Broad Area of Research: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics & Device Physics
Specific Research Interests: • Thin Films and Heterostructures • Ferroelectrics • Multiferroics • Magnetocalorics and electrocalorics
Overview: Our research focuses on exploring the magnetic, magneto-transport, dielectric and ferroelectric properties in functional integrated materials in the form of thin films and heterostructures. We emphasize on the growth and characterization of epitaxial thin films and heterostructures using physical techniques such as pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and sputtering. We mainly investigate ferroic materials that display strong structural, magnetic, thermal and electrical properties. These materials may include artificial multiferroics, electrocalorics and magnetocalorics that promise both novel scientific phenomena and useful technological applications in memory and solid-state cooling.
(From left) Kusumpal, Dipendu, Abhisikta, Devajyoti, Nasiruddin, Isher, Subhashree, Chitra
Photograph of thin film sample inside UHV chamber for surface magnetic studies using magneto-optic kerr effect (MOKE). Photo Courtesy: Abhisikta Barman
Employment:
Associate Professor, School of Physical Sciences, IACS, Kolkata, India (2022 – present)
Assistant Professor, School of Physical Sciences, IACS, Kolkata, India (2017 – 2022)
Scientist D, Technical Research Center, IACS, Kolkata, India (03/2017 – 10/2017)
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, UK (2015 – 2017)
University Lecturer (Adjunct Faculty), Department of Physics, University of South Florida, USA (2014 – 2015)
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Center for Integrated Functional Materials, University of South Florida, USA (2010 – 2015)
Research Associate, Department of Physics, University of South Florida, USA (2007 – 2010)
Teaching Assistant, Department of Physics, University of South Florida, USA (2005 – 2007)
Education:
Ph. D. in Applied Physics, University of South Florida, USA (2010)
M. Sc. in Physics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India (2004)
B. Sc. in Physics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India (2002)
Journal Articles
39. N. Mondal, A. Barman, S. Chatterjee, and D. Mukherjee*, "Influence of twin-crystal structures on the temperature dependence of magneto-optic Kerr effect and magnetic anisotropy in epitaxial Ni thin films", Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, 564, 170118 (2022).
38. A. K. Kar, B. Chattopadhyay, R. Singha, A. Barman, Md. A. Ahmed, A. Midya, S. Bandyopadhyay, D. Mukherjee, D. Jana, and P. Mandal, "Effect of Co and Mg doping at Cu site on structural, magnetic and dielectric properties of α–Cu2V2O7", Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 34, 075702 (2021).
37. S. Chatterjee, A. Barman, S. Barman, T. Chabri, S. Kar-Narayan, A. Datta, and D. Mukherjee*, "Role of oxygen vacancies on the low-temperature dielectric relaxor behavior in epitaxial Ba0.85Ca0.15Ti0.9Zr0.1O3 thin films", Physical Review Materials 5, 064415 (2021).
36. A. Barman, S. Chatterjee, C. Ou, Y. Y. Tse, N. Banerjee, S. Kar-Narayan, A. Datta, D. Mukherjee*, "Large electrocaloric effect in lead-free ferroelectric Ba0.85Ca0.15Ti0.9Zr0.1O3 thin film heterostructure", APL Materials 9, 021115 (2021).
35. T. Chabri, A. Barman, S. Chatterjee, S.A. Mollick, T.K. Nath, D. Mukherjee*, "Effects of transitional hysteresis on the large magnetocaloric and magnetoresistance properties of Ni-Mn-Co-Sn Heusler alloy", Journal of Alloys and Compounds 863, 158485 (2021).
34. T. Chabri, K. Ghosh, D. Mukherjee, and T. K. Nath, "Role of interplay of austenite and martensite phase fractions on the magnetocaloric and magnetoresistance effects across the martensite transition in Ni45Mn44Sn7In4 Heusler alloy near room temperature", Journal of Applied Physics 128, 215106 (2020).
33. A. Barman, S. Chatterjee, J. K. Dey, A. Datta, and D. Mukherjee*, "Interface-induced enhanced magnetocaloric effect in an epitaxial CoFe2O4/La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 heterostructure", Physical Review B 102, 054433 (2020).
32. A. Barman, S. Kar-Naryan, and D. Mukherjee*, "Caloric effects in perovskite oxides", Advanced Materials Interfaces 6, 1900291 (2019).
31. V. Kalappattil, R. Geng, S. H. Liang, D. Mukherjee, J. Devkota, A. Roy, M. H. Luong, N. D. Lai, L. A. Hornak, T. D. Nguyen, W. B. Zhao, X. G. Li, N. H. Duc, R. Das, S. Chandra, H. Srikanth, and M. H Phan, "Role of the magnetic anisotropy in organic spin valves", Journal of Science: Advanced Materials and Devices 2, 378 (2017).
30. D. Mukherjee*, M. Hordagoda, D. Pesquera, D. Ghosh, J. L. Jones, P. Mukherjee and S. Witanachchi, "Enhanced ferroelectric polarization in epitaxial (Pb1-xLax)(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 thin films due to low La doping", Physical Review B 95, 174304 (2017).
Publications prior to joining IACS (*Corresponding or equally contributing author)
29. D. J. Denmark, J. Bradley, D. Mukherjee, J. Alonso, S. Shakerpeare, N. Bernal, M. H. Phan, H. Srikanth, S. Witanachchi, P. Mukherjee, "Remote Triggering of Thermoresponsive PNIPAM by Iron Oxide Nanoparticles", RSC Advances 6, 5641 (2016).
28. D. Mukherjee*, M. Hordagoda, P. Lampen, M. H. Phan, H. Srikanth, S. Witanachchi, and P. Mukherjee, "Simultaneous enhancements of polarization and magnetization in epitaxial Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3/La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 multiferroic heterostructures enabled by ultrathin CoFe2O4 sandwich-layers", Physical Review B 91, 054419 (2015).
27. D. Mukherjee*, M. Hordagoda, C. Kons, A. Datta, S. Witanachchi and P. Mukherjee, "Measurements of Polarization Switching in LiNbO3-type ZnSnO3/ZnO Nanocomposite Thin Films", MRS Proceedings 1729, 07 (2015).
26. A. Datta, D. Mukherjee*, C. Kons, S. Witanachchi, and P. Mukherjee, "Ferroelectricity in Strategically Synthesized Pb-free LiNbO3-type ZnSnO3 Nanostructure Arrayed Thick Films", MRS Proceedings 1729, 02 (2015).
25. D. Denmark, D. Mukherjee, J. Bradley, S. Witanachchi, and P. Mukherjee, "Systematic Study on the Remote Triggering of Thermo-Responsive Hydrogels Using RF Heating of Fe3O4 Nanoparticles", MRS Proceedings 1718, 30 (2015).
24. D. Mukherjee*, A. Datta, C. Kons, M. Hordagoda, S. Witanachchi and P. Mukherjee, "Intrinsic Anomalous Ferroelectricity in Vertically-Aligned LiNbO3-type ZnSnO3 Hybrid Nanoparticle-Nanowire Arrays", Applied Physics Letters 105, 212903 (2014).
23. A. Datta, D. Mukherjee*, C. Kons, S. Witanachchi and P. Mukherjee, "Evidence of Superior Ferroelectricity in Structurally Welded ZnSnO3 Nanowire Arrays", Small 10, 4093 (2014).
22. D. Mukherjee, J. Devkota, A. Ruiz, S. Witanachchi, P. Mukherjee, H. Srikanth, and M. H. Phan, "Impact of coating amorphous and crystalline cobalt ferrite films on the magneto-impedance response of a soft ferromagnetic amorphous ribbon", Journal of Applied Physics 116, 123912 (2014).
21. A. Datta, D. Mukherjee*, S. Witanachchi and P. Mukherjee, "On-the-surface photoconductive response of pelletized thin In2S3 nanosheets", Materials Research Bulletin 55, 176 (2014).
20. A. Datta, D. Mukherjee, S. Witanachchi and P. Mukherjee, "Hierarchically-Ordered Nano-Heterostructured PZT Thin Films with Enhanced Ferroelectric Properties", Advanced Functional Materials 24, 2638 (2014).
19. D. Mukherjee*, M. Hordagoda, P. Lampen, M. H. Phan, H. Srikanth, S. Witanachchi, and P. Mukherjee, "Enhanced magnetism and ferroelectricity in epitaxial Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3/CoFe2O4/La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 multiferroic heterostructures grown using dual-laser ablation technique", Journal of Applied Physics 115, 17D707 (2014).
18. D. Mukherjee*, M. Hordagoda, R. Hyde, N. Bingham, H. Srikanth, S. Witanachchi, and P. Mukherjee, "Nanocolumnar interfaces and enhanced magnetic coercivity in preferentially oriented cobalt ferrite thin films grown using oblique-angle pulsed laser deposition", ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 5(15), 7450 (2013).
17. A. Datta, D. Mukherjee*, M. Hordagoda, S. Witanachchi, and P. Mukherjee, "Controlled Ti Seed Layer Assisted Growth and Field Emission Properties of Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 Nanowire Arrays", ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 5(13), 6261 (2013).
Book Chapters
1. “Scalable Fabrication and Enhanced Properties of Ferroelectric and Piezoelectric Perovskite Oxide Nanostructured Films for Harnessing and Harvesting Energies” in Metal Oxide based Thin Film Structures: Formation, Characterization and Application of Interface based Phenomena, A. Datta, D. Mukherjee and S. K. Narayan, Elsevier (2017).
2. “Laser Ablation for Multiferroic Heterostructures” in Laser Ablation-Fundamentals, Methods and Applications, D. Mukherjee*, S. Witanachchi, and P. Mukherjee, Nova Sci. Publishers Inc. (2015).
3. “Growth and characterization of epitaxial thin films and multiferroic heterostructures of ferromagnetic and ferroelectric materials”, D. Mukherjee*, ProQuest Publishers LLC (2010).
Teaching Experience
Co-Instructor in Int. MSc/PhD course "General Physics and Optics Laboratory" PHS4211 (Int. PPS, IACS) (Spring semester, 2019)
Instructor in Int. MSc/Ph.D. course “PH 505 Condensed Matter Physics” (Int. PPS, IACS) (Autumn semester, 2018)
Co-Instructor in Int. MSc/PhD course "General Physics Laboratory" (Int. PPS, IACS) (Spring semester, 2018)
Instructor in Int. MSc/Ph.D. course “PH 505 Condensed Matter Physics” (Int. PPS, IACS) (Autumn semester, 2017)
Co-Instructor in Int. MSc/PhD course "General Physics Laboratory" (Int. PPS, IACS) (Spring semester, 2017)
Supervisor in B.Sc. course “IB Materials Science”, (Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy University of Cambridge, UK) (2016-2017)
University Lecturer in B.Sc. course “PHY 2053 General Physics I” (Department of Physics, University of South Florida, USA) (2014-2015)
University Lecturer in B.Sc. course “PHZ 2102 Problems in General Physics I” (Department of Physics, University of South Florida, USA) (2014-2015)
Co-instructor in group-taught Ph.D. course "Advances in Pure and Applied Physics" (Department of Physics, University of South Florida, USA) (2011-2012)
Laboratory Instructor in B.Sc. course “PHY2043L/PHY2053L General Physics I Laboratory” (Department of Physics, University of South Florida, USA) (2005-2007)