Department of Physics

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IIT Jodhpur

We revisit the problem of the stress distribution in a frictional sandpile with both normal and tangential (frictional) inter-granular forces, under gravity, equipped with a new numerical method of generating such assemblies. Numerical simulations allow a determination of the spatial dependence of all the components of the stress field, principle stress axis, angle of repose, as a function of systems size, the coefficient of static friction and the frictional interaction with the bottom surface. We compare these results with the predictions of a theory based on continuum equilibrium mechanics. Basic to the theory of sandpiles are assumptions about the form of scaling solutions and constitutive relations for cohesive-less hard grains for which no typical scale is available. We find that these constitutive relations must be modified; moreover for smaller friction coefficients and smaller piles these scaling assumptions break down in the bulk of the sandpile due to the presence of length scales that must be carefully identified. Fortunately, for larger friction coefficient and for larger piles the breaking of scaling is weak in the bulk, allowing an approximate analytic theory which agrees well with the observations. After identifying the crucial scale, triggering the breaking of scaling, we provide a predictive theory to when scaling solutions are expected to break down. At the bottom of the pile the scaling assumption breaks always, due to the different interactions with the bottom surface. The consequences for measurable quantities like the pressure distribution and shear stress at the bottom of the pile are discussed. For example one can have a transition from no dip in the base-pressure to a dip at the center of the pile as friction increases. © 2017 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

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Soft Matter

The sandpile revisited: Computer assisted determination of constitutive relations and the breaking of scaling

In this paper electrical models of magneto-impedance (MI) sensors based on a continued fractions is introduced. The models can be easily applied to cylindrical and planar magnetic structures via the proper mapping of Bessel and coth functions to an approximated passive linear RL network, respectively. This is done representing those functions as continued fractions and identifying the topology and the passive lineal electrical elements as Cauer's type 2 networks. The equivalent circuits can be conveniently exploited for conditioning electronic purposes, or the characterization of the basis of the MI effect through the estimation of the sensor effective magnetic permeability. Simulation vs measurement results are presented to validate and demonstrate the scope of the model. © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sensors and Actuators, A: Physical

Electrical model of giant magnetoimpedance sensors based on continued fractions

Non-Hermitian systems host unconventional physical effects that be used to design new optical devices. We study a non-Hermitian system consisting of 1D planar optical waveguides with suitable amount of simultaneous gain and loss. The parameter space contains an exceptional point, which can be accessed by varying the transverse gain and loss profile. When light propagates through the waveguide structure, the output mode is independent of the choice of input mode. This "asymmetric mode conversion" phenomenon can be explained by the swapping of mode identities in the vicinity of the exceptional point, together with the failure of adiabatic evolution in non-Hermitian systems.

Scientific Reports

Exceptional points and asymmetric mode conversion in quasi-guided dual-mode optical waveguides

To read the signals of single molecules in vitro on a surface, or inside a living cell or organ, we introduce a coaxial atom tip (coat) and a coaxial atomic patch clamp (COAPAP). The metal-insulator-metal cavity of these probes extends to the atomic scale (0.1nm), it eliminates the cellular or environmental noise with a S/N ratio 105. Five ac signals are simultaneously applied during a measurement by COAT and COAPAP to shield a true signal under environmental noise in five unique ways. The electromagnetic drive in the triaxial atomic tips is specifically designed to sense anharmonic vibrational and transmission signals for any system between 0.1nm and 50nm where the smallest nanopatch clamp cannot reach. COAT and COAPAP reliably pick up the atomic scale vibrations under the extreme noise of a living cell. Each protein's distinct electromagnetic, mechanical, electrical and ionic vibrational signature studied in vitro in a protected environment is found to match with the ones studied inside a live neuron. Thus, we could confirm that by using our probe blindly we could hold on to a single molecule or its complex in the invisible domain of a living cell. Our decade long investigations on perfecting the tools to measure bio-resonance of all forms and simultaneously in all frequency domains are summarized. It shows that the ratio of emission to absorption resonance frequencies of a biomaterial is around, only a few in the entire em spectrum are active that regulates all other resonances, like mechanical, ionic, etc. © 2016 World Scientific Publishing Europe Ltd.

Journal of Integrative Neuroscience

Inventing a co-axial atomic resolution patch clamp to study a single resonating protein complex and ultra-low power communication deep inside a living neuron cell

Advanced Materials

Hierarchical Assemblies of Carbon Nanotubes for Ultraflexible Li-Ion Batteries

Amorphous solids yield at a critical value of the strain (in strain-controlled experiments); for larger strains, the average stress can no longer increase - the system displays an elastoplastic steady state. A long-standing riddle in the materials community is what the difference is between the microscopic states of the material before and after yield. Explanations in the literature are material specific, but the universality of the phenomenon begs a universal answer. We argue here that there is no fundamental difference in the states of matter before and after yield, but the yield is a bona fide first-order phase transition between a highly restricted set of possible configurations residing in a small region of phase space to a vastly rich set of configurations which include many marginally stable ones. To show this, we employ an order parameter of universal applicability, independent of the microscopic interactions, that is successful in quantifying the transition in an unambiguous manner. © 2016 American Physical Society.

Physical Review Letters

Mechanical Yield in Amorphous Solids: A First-Order Phase Transition

Electrical properties of solution processed Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) compound semiconductor thin film structures on molybdenum (Mo) coated glass substrates are investigated using Mott-Schottky and Impedance spectroscopy measurements at room temperature. These measurements are carried out in sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) electrolytic medium at pH ~ 9.5. The inversion/depletion/accumulation regions are clearly observed in CZTS semiconductor-Na2SO4 electrolyte interface and measured flat band potential is ~-0.27?V for CZTS thin film electrode. The positive slope of the depletion region confirms the intrinsic p-Type characteristics of CZTS thinfilms with ~ 2.5× 1019 holes/m3. The high frequency impedance measurements showed ~ 30 Ohm electrolyte resistance for the investigated configuration. © 2016 Author(s).

AIP Conference Proceedings

Room temperature electrical properties of solution derived p-Type Cu2ZnSnS4 thin films

Hybrid organic-inorganic heterostructures are attracting tremendous attention for optoelectronic applications due to their low-cost processing and high performance in devices. In particular, van der Waals p-n heterojunctions formed between inorganic two-dimensional (2D) materials and organic semiconductors are of interest due to the quantum confinement effects of 2D materials and the synthetic control of the physical properties of organic semiconductors, enabling a high degree of tunable optoelectronic properties for the heterostructure. However, for photovoltaic applications, hybrid 2D-organic heterojunctions have demonstrated low power conversion efficiencies due to the limited absorption from constraints on the physical thickness of each layer. Here, we investigate the ultrafast charge transfer dynamics between an organic polymer:fullerene blend and 2D n-type MoS2 using transient pump-probe reflectometry. We employ plasmonic metasurfaces to enhance the absorption and charge photogeneration within the physically thin hybrid MoS2-organic heterojunction. For the hybrid MoS2-organic heterojunction in the presence of the plasmonic metasurface, the charge generation within the polymer is enhanced 6-fold, and the total active layer absorption bandwidth is increased by 90 nm relative to the polymer:fullerene blend alone. We demonstrate that MoS2-organic heterojunctions can serve as hybrid solar cells, and their efficiencies can be improved using plasmonic metasurfaces. © 2016 American Chemical Society.

ACS Nano

Ultrafast Charge Transfer and Enhanced Absorption in MoS2-Organic van der Waals Heterojunctions Using Plasmonic Metasurfaces

The investigation addresses the scope of rapidly quenched Fe80Si8B12 ribbons as magnetostrictive sensor (MsS) material to generate guided waves in galvanised iron pipe and evaluation of defects with different geometries and dimensions. Enhancement in the effective defect size (EDS) of transverse and pit type defects increased the MsS signal. However, the backwall echo showed opposing trend (transverse: reduced and pit: increased) with increase in dimensions of these defects. Such behaviour of backwall intensities has been correlated to different type of guided wave strain field distributions around these defects and reflection coefficients. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NDT and E International

Investigation on transverse defect and cavitation depth in ferrous pipe using melt spun FeSiB ribbon as magnetostrictive sensing element

The present investigation addresses the magnetocaloric behaviour in a series of Ni77-xMnxGa23 (x=23, 24, 25, 27 and 29) rapidly solidified alloys prepared in the form of ribbons by melt spinning technique. The approach of the study is to identify the off-stoichiometric composition wherein room temperature magneto-structural transformation is achieved. The alloy chemistry was tailored through Mn incorporation for Ni such that the magnetic and structural transitions were at close proximity to achieve highest entropy value of ΔS equal to 8.51 J Kg-1 K-1 for #Mn24 ribbon measured at an applied field of 3 T. When such transitions are more staggered as in #Mn29 the entropy value of ribbon reduced to as low as 1.61 J Kg-1 K-1. Near room temperature transformations in #Mn24 ribbon have been observed through calorimetric and thermomagnetic evaluation. Reverse martensitic transformation (martensite→autstenite) temperature indicates not only distinct change in the saturation flux density but also an inter-martensitic phase. Microstructural analysis of #Mn24 alloy ribbon revealed structural ordering with the existence of plate morphology evidenced for martensitic phase. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.