Faculty Profile

We are a small research group working broadly in Experimental Condensed Matter Physics pertaining to the fabrication of smart novel multifunctional nanomaterialsand understanding their structural, optical and magnetic behaviour. Our prime interest currently lies in discovering novel synthesis strategies to modify the physical and chemical properties of multifunctional oxide materials. Oxide nanoparticles and nanoferrites offer a major incentive to understand low-temperature magnetism at a fundamental scale and serve as potential candidates for enticing biomedical applications. Currently, we are designing biocompatible nanomaterials which can be useful for magnetic hyperthermia applications and demonstrate good anti-microbial and anti-cancer potential.

We are currently trying to understand: (i) the role of site-selective doping and synthesis methods to tailor the magnetic and optical properties of oxides and spinel ferrites (ii) the contribution of defects in tuning the band gap in multifunctional oxides (ii) the mechanism of defect induced magnetism in oxides like MgO, TiO₂, ZnO, NiO, ZrO₂, Gd₂O₃, Al₂O₃ (iii) Nanoscale magnetic features like superparamagnetism, core-shell Discovering novel synthesis strategies to modify the physical and chemical properties of multifunctional oxide materials is the prime area of focus of our present research.

To understand the complex magnetic and optical behaviour of nanostructures, we utilize a variety of characterization techniques like X-ray and Neutron diffraction, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy, UV-Vis-NIR, Photoluminescence and Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy and SQUID magnetometry. We have collaboration in India and across the globe. We have some generous collaborators from Rajasthan University, University of Kota, MPUAT-Udaipur, Jai Narayan Vyas University –Jodhpur, Saurashtra University-Rajkot, IIT Guwahati, NIT Nagaland, NIT Tiruchirappalli, BARC, University of Tennessee Space Institute-USA, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, National Institute of Materials Physics-Romania and Palacký University Olomouc-Czech Republic.