The Department of Physics of Sanatana Dharma College was established in the year 1950, offering subsidiary courses in physics for mathematics major students. Subsequently, Bachelor’s programme in physics was started in the year 1957 and the Master’s Programme in physics was started in the year 2000. The department became a Research Centre of the University of Kerala in the year 2020. Currently, the department offers PhD programme in a wide range of fields of theoretical as well as experimental physics. The steady progress achieved by the department over the span of more than five decades is reflected in its rich alumni which include academicians at reputed universities in India and abroad and renowned institutions such as IITs. We have also produced professionals, entrepreneurs and many other luminaries. At its infancy itself, the Research Centre of the department could secure major research grants such as KSCSTE – SARD. Additionally, the department played a pivotal role in securing the DST-FIST for the college.
Courses Offered
- B.Sc. Physics with Space Physics as an elective course
- M.Sc. Physics with Electronics as a specialisation.
- PhD programme in Physical science
- Astrophysics as an open course under CBCSS
Infrastructure
The department is equipped with 5 spacious classrooms, an ICT-enabled seminar hall, 2 laboratories each for UG and PG courses, two experimental research labs and a theoretical physics lab.
Library
The department has a well-populated library with more than 3000 books for UG and PG courses and, adequate seating. The students will be able to access the central library catalogue and utilize e-resources/NLIST facility that contains thousands of journals and books online. The students and the faculty of the college can also refer books related to various fields of research and 10 subscribed journals.
Research Centre
The Department of Physics has been recognised as a Research Centre of the University of Kerala on 07th December 2019. Since then, the Centre with its state of the art research facilities is recognised as one of the best physics research centres under the University of Kerala.
PhD Supervisors:
Dr. Rajesh S.R. (S D College, Alappuzha)
Areas of research:
Astrophysical Hydrodynamics
Dr. Sreekanth J.Varma (S D College, Alappuzha) co-ordinator of research centre
Areas of research:
Renewable energy harvesting and storage
Supercapacitors
Perovskite photovoltaics
Organic Electronics
Conducting polymers
Quantum dots and 2D materials
Dr. Anilkumar K.M. (M S M College, Kayamkulam)
Areas of research:
Materials for energy storage applications
Dr. Jyothi G. (M S M College, Kayamkulam)
Areas of research:
Phosphorescent materials for optoelectronic applications
Research Scholars:
- Arunima Ajay (Supervisor: Dr.Rajesh S.R)
- Aruna Raj (Supervisor: Dr.Sreekanth J.Varma)
- Manju V. (Supervisor: Dr.Sreekanth J.Varma)
- Anandhu T.P. (Supervisor: Dr.Sreekanth J.Varma)
- Rohith R. (Supervisor: Dr.Sreekanth J.Varma)
- Ajeena R. (Supervisor: Dr.Jyothi G.)
- Sefeena A. (Supervisor: Dr.Anilkumar K.M)
Collaborations:
- IUCAA, Pune
- NORDITA Sweden
- Planetary Plasma interaction node – NASA
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA
- of Physics, CUSAT, Cochin
- Department of Physics, University of Kerala
- Department of Chemistry, St Michaels College, Cherthala
- Nanomaterials and devices research laboratory, School of Material Science, NIT Calicut
- Department of Chemistry, S D College Alappuzha
- School of Physics, IISER, Thiruvananthapuram
Research Lab Facilities
The Research Centre of the Department of Physics has two divisions: the Theory Group and the Experimental Group, both having separate lab space with sophisticated facilities and adequate room to accommodate many research scholars. The theory group has computers and a high-performance workstation loaded with latest versions of software like Matlab, Mathematica and Quantum Espresso and graph plotting software like Origin. The experimental lab is equipped with the state-of-art facilities for the synthesis and characterization of advanced materials for various energy and optoelectronic applications and device fabrication. The department received grants for research facilities through the SARD scheme from the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), Govt. of Kerala and has access to sophisticated characterization instruments from the FIST Scheme of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India.
Experimental Research Facilities
- Keithley 2450 SMU and 2001 DMM (2-probe & 4-probe dc electrical conductivity measurements upto 200 oC (KSCSTE-SARD)
- Biologic Cyclic Voltammetry and Impedance Spectroscopy Workstation, SP200 (DST-FIST)
- Shimadzu UV-Vis-NIR Spectrophotometer, UV2600 with ISR, Specular reflectance and Peltier temperature controller (DST-FIST)
- Perkin Elmer Fluorimeter, LS55 with low temperature facility (DST-FIST)
- Probe Sonicator – Sonics VC500 (500 W)
- Muffle-Furnace, upto 1100 oC (KSCSTE-SARD)
- Hot-air Oven (KSCSTE-SARD)
- Vacuum Oven (KSCSTE-SARD)
- Bath Sonicator (KSCSTE-SARD)
- Hot plates and Stirrers with precise temperature and rpm controls (KSCSTE-SARD, UGC-minor project)
- Heating mantles and UV-cabinet (UGC minor project)
- Water bath with temperature controller
- Oil bath with temperature controller (KSCSTE-SARD)
- Centrifuge (UGC minor project)
- Spin coater (KSCSTE-SARD)
- pH meter (KSCSTE-SARD)
- 4 digit weigh balance, 5 digit weigh balance (DST-FIST)
- Techtronics Digital Storage Oscilloscope (KSCSTE-SARD)
- Quartz double distillation unit (KSCSTE-SARD)
- Deionisation water facility (KSCSTE-SARD)
- Networking and Computational facilities (DST-FIST)
Completed/ongoing research projects
- KSCSTE-SARD Scheme, Basic Infrastructure Development of Materials Research Laboratory, funded by KSCSTE, Govt. of Kerala – Rs.29,09,000 (2015-21)
- UGC Minor Project, Microwave absorption studies in coir/coir-based products, Dr.K.K.Narayanan – Rs.1.55 lakhs (Completed in 2013)
- UGC Minor Project, Microwave absorption properties of polyaniline coated coir fibers, Dr.Sreejith K.Pisharady – Rs.1.25 lakhs (Completed in 2014)
- UGC Minor Project, Development of highly crystalline conducting polymers and polymer nanocomposites for electromagnetic shielding applications, Dr.Sreekanth J.Varma – Rs.5 lakhs (Completed in 2016)
- UGC Minor Project, Modeling of charged dust environment around the moon and a study on its impact on space missions, Dr.Rakesh Chandran S.B – Rs.2.85 lakhs (Completed in 2016).
