About Us

The Department of Nanoscience and Technology was established very recently. It was started in the year 2007 under Bharathiar University. The goal of the department is to educate the student in both technology and science in the nanometer scale and to instill a deep understanding of this field that originates from the contributing disciplines.

The Department is offering M. Sc., M. Phil. and Ph. D programmes. The areas of specialization of the faculty members are Nanomaterials and Thin Films, Magnetic Materials, Polymer Nanocomposites. All the three members of the faculty guiding M.Phil. and Ph.D. students apart from conducting the M.Sc. Course.

The Department frequently organized Seminar/Workshop/Conferences. In May 2008 the department has organized a 15 days Refresher Course on Experimental Physics for affiliated college teachers and postgraduate students. In January and March 2009 the department has organized an International Seminar on Nanostructures for Electronics and Biomedical Applications and Workshop on Advanced Techniques for Materials Characterization.

Objectives of the M. Sc. Programme

The goal of this M.Sc. programme is to educate the student in both technology and science in the nanometer scale and to instill a deep understanding of this field that originates from the contributing disciplines. The Nanoscience programme intends to go beyond the principle of learning 'just a bit of everything'; It will adopt an integrated, multidisciplinary, intellectual strategy, with contribution from physics, chemistry, biology and engineering.

Admission requirement

The M.Sc. programme in Nanoscience is attractive to those students who wish to gain the skills and experience required to join the new generation of researchers in the field of Nanoscience and Technology. Being at the crossroads of a broad range of research fields, it provides students with an excellent opportunity to discover for themselves the most appealing aspects. It opens the door to a career in industry and is a stepping-stone for those graduates with the ambition and aspiration to pursue a Ph.D. degree. The students having the undergraduate degree in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry and Engineering with Mathematics as an ancillary paper are eligible to apply the M. Sc. programme.

Programme Structure

Introductory Course Modules: Nanoscience takes place at the crossroads of Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Engineering. As most students entering the M.Sc. programme have a background in just one of these disciplines, special introductory course modules are provided to eliminate knowledge deficiencies in the other disciplines.
Compulsory Course Modules: Next, a set of core modules is offered that covers the full range of phenomena and techniques at the nanoscale level, including Synthesis, Characterization, Semiconducting Nanomaterials, Nanoelectronics, Nanomedicine and Drug Delivery Systems, Nanobiotechnology and Nanolithography. This compulsory part of the programme ensures the multidisciplinary background that is vital to all branches of Nanoscience.
Elective Modules: Students will also have ample opportunity to further broaden or deepen their knowledge further by taking elective modules according to their personal choice. The electives include subjects such as Electronics, Nanoparticulate Materials, Spectroscopy, Nanoscale Magnetic Materials and Devices, Scanning Probe Microscopy and many more.
Internship/Master Thesis: The research project will be carried out in one of the reputed national laboratories. The research project is finalized with the public presentation of a Master's thesis.

Research Programme in Nanoscience and Technology

Make your mark in one of the revolutionary fields of the future. Bharathiar University offers postgraduate studies in an area regarded as one of the most important emerging technologies of the 21st century. By tailoring material properties at the most fundamental level, nanotechnology is perceived to be of significance across a huge range of areas, including Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Engineering. Nanoscience and technology is inherently interdisciplinary in nature and this research programme offered by the University integrates different disciplines in both science and engineering. This has been initiated to provide postgraduates with the necessary knowledge to contribute to long-term nanoscale research and development, leading to potential breakthroughs in materials and manufacturing, nanoelectronics, medicine and healthcare, the environment, biotechnology, among other areas.

Research Focus

Research interests include synthesis of nano materials, thin films, nanocrystalline magnetic materials, nanobiotech and bio-nanosensors, nanoelectronics, modeling and simulations of nano surface structures and defects in solids, nano precision machining, nano manufacturing, growth and quantum size effects in nanostructured thin films, nano-particles micro-fuel cells other soft materials, nanoclusters and nanostructures on surfaces, among many others.

Research Degrees

Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) Programme in Nanoscience and Technology: The goal of the M.Phil. programme is to train postgraduate students in Physics, Chemistry, Biotechnology and Biochemistry to conduct independent research. Students are expected to undertake course work and conduct thesis research. Submission and successful defense of a thesis based on original research is required to obtain the degree. The programme will normally take one year of full-time study to complete.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Programme in Nanoscience and Technology: The Ph.D. programme seeks to train postgraduate students to carry out original research and to cultivate independent and innovative thinking. Students are expected to undertake course work and conduct thesis research. They must also pass a qualifying examination. Submission and defense of a thesis is required. The programme usually takes minimum of three or four years of full-time study to complete.

Requirements

Applicants should have a Master degree in Physics, Chemistry, Biotechnology, Biochemistry and engineering or a related field. A recruitment committee will evaluate applications and conduct interviews if necessary. The students can choose their own specialization. During their research period, scholars usually present their research outcome in the National and International journals/conferences and they should give department and pre-thesis submission seminars. The concerned guide monitors the progress of the research scholars regularly. We have very good experimental and computer facilities available in our research laboratories. Before the award of the doctoral degree, the thesis is evaluated by foreign and Indian examiners and the student would defend the work done in a public Viva-Voce examination.

The Future

In this fast-developing industry, there will be many employment opportunities for graduates with advanced training in nanoscience and technology. There are applications for these new technologies in such industries as magnetic storage devices, consumer electronics, advanced light sources and displays, precision engineering, textiles, and food production and processing. Also there are lot of postdoctoral openings in various national labs and Universities in India and abroad.

Financial Assistance

Most of the students get stipendium from the University, or the various funding agencies like CSIR, UGC, DST, DRDO, DAE, BRNS, DBT etc.

Contact Address:

Prof. Dr D. Mangalaraj,
Department of Nanoscience and Technology,
Bharathiar University,
Coimbatore - 641 046,
Tamil Nadu. India.

Phone: +91 -422- 2428421