oxide on vertically aligned ZnO nanorods for reliable electrical contacts, A. Venkatesan, C. K. Ramesha, and E. S. Kannan, Journal of Physics D- Applied Physics 49, 245301 (2016) http://universe.bits-pilani.ac.in/goa/eskannan/profile
Dr. Toby Joseph	Statistical mechanics, Interdisciplinary Physics and Physics Pedagogy One of my current interests is in computational neuroscience where I am trying to understand auditory neuron tuning curves using simple integrate and fire models. I am also studying the depinning phenomenon, particularly the depinning of the 2D partially pinned solid (formed in the presence of a square substrate) and the associated phenomenon of peak effect. I am also interested in physics pedagogy. Some of my recent works involves mechanics of a particle on a rotating table in the presence of friction and an alternative geometric proof for the Euler's rotation theorem. http://universe.bits-pilani.ac.in/goa/toby/profile
PhD students
Dhavala Suri	My area of interest is Spintronics. We work on thermopower measurements on metals, semiconductors and novel 2D materials, Spin Seebeck device fabrication and characterization, experiments and theory to study electron transport through magnetic tunnel junctions.
A. Venkatesan
Chithira P R	I am working in experimental condensed matter physics. Our broad area of research includes studies on wide bandgap oxide based Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors (DMS) mainly transition metals doped ZnO, TiO2 and SnO2 nanoparticles for optoelectronics and spintronics applications.
Research staff
R. Anu Roshini

Optics, Atomic and molecular physics

Dr. P. Nandakumar	Nonlinear Optics The group has interest in different aspects of Quantum Optics, laser spectroscopy and microscopy, nonlinear optics, and its applications in various fields. Currently we are putting our efforts on developing different optical microscopic techniques suitable for biomolecular imaging. These include confocal fluorescence microscopy, multi-photon microscopy and phtotothermal microscopy using metallic nanoparticles as bimolecular label. Recently we developed a two-photon excitation based photothermal microscope which is capable of detecting single BaTiO₃ nanoparticle labels with high sensitivity. We use the confocal and multiphoton microscopes to study biomolecular transport so as to understand the mechanism of transport through nuclear membranes. We hope to use the photothermal microscope for live tracking of biomolecules in a cell nucleus. Selected Publications Passive permeability and effective pore size of HeLa cell nuclear membranes. Arunkarthick Samudram, Bijeesh M.Mangalassery, Meenal Kowshik, Nandakumar Patincharath, Geetha K. Varier (2016), Cell Biol Int, 40, 991–998. Design and construction of a confocal laser scanning microscope for biomolecular imaging. S. Arunkarthick, M. M. Bijeesh, Anand Satya Vetcha, Nishith Rastogi, P. Nandakumar and Geetha K. Varier (2014) Current Science, 107, 1965-1969. Vibrational imaging based on stimulated Raman Scattering Microscopy, P. Nandakumar, A. Kovalev and A. Volkmer (2009), New Journal of Physics, 11, 033026-03332. http://universe.bits-pilani.ac.in/goa/nandan/profile
PhD students
Bijeesh M.M	My broad area of research is optics. I am interested in the study of linear and nonlinear optical properties of nano-composites. I am particularly interested in developing different types of optical microscopic techniques to detect single nanoparticle and study their optical properties.
Shakhi P K	My research interest lies in the development of different types of optical microscopic techniques to study the mechanism of biomolecular transport through cell nuclear membrane. Currently we are looking at thekinetics of active and passive nuclear transport mechanism which can have a potential impact in gene therapy experiments.

Gravitation, Cosmology and Astrophysics

Dr. Kinjal Banerjee	Classical and Quantum Gravity and Cosmology I am particularly interested in a candidate quantum gravity theory known as Loop Quantum Gravity. I am interested in the application of the Loop Quantization techniques to simple cosmological models. I am also interested in quantum field theory in curved spacetimes especially in the context of Black Hole spacetimes. Recently I have also been looking at modelling of real world systems using statistical techniques and networks. Selected Publications Jian Yang, Kinjal Banerjee, Yongge Ma Connection dynamics of a gauge theory of gravity coupled with matter, Class. Quantum Grav. 30 205015 (2013), arXiv:1211.2377 [gr-qc] Kinjal Banerjee and Ghanashyam Date, Loop Quantization of the Polarized Gowdy Model on T3 : Kinematical States and Constraint Operators Class. Quant. Grav. 25, 145004 (2008), arXiv:0712.0687 [gr-qc] Kinjal Banerjee, Gianluca Calcagni, Mercedes Martin-Benito, Introduction to loop quantum cosmology, Invited review for SIGMA Special Issue “Loop Quantum Gravity and Cosmology”; SIGMA 8, 016 (2012) , arXiv:1109.6801 [gr-qc] http://universe.bits-pilani.ac.in/goa/kinjalb/Profile
Dr. Tarun Kumar Jha	Nuclear Astrophysics Broadly, I work in the field of Nuclear Astrophysics, particularly I am interested in the Equation of State of dense matter or densities relevant to the Neutron stars. I am involved in the following areas of research Neutron Stars: Equation of State, Constitution and Structure, Rotation & Dynamics, Gravitational waves. Nuclear Matter: Symmetry energy Aspects, Dense matter correlations, Nuclear iso-spin studies. Relativistic Mean-Field Theory: Matter Interactions at high densities, Quark Matter, Finite nuclei & Infinite nuclear matter. Selected Publications Tsallis Statistics and the role of a stabilized radion in hte supernovae SN 1987A Cooling by Prasanta Kumar Das, J Selvaganapathy, Chandradew Sharma, V Sunil Kumar and T. K. Jha. Int. J. of Mod. Phys. A 28 (2013) 1350152. Attributes of a rotating Neutron star with a Hyperon core by T. K. Jha, H. Mishra and V. Sreekanth. Physical Review C 77, 045801 (2008). Bulk viscosity in hyperonic star and r-mode instability by T. K. Jha, H. Mishra and V. Sreekanth. Physical Review C 82, 025803 (2010). http://universe.bits-pilani.ac.in/goa/tkjha/profile .
PhD Students
Tuhin Malik	Nuclear Astrophysics The broad domain of my research area is ‘Nuclear Astrophysics’, particularly in modelling cold nuclear equation of state for dense matter relevant to Neutron stars in the framework of relativistic mean field models. Investigation of equation of state thus involves understanding the following which I find interest in Beyond Standard Model, Investigation of Dark Matter interactions with Neutron Stars and its implications on Neutron star structure.
Debashree Sen	Nuclear Astrophysics The broad area of my area of interest is Nuclear Astrophysics. I'm particularly interested in the possible composition and different states of neutron star matter. Presently, I'm working on theoretical modeling of equation of state of neutron star, on the basis of relativistic mean field theory, to investigate the global properties of neutron stars. I'm also interested in gravitational wave and dark matter aspects of neutron star.

Nuclear physics

Prof. A. V. Kulkarni	Under construction http://universe.bits-pilani.ac.in/goa/avk/profile
Dr. P. N. Deepak	My interests are primarily in the area of theoretical nuclear physics. I have specifically worked on spin-dependence of nuclear reactions, which are also of experimental interest. We employ invariance (symmetry) arguments to elucidate the spin-structure of the reaction matrix elements. Our formalism, which is model-independent, not only leads to exact expressions for the spin-structure of the transition matrix elements, but also to expressions for the partial-wave amplitudes, relevant for all energies of interest. These expressions are of immense relevance for the experimentalists and also to theoretical physicists who want to validate their model-calculations. Recently, I have joined the international collaboration, "PANDA" (antiProton ANnhilations at DArmstadt). PANDA is one of the major experiments at the future FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) facility at GSI, Darmstadt, Germany. PANDA has a wide range of physics programmes, involving antiproton-proton and antiproton-nucleus collisions. A study of these collision processes are expected to extend our knowledge on hadron structure, quark-gluon dynamics and nuclear physics. Selected publications Experimental access to Transition Distribution Amplitudes with the P¯ANDA experiment at FAIR, European Physical Journal A51, no.8, 107, (2015) Singlet and triplet differential cross sections for pp->pppi^0, Deepak and G. Ramachandran, Physical Review C, 65, 027601 (2002) Partial wave analysis of pp-> pppi^ 0 data, P. N. Deepak, J. Haidenbauer and C. Hanhart, Physical Review C, 72, 024004 (2005) http://universe.bits-pilani.ac.in/goa/deepakpn/profile
PhD students
Malati Desai	Under construction

Mathematical physics

Foundations of Quantum Mechanics

Dr. Radhika Vathsan

Quantum Computation

I work on the foundational aspects of quantum mechanics such as entanglement and measurement, especially with regard to its bearing on new applications to information science.

Selected publications

Aspects of complementarity and uncertainty, Radhika Vathsan and T Qureshi,(2016) Int. J. Quantum Inform. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/S0219749916400311
Weak value amplification in resonance fluorescence. Sainadh, U. S., Sandhya,S. N., Vathsan, R., and Narayanan, A. (2015) Current Science (00113891),109(11).
Vathsan, Radhika. Introduction to quantum physics and information processing. CRC Press, 2015.
Einsteins Recoiling Slit Experiment, Complementarity and Uncertainty,Tabish Qureshi and Radhika Vathsan, arxiv:1210:4248v1, Quanta, Vol2, Issue 1,April 2013

http://universe.bits-pilani.ac.in/goa/radhikavathsan/profile

Nonlinear Dynamics

Dr. Gaurav Dar

Interested in nonlinear dynamical systems. Specifically, interested in exploring the dynamics of the brain. Within these his approach is to explore dynamics of single neurons and those of networks of neurons. He is interested in exploring the collective dynamics of such a network.

http://universe.bits-pilani.ac.in/goa/gdar/profile

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