The photonic materials Metrology section is actively engaged in the photonic materials research, light matter interaction, non-linear spectroscopy, utilization of diverse organic and inorganic materials to be employed in energy harvesting via detection and generation of light. The materials in the form of nanostructures to bulk materials are being maneuvered for the detection, guiding, manipulation, amplification and management of light to be employed in many applications like metrology and luminescent Security Ink, plasmonic metamaterials, detectors etc. Though spanning all light’s technological uses across the complete spectrum, most photonic applications are in the range of UV to NIR area including the Terahertz domain as well.
The group is actively engaged in the areas of nano photonics, organic photonics and optoelectronics, Ultrafast Optoelectronics & Terahertz Photonics and advanced luminescent materials for security ink.

• Security Ink, CSII and invisible election ink, Luminescent pigment
• Luminescent Materials (Bulk & Nano) and Emerging 2D materials (Graphene, MoS2, WS2, MoSe2, BN etc)
• Organic and Perovskite Photonic Devices
• Bulk & nano-photonics materials
• Water Remediation of Organic Pollutants and Industrial Wastes by Solution- Route Processed CZTS Nanocrystals
• Green synthesis of Silver Oxide Nanoparticles from Artocarpus Hetrophyllus for Antibacterial and Antimicrobial Applications
• Ultrafast dynamics, Surface Science, Plasmonic and meta-materials
• Phase Change Materials and Photocatalytic degradation
• 2D Materials Metrology
• Thin Film & FET Measurements Metrology

• Indigenous development of Colour Shift Intaglio Ink (CSII), (Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited, (SPMCIL) & SSP19032) Dr. Bipin Kumar Gupta, Principal Scientist ( PI of Project)
• Development of PCR free, facile luminescence based kit for ultra-sensitive detection of covid-19 (No. BT/PR40773/COD/139/17/2020; Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt. of India) Dr. Bipin Kumar Gupta, Principal Scientist ( PI of Project)
• A compact vaccine storage unit based on the solid state cooling, (M/s Tata Trusts ;Social Alpha and M/s Enhanced innovation)
• Topological semimetals, compound semiconductors and silicon as a basis for the creation of plasmonic metamaterials for optoelectronic applications,(DST-RSF)
• Developments of Metal halide perovskite based photonic devices: Perovskite Light Emitting Diodes (PeLED),(Submitted)
• Noble Metal-Free Based Cocatalysts Nano Heterostructures for Solar-to-Chemical Energy Conversion (Submitted)
• Fabrication and characterization of perovskite based electronics devices: different types of low voltage field effect transistors and resistive switching memory (Memristor) (DST Women Scientist)

Indigenous development of Colour Shift Intaglio Ink (CSII)

Color Shift Intaglio Ink (CSII) is an important feature employed globally to protect the counterfeiting of the currency. The intaglio printed security features using this ink displays two distinct colors depending on the viewing angle of the currency. Although this feature is currently available on the Indian currency notes, the security ink at present is resourced largely through imports thereby leading to a large outflow of foreign exchange. CSIR-NPL has discovered the know-how of preparing colour shift pigments (green to blue) and sent to BNP Dewas to examine at ink factory Dewas for the colour shift effect. The report received from BNP Dewas on 14th February 2020 and the report was found satisfactory by BNP Dewas and stated that, “the synthesized CSIR-NPL pigment is comparable to standard sample used at present”.

CSIR-NPL Developed Optically Variable/color Shift Intaglio ink that Changes Colors Depending upon the Viewing Angle for Indian Banknotes Applications

Our aim is to develop a PCR free, simple, fast and cost effective detection kit for COVID-19. The ongoing outbreak of the novel corona virus disease 2019. COVID-19 draws worldwide concerns due to its long incubation period and strong infectivity. The time between infection of a person and appearance of virus in throat/ nasopharyngeal swab/sputum or appearance of first clinical symptom is highly variable. A suspected person needs multiple tests in consecutive days to confirm the presence/absence of virus. This poses psychological stress on people and economic burden on government. Although RT-PCR based molecular diagnosis techniques are being widely applied for the clinical diagnosis of COVID-19. The timely and accurate diagnoses are still limited due to its labor intensive and time consuming procedure. To stop the viral infection, we need fast, sensitive and cost effective detection method so that testing can be done rigorously and in large number in less time. Thus the development of cost effective, simple and self testing kit that does not require sophisticated equipment will be a great tool for healthcare provider and people. Suspected person can self check the presence of virus in sputum/ throat swab for consecutive days and if found positive can be isolated to stop infection further. Thus, we proposed to develop PCR free, facile luminescence based kit for fast detection of COVID-19.