Mathematics and Physics Department


Facilities

The department has excellent research laboratory facilities for investigations of electric and magnetic properties of materials. Active research is pursued by the faculty in the areas of Syngas Conversion Catalysts, Magnetic Thin Tilms, Hydrogen Separation/Storage Materials, Nonoparticles and Nanocomposites, Polymers, Corrosion and Wear Inhibition Coatings, Atmospheric Space Science, to name a few, using several experimental techniques such as Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM), Superconducting Quantum Interface Device (SQUID) Magnetometer, Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance / Zero Field NMR, Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy, Mossbauer Spectroscopy, X-ray Diffractometry, Scanning Tunneling Microscopy, FTIR and UV/VIS spectroscopy, and Laser spectroscopy.

Major Equipment

  • Model 880 Digital measurement system vibration sample magneto meter system consisting of: a) Walker 4" magnet and bipolar power supply; b) VSM Head and Lock-in-amplifier; c) Microprocessor control system; d) HP plotter and printer; e) Temperature control system (-170 to 7300 C).
  • Quantum Design MPMS-XL SQUID magnetometer, 7 Tesla, 1.65 K and 300 K, and sensitive of 10-8 emu.
  • Caral Zeiss DSM 942 digital SEM with Kevex LPX1 Super Dry Si(Li) Quantum Detector EDXS system. SEM resolution : 3.5 nm at 30 kV and magnification range : 4x to 500,000x. EDXS has elemental analysis capability from B to U with a resolution better than 145 eV.
  • Burleigh Instruments ARIS 2200 Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) Complete PC Controlled system for advanced undergraduate Surface structure research studies projects
  • Rigaku MiniFlex X-ray Diffractometer
  • FTIT-4200 Spectrometer and PerkinElmer Lambda35 UV/VIS Spectrometer
  • WILK's Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance/ Zerofield Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer system.
  • Spectra-Physics Lasers including Spitfire Pro Ultrafast Ti:sapphire Amplifier, Nitrogen Dye Laser, and Stabilite 2017 Argon/Krypton Ion Laser.
  • High Vacuum System with Vacuum Furnace (mechanical/diffusion/turbo pumps, Belljar and resistance heater).
  • Fred Craver Hydraulic Press (system goes up to 35,000 PSI); used for pelletization and plastic deformation of samples.
  • Canberra HPGe detector with Canberra Series 20 MCA. A high energy resolution gamma detector used for positron annihilation gamma radiation, Doppler broadening measurement studies.
  • Positron Lifetime Spectrometer using 22Na positron source.
  • Zeiss Optical Microscope ffor particle size determination and surface characterization.
  • E. F. Fullam Vacuum Evaporator for the preparation of thin films.
  • Ranger Scietific MS-1500 Mossbauer Spectrometer with computer, multi-channel analyzer, waveform generator, velocity transducer and Co-57 source.
  • EV-18147-B Key High Vacuum Products Magneto-Sputter Coater Unit with two 2" dia DC magnetron sputtering sources and one 3" RF planar magnetron sputtering source.