Tamal Dey

I am Tamal Dey, a research scientist at Department of Physics, IIT

I am an experimental physicist working at the intersection of quantum-confined nanomaterials, strongly correlated systems, and advanced device physics. Currently, I serve as a Project Scientist at the Department of Physics, IIT Kharagpur, contributing to India’s DST Quantum Mission.

My research philosophy is simple: understand physics deeply, and then engineer it into something useful. I integrate materials synthesis, nanofabrication, spectroscopy, and electronic/optoelectronic characterization to explore charge transport, interfacial dynamics, and emergent functionalities in next-generation materials.

My Academic Journey

I earned my Ph.D. from IIT Kharagpur (2016–2022), where my doctoral work focused on Functionalized Graphene Quantum Dots for Optoelectronic and Photovoltaic Devices.

After completing my Ph.D., I worked as a Postdoctoral Associate at Rutgers University, USA (2024–2025), in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. There, I explored cutting-edge quantum and neuromorphic device platforms.

I completed both my M.Sc. and B.Sc. (Honors) in Physics from the University of Calcutta.

My Research Focus

My work spans across:

  • Quantum-confined and strongly correlated materials
  • Neuromorphic and memory devices
  • Quantum dots and semiconductor thin films
  • Ultrafast spectroscopy and charge-transfer dynamics
  • Photovoltaic, photodetector, and energy-harvesting devices.

In the long term, I aim to establish an independent research group dedicated to scalable quantum and neuromorphic hardware platforms aligned with national technological priorities.

Publications & Scholarly Work

I have authored and co-authored research articles in leading journals such as:

  • ACS Nano
  • Nature Nanotechnology
  • Carbon
  • The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
  • ACS Applied Nano Materials

My work bridges nanomaterials, device engineering, and emergent electronic phenomena — contributing to both fundamental understanding and applied technological development.

Technical Expertise

My laboratory expertise includes:

  • Electron beam lithography and photolithography
  • Thin film deposition (RF sputtering, PLD, e-beam evaporation)
  • SEM, XRD, XPS, Raman, FTIR, XAS characterization
  • Solar cell and optoelectronic device testing
  • Time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy.

Awards & Recognition

I am grateful to have received several competitive fellowships and recognitions:

  • DST INSPIRE Senior Research Fellowship (2019–2022)
  • DST INSPIRE Junior Research Fellowship (2017–2019)
  • DST INSPIRE Scholarship for Higher Education (2010–2015)

I have also qualified national-level competitive examinations including CSIR-NET JRF (AIR 60), JEST (AIR 62), and GATE Physics.

Teaching & Mentorship

Teaching is an integral part of my academic identity. My interests include:

  • Solid State Physics
  • Semiconductor Devices
  • Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
  • Optoelectronic Devices
  • Quantum Materials.

I actively mentor undergraduate and postgraduate students, supervise laboratory training, and aim to make complex physical concepts intuitive, rigorous, and experimentally relevant.

My Vision

I believe the future of physics lies in translating quantum-scale phenomena into scalable technologies. My goal is to build research platforms that connect fundamental science with hardware innovation — enabling the next generation of quantum and intelligent devices.