Rajratan Basu

DR. RAJRATAN BASU

Curriculum Vitae (March 2012) rajratan.basuATcase.edu PDF copy

SUMMARY

Key scholarly achievements

Outstanding PhD Dissertation Award from the Sigma-Xi Scientific Research Society, WPI chapter; 12 peer-reviewed journal publications (all first authored), 2 submitted, 2 in preparation; 18 Conference publications.

Research areas

Directed self-assembly of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and quantum dots (QD) in liquid crystals (LC); Development of LC-CNT based NEMS, micro-switching devices, and electromechanical memory functions; Order-disorder phenomena in soft-matter systems; CNT induce chirality based phenomena in soft-matter systems; Liquid crystal phases and phase transitions; Nanoscopic imaging of complex fluids.

Experimental techniques used

Dielectric spectroscopy: ac capacitance bridge technique; AC conductance spectroscopy; AC calorimetry; Fluorescence spectroscopy; Near field scanning optical microscopy; Electro and magnetooptic tools such as ellipsometry and optical activity; Polarizing optical microscopy; Scanning electron microscopy; Atomic force microscopy; X-ray diffraction. Data acquisition programming: LabVIEW^®.

EDUCATION

Ph.D. PHYSICS; 2005 - 2010, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, USA.

Doctoral Dissertation: Dielectric Studies of Nanostructures and Directed self-assembled Nanomaterials in Nematic Liquid Crystals. Advisor: Prof. Germano Iannacchione.

M.Sc. PHYSICS; 2003 - 2005, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, WB, INDIA.

MS Thesis: Fabrication and characterizations of porous silicon and porous alumina by two-step anodization technique. Advisor: Prof. S. K. Roy.

B.Sc. PHYSICS; 2000 - 2003, Presidency College, Calcutta University, Kolkata, WB, INDIA.

RESEARCH AND TEACHING POSITIONS

Post Doctoral Scholar; 2010 - present: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.

Research: Experimental detection of chirality at the nanoscale, Chirality of nanotubes, Chiral induction in liquid crystals from nanotubes, chiral substrates, porous materials etc., Mechanical force induced molecular chirality, Nanoscopic imaging of complex fluids by Near field scanning optical microscopy. Supervisor: Prof. Charles Rosenblatt.

Research mentorship:

Past: 2 undergraduate students; Program: Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) (June – August 2010). 1 grad student; Program: Cultural exchange (February – September 2011).

Present: 1 grad student; Program: PhD (2011 - present), 1 undergraduate; Program: Senior project (2011 - present).

Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant; 2005 - 2010: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, USA.

Research: Self-assembly of carbon nanotubes and quantum dots in liquid crystals; Developments of novel NEMS; Electric field induced molecular dynamics in carbon nanotubes.

Teaching: Courses taught (both as an instructor and as a TA): Classical Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, Modern Physics, Wave and Oscillation, Intermediate Classical mechanics, Experimental Methods. Duties: Teaching conference and laboratory sections, making materials understandable by solving problems in conference classes, conducting help sessions, setting up and grading homework and quizzes, mentoring students for their research projects.

Student Research Fellow; April - July, 2004: Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, INDIA.

Project: Development of Z-scan technique to measure the third-order optical nonlinearity. Supervisor: Prof. P. K. Datta.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

Outstanding PhD Dissertation Award, The Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society, WPI chapter; April, 2010.

First Prize in ‘Science’ category in the University at the Annual Graduate Research Achievement Day (GRAD) - 2009, WPI; April, 2009. http://www.wpi.edu/about/awards/86388.htm

Best Teaching Assistant Award (based on student evaluations) for the academic year of 2007-2008, Department of Physics, WPI; May, 2008.

Second Prize in poster competition at the Nanomanufacturing Summit 2009, NSF - National Nanomanufacturing Network Annual Meeting, Boston, MA; May, 2009.

http://www.internano.org/ocs/index.php/NMS/NMS2009/announcement/view/7

Selected as one of the most experienced and excellent Teaching Assistants (TAs) in the University to mentor the newly joined TAs, WPI; August, 2009.

The Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society, elected associate member; May, 2009.

Nominated and Selected for Inclusion in Who's Who in Science and Engineering in America 2011-2012 (11^th Edition), by Marquis; 2010.

Gordon Research Conferences (GRC) Chair’s Fund to present research at the GRC: Liquid Crystals, New London, NH; July, 2009 and South Hadley, MA; June 2011.

Conference Travel Award (on a competitive basis), GSG - WPI, 2008; Provost’s office, WPI, 2009.

Summer Research Fellowship, IIT Kharagpur, India; 2004 and 2005.

IN NEWS

Press release: Twisting Molecules by Brute Force: A Top-Down Approach: Science Daily, The Wall Street Journal, Science Newsline, PhysOrg News, American Association for the Advancement of Science – EurekAlert; 14^th December 2011. Reference: Phys Rev Lett 107, 237804 (2011).

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111214102852.htm

Press release: Controlled Self-assembly of Quantum-Dots: The NSF - National Nanomanufacturing Network; 27^th July, 2009. Reference: Phys Rev E 80, 010701, (2009)http://www.internano.org/content/view/234/158/

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION AND SERVICE

Reviewer:

Liquid Crystals, Indian Journal of Physics.

Scientific affiliation:

American Physical Society, Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society (induction).

JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS

[Number of papers published in-between 2008 and 2012 = 12 (+2 submitted, 2 in preparation), total number of citations = 92; Number of citations (from Google Scholar) indicated at the beginning within braces with key paper in bold ( more than 10 citations)]; h-index = 7.

Year 2012

{0} R. Basu, C. Rosenblatt, and R. Lemieux; Chiral induction in thioester and oxoester liquid crystals by dispersed carbon nanotubes; Liquid Crystals 97, 199 (2012).

§ Featured on the Journal Cover, February 2012 issue.

{NA} R. Basu and C. Rosenblatt; Surface interactions and torsional strain induced molecular conformational deracemization in a liquid crystal; submitted to Soft Matter (2012).

{NA} V. Jayalakshmi, R. Basu, J. Du, T. Blackburn, C. Rosenblatt, C. M. Crudden, and R. Lemieux; Probing the pore structure of a chiral periodic mesoporous organosilica using liquid crystals; submitted to Journal of Materials Chemistry (2012).

{1} R. Basu, K. P. Sigdel and G. S. Iannacchione; Study of the isotropic to nematic phase transition in carbon nanotube dispersed liquid crystal composites; in revision, (2012). Available in http://arxiv.org/abs/0905.2779v1

Year 2011

{0} R. Basu, J. Pendery, R.G. Petschek, R.P. Lemieux, and C. Rosenblatt; Macroscopic torsional strain and induced molecular conformational deracemization; Physical Review Letters 107, 237804 (2011).

{1} R. Basu, R. G. Petschek and C. Rosenblatt; Nematic electroclinic effect in a carbon nanotube doped achiral liquid crystal, Physical Review E 83, 041707 (2011).

{2} R. Basu, C.-L. Chen, and C. Rosenblatt; Carbon nanotube-induced macroscopic helical twist in an achiral nematic liquid crystal, Journal of Applied Physics 109, 083518 (2011).

Year 2010

{4} R. Basu, K. Boccuzzi, S. Ferjani and C. Rosenblatt; Carbon nanotube induced chirality in an achiral liquid crystal; Applied Physics Letters 97, 121908 (2010).

§ Selected for reprint for the Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science & Technology 22 (14), 2010.

{12} R. Basu and G. S. Iannacchione; Orientational coupling enhancement in a carbon nanotube dispersed liquid crystal; Physical Review E 81, 051705 (2010).

§ Selected for reprint for the Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science & Technology 21 (21), 2010.

Year 2009

{13} R. Basu and G. S. Iannacchione; Nematic anchoring on carbon nanotubes; Applied Physics Letters 95, 173113 (2009).

§ Selected for reprint for the Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science & Technology 20 (19), 2009.

{9} R. Basu and G. S. Iannacchione; Dielectric hysteresis, relaxation dynamics, and non-volatile memory effect in carbon nanotube dispersed liquid crystal; Journal of Applied Physics 106, 124312 (2009).

§ Selected for reprint for the Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science & Technology 21 (2), 2009.

{14} R. Basu and G. S. Iannacchione; Evidence for directed self-assembly of quantum dots in a nematic liquid crystal; Physical Review E – Rapid Communications 80, 010701 (2009).

§ Featured in InterNano: NSF-National Nanomanufacturing Network News; July 27, 2009.

Year 2008

{20} R. Basu and G. S. Iannacchione; Carbon nanotube dispersed liquid crystal – a nano electromechanical system; Applied Physics Letters 93, 183105 (2008).

§ Selected for reprint for the Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science & Technology 18 (20), 2008.

{7} R. Basu and G. S. Iannacchione; Dielectric response of multiwall carbon nanotubes as a function of applied ac-electric fields; Journal of Applied Physics 104, 114107 (2008).

§ Selected for reprint for the Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science & Technology 18 (25), 2008.

{12} R. Basu and G. S. Iannacchione; High-resolution dielectric spectroscopy and electric-field dependence of carbon allotropes including multi-wall and single-wall nanotubes; Applied Physics Letters 92, 052906 (2008).

§ Selected for reprint for the Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science & Technology 17 (7), 2008.

CONFERENCES / PRESENTATIONS / ABSTRACT PUBLISHED

Invited Talks:

KLA-Tencor Corporation (Milpitas, CA, November 2011); Nanomaterials-doped liquid crystals: directed self-assembly and development of nano-electromechanical system.

Intel Corporation (Hillsboro, PO, September 2011); Directed self-assembly of carbon nanotubes and quantum dots in nematic matrices.

Condensed matter seminar meeting (Case Western Reserve University, June 2010); Nematic anchoring on carbon nanotubes.

Graduate seminar (Worcester Polytechnic Institute, March 2010); Dielectric Studies of Nanostructures and Directed self-assembled Nanomaterials in Nematic Liquid Crystals.

Rheology Focus Presentation-Malvern Instruments Inc. (Westborough, MA, October 2009); Exploiting the rheological properties of liquid crystals for developing novel nano-electromechanical systems.

Nanomanufacturing Summit (Boston, MA, May 2009); Carbon nanotube dispersed liquid crystal: a nano-electromechanical system and non-volatile memory effect.

Conferences:

R. Basu, J. Pendery, R. Petschek, R. Lemieux, C. Rosenblatt; Macroscopic torsional strain and induced molecular conformational deracemization, 2012 APS March Meeting [Oral], Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 57 (1), abstract # D51.00015; Boston, MA, February 2012.

R.Basu, K. Boccuzzi, S. Ferjani, R. Lemieux, R. Petschek, C. Rosenblatt; Carbon nanotube-induced chirality and macroscopic helical twist in achiral liquid crystals, 2012 APS March Meeting [Poster], Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 57 (1), abstract # C1.00120; Boston, MA, February 2012.

R. Basu, K. A. Boccuzzi, S. Ferjani, C-L Chen, R. G. Petschek, R. Leimeux, and C. Rosenblatt; Carbon nanotube-induced chirality and macroscopic helical twist in achiral liquid crystals, Frroelectric Liquid Crystals 2011 [Poster], Niagara Falls, CANADA, August 2011.

R. Basu, K. A. Boccuzzi, S. Ferjani, C-L Chen, R. G. Petschek, and C. Rosenblatt; Carbon nanotube-induced chirality and macroscopic helical twist in achiral liquid crystals, Gordon Research Conferences: Liquid Crystals [Poster], South Hadley, MA, June 2011.

R. Basu and G. S. Iannacchione; Nematic anchoring on carbon nanotubes, 2010 APS March Meeting [Oral], Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 55 (1), abstract # Z20.00005; Portland, Oregon, March 2010.

R. Basu and G. S. Iannacchione; Nematic anchoring on carbon nanotubes, 41st New England Complex Fluids Workshop [Oral], Harvard University, Cambridge, December 2009.

R. Basu and G. S. Iannacchione; Directed Self-Assembly of Quantum Dots in a Nematic Liquid Crystal, 39th New England Complex Fluids Workshop [Oral] (Schlumberger-Doll Research Center, Cambridge, MA, June 2009.

R. Basu and G. S. Iannacchione; Carbon nanotube dispersed liquid crystal: a nano-electromechanical system and non-volatile memory effect, Nanomanufacturing Summit [poster], Boston, MA, May 2009.

R. Basu and G. S. Iannacchione; Carbon nanotube dispersed liquid crystal – a nano electromechanical system and a potential memory storage device, Gordon Research Conferences: Liquid Crystals [Poster], New London, NH, May 2009.

R. Basu and G. S. Iannacchione; Carbon nanotube dispersed liquid crystal – a nano electromechanical system, 2009 APS March Meeting [Oral], Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 54 (1), abstract # Y27.00001; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 2009.

R. Basu and G. S. Iannacchione; Carbon nanotube dispersed liquid crystal – a nano electromechanical system, 37th New England Complex Fluids Workshop [Oral], Harvard University, Cambridge, December 2008.

R. Basu and G. S. Iannacchione; A novel approach to align carbon nanotubes by dispersing in a nematic liquid crystal, Soft condensed matter summer school [Poster] UMass Amherst, June 2008.

R. Basu and G. S. Iannacchione; Electric Field and Frequency Dependence of the Dielectric Storage, Loss, and Conductivity of Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes, 2008 APS March Meeting [Oral]; Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 53 (1), abstract # P30.001, New Orleans, March 2008.

Contributed Conferences:

P. Kalakonda, G.S. Iannacchione, R. Basu, C. Rosenblatt, R.P. Lemieux; Effect of CNTs and Induced Chirality on Smectic- Smectic Liquid Crystal Phase Transitions, 2012 APS March Meeting [Oral], Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 57 (1), abstract # L44.00008; Boston, MA, February 2012.

K. Goda, R. Basu, C.Rosenblatt; Surface induced chirality at the interface between achiral liquid crystals and polyamide with a chiral side chain, Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals 2011 [Poster] Niagara Falls, CANADA, August 2011.

Q. Cui, V. Jayalakshmi, R. Basu , C. Rosenblatt, and R. P. Lemieux; ‘Liquid Crystals with a 2,2’-Spirobindan-1,1’-dione Core’, Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals 2011 [Poster] Niagara Falls, CANADA, August 2011.

V. Jayalakshmi, Q. Cui, R. Basu, C. Rosenblatt, and R. Lemieux; Chirality transfer in nematic liquid crystals doped with chiral periodic mesoporous organosilicates, Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals 2011 [Poster] Niagara Falls, CANADA, August 2011.

V. Jayalakshmi, Q. Cui, R. Basu, C. Rosenblatt, and R. Lemieux; Chirality transfer in nematic liquid crystals doped with chiral periodic mesoporous organosilicates, Gordon Research Conferences: Liquid Crystals [Poster], South Hadley, MA, June 2011.