We form one part of the Condensed Matter Physics Group at Physics Department, Panjab University, Chandigarh.

Uptil recent past, this group has devoted significant effort on understanding harmonic and anharmonic effects in simple, molecular and complex solids. Codes were developed in early eighties to compute phonon line widths and shifts in molecular crystals. Experiments using inelastic neutron scattering were also carried out to measure the temperature dependence of phonon profiles and correlating these with theoretical models for organic molecular crystals. Study of micellar systems using Small Angle Neutron Scattering Experiments leading to shear induced organization and decay of rod-like mi-cells was carried out.

Since recently, we have been involved in areas of research, like modeling structure and dynamics of doped and undoped carbon cluster solids, fullerene solids, carbon nanotubes and nanoparticales, simple and organic molecular crystals. We also study anharmonic effects, and energy flow in materials under high static and dynamic pressure.

Experimental activities involve irradiation of thin film samples to heavy and swift ions and characterizing them, working on methods to produce carbon nanotubes.

Fullerene Solids and Nanotubes: Using theoretical model potentials, we have accounted for bulk, structural, lattice dynamical, thermodynamical and electronic properties of pure and doped C60 solids and pure C70 solids and carbon nanotubes. This has also helped in studying phase transformations under high pressure and temperature in these materials. We are studying structure of carbon nanotubes under high pressures to determine their structure and any modifications. We have also studied structural modifications of thin film of C60 under high energy (~100 MeV) high fluence heavy ions. Similar attempts are being made to study thin films of CNT.