Hello, I'm Lok Raj Pant

Project 1: Transition Edge Sensor Based on Magnetic Superconducting Transition

This project focuses on developing a transition edge sensor (TES) based on the magnetic superconducting transition. The device consists of a microdeposited tin disc surrounded by a niobium ring to detect inductance changes caused by superconducting-to-normal phase transitions. The geometry of the device can be considered to be a single loop inductor with tin disk as a core medium. The transition of tin disc from superconducting state to the normal state changes its magnetic state from a perfectly diamagnetic state with a -1 magnetic susceptibility to a higher magnetic susceptibility. This causes a change in the magnetic inductance of the inductor and can be used as a mechanism of detection.

Project 2: Particle Detection Based on Single Molecule Magnets (SMMs)

In this project, the aim was to develop a detector based on magnetic avalanche. SMM are class of molecules with no long range ordering, and individual molecules act like a magnet. These are molecules with metallic ions surrounded by organic ligand. These molecules when magnetized by applying the magnetic field and kept below the so called blocking temperature, they can retain their magnetization after turning OFF the magnetic field. These magnetized molecules are now subject to energetic particles or photons. This external energy can induce demagnetization of a molecule and this process releases the Zeeman energy in the form of heat. This heat is absorbed by the neighboring molecule and induces its demagnetization. This process continues until the whole crystal is demagnetized, and results in an avalanche of demagnetization which can be sensed by a Hall Sensor. If energy of the external energy is not enough to induce demagnetization, a reverse magnetic field is applied to aid the process.