ABOUT THE GROUP


The condensed matter group is mainly involved in studies on quantum matter. This includes modelling of materials, ab-initio computations, also study in strongly correlated and mesoscopic systems.


FACULTY MEMBERS





Pinaki Majumdar

The work at HRI is mainly on Mott systems, inhomogeneous order in superconductors, magnetism, and other cooperative states in correlated matter. We also work on developing alternate approaches, both analytical and numerical, to the many body problem.


Sumathi Rao

The current focus is on quantum wires and edge states, topological states of matter includingWeyl semi-metals, quantum Hall states and interferometry, Majorana fermions and non-abelian states. Newer analogs of graphene like silicene and Kitaev-like models leading to spinliquids are also being studied.


Tribhuvan Prasad Pareek

Currently we are studying topological excitations arising in spin-spce Entangled liquids using recently developed Quantum Non-Abelian Hydrodynamics description of generic "SO Hamiltonians" which goes beyond the adiabatic approximations. In this approach both fermionic and bosonic non-abelian topological excitations occurs which are closely related to non-unitarity of scattering matrix in spin space.




Prasenjit Sen

Our current focus is on two different systems. We are studying clusters deposited on substrates. Understanding cluster properties on the substrate supports is important for many applications including catalysis, magnetic storage, chemical sensor etc. We are also studying the newly synthesized 2D material phosphorene. Phosphorene overcomes many of the drawbacks that make graphene unsuitable for application in the FET channel. We are trying to understand properties of phosphorene nano-ribbons, and metal-phosphorene interfaces.


Sudip Chakraborty

Our research thrust in MATES Lab is mainly revolving around computational material science which can be called as computational chemistry with chemistry perspective or computational physics with physics perspective. In a gross view actuall it's dealing with the different properties of materials in nano regime. Development of DFT code as well as it's implementation towards different properties of nano field is one of our prime motivations.



POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS



Shalini Tomar

Efficient Hydrogen Generation Through Improved Catalytic Pathway Prediction on Layered Materials.

GRADUATE STUDENTS



Suman Jyoti De

Quantum Hall effect and Topological Superconductors.

Sankha Subhra Bakshi

Strongly correlated many-body systems.

Faruk Abdulla

Topological matter, Weyl semimetal, Parafermions.

Manasa G. B.

Excitonic Phenomena in Perovskite Materials for Photovoltaic Applications.

Jagjit Kaur

Rashba-Dresselhaus Phenomena in Novel Hybrid Perovskite Materials.

Ponnappa K. P.

Efficient Two-Dimensional Materials for Photovoltaic and Catalytic Application.


RESEARCH




Materials Theory



Correlated Systems

Correlated systems involve quantum matter where inter-particle interactions dictate physical properties. These include d and f electron materials, and artificially engineered cold atomic gases. Phenomena of interest include exotic magnetism, superconductivity, metal-insulator transitions, and unusual effects of disorder. The understanding of these materials is built on quantum many body theory and the use of advanced computational tools.

First-principle Studies of Materials

First principles studies of materials involve solving the many-electron interacting SchrC6ndinger equation. Hatree-Fock approximation and post-HF methods along with the density functional theory (DFT) form the canonical approach to such problems. But in the recent years other approaches, such as quantum Monte Carlo (QMC), have also emerged as alternatives for more accurate solutions to such problems. Methods have also been developed to include effects such as the strong electron-electron interactions on the d and f atomic orbitals of the transition metal atoms, and dispersion interactions, that traditional functionals within DFT cannot take care of. Our approach at HRI combines these methods depending on the complexity of the problem and the questions being asked.

In the recent years, our main focus has been on understanding properties of small atomic clusters, and identifying possible magnetic superatoms. We have also focused on graphene motivated 2D electronic materials such as hexagonal BN, or h-BN graphene hybrids.Occasionally, we have also studied bulk oxide materials such as PbPdO2, and KO2.




Mesoscale Physics



Low Dimensional Quantum Systems

Low dimensional quantum systems are those where at least one spatial dimension is small enough so that the quantum nature of the wave-function becomes important. Examples include the layered semi-conductor systems which show the quantum hall effect, materials like graphene and its cousins, and topological insulators. They also include one-dimensional systems like quantum wires and zero-dimensional systems like quantum dots.

The research work at HRI strives to explore and understand the extra-ordinary and highly intriguing behaviour of these systems, which are very different from those of their bulk counterparts.



Topological Order

For many decades, the Landau paradigm of symmetry breaking has been the bedrock of classification of how atoms in a material organise themselves. But in the last decade or so, it has been recognised that there are phases of matter which are topologically ordered and go beyond the Landau classification. These phases have interesting properties like ground state degeneracies, abelian and non-abelian fractional statistics and edge states, and they have potential application in quantum computation.

Since many of these materials require spin-orbit coupling, one focus of research in HRI is on understanding naturally occuring spin-orbit as well as engineered pseudo-spin orbit coupling in solid state systems as well as in optical lattices.





RECENT PUBLICATIONS


More list of publication can be found here


NEWS



ACTIVITIES


Group Talks

Upcoming


Concluded


Talks will be held at 5p.m IST on mentioned dates

A more complete list of activities can be found here







CONTACT INFORMATION


Secretary, Condensed Matter Group
Harish-Chandra Research Institute
Chhatnag Road, Jhunsi
Allahabad, India-211019

+91-532-227-4348
+91-532-256-7748
condmat@hri.res.in

Designed by Arijit Dutta and maintained by Suman Jyoti De and Ponnappa K. P.

Last updated -Sat Nov 27 11:18:37 IST 2021