Laser Institutions In India

Some of the institutes working in the area of lasers are given below. The list is not exhaustive. Suggestions about any addition / correction are welcome.

Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore (RRCAT)

Raja Ramanna Centre For Advanced Technology is a unit of Department of Atomic Energy, Government Of India, engaged in R & D in non-nuclear front line research areas of Lasers, Particle Accelerators & related technologies. RRCAT is developing various types of lasers, laser related components and laser-based instruments. There are also several researchers working in applications of lasers to industry, medicine, and basic sciences. Various groups include Laser Plasma Division, Laser Materials Developments and Devices Division, Solid State Laser Division, Chemical and Excimer Laser Section, Industrial CO2 Laser Section.

http://www.cat.ernet.in/technology/laser/index.html

Laser Science & Technology Centre, Delhi (LASTEC)

The Laser Science And Technology Centre had its beginning in 1950 as the Defence Science Laboratory (DSL) established as a nucleus laboratory of DRDO. The lab was has got its present identity as "Laser Science & Technology Centre" in 1999 because of its major focus on Research and Development in the field of Lasers.

The areas being pursued include High power lasers viz. Combustion Driven High Power Gas Dynamic Laser (GDL), Chemical Oxy-Iodine Laser (COIL); Low Energy Solid State Lasers; Nd-YAG Laser Designator cum range finder; Beam Control Technologies; Electro-Optic Countermeasures; Laser Materials; Laser-related Optics, Thin Film Coatings, Laser Crystal / Glass and NLO materials.

http://www.drdo.org/labs/ecs/lastec/index.shtml

Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (Centre for Laser Technology)

Research with and on lasers was initiated at IIT Kanpur as early as 1961 under the leadership of Professor P. Venketaswarlu. Initially commercial ruby lasers were being used for the study of stimulated Raman scattering. Simultaneously an in-house multidisciplinary (Physics, Electrical Engineering and Chemical Engineering) effort was started to develop laboratory model lasers for fluorescence and lifetime studies. Laboratory models of He-Ne, Ar-ion, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, nitrogen laser pumped dye, Cu-Vapor, Ar-ion pumped dye and Cd-plasma recombination lasers are some of the lasers developed at IIT Kanpur.

In mid eighties all the activities in laser related fields at IIT Kanpur were bought under a single umbrella with the creation of 'Centre for Laser Technology (CELT)'.

The major research activities include High resolution Laser spectroscopy, Non-linear optics, Laser Plasma studies, Laser Raman studies, Medical applications of Lasers, Photonic Devices, Electro-optic Materials and Devices.

http://www.iitk.ac.in/celt/

Instruments Research and Development Establishment (IRDE)

Instruments Research & Development Establishment (IRDE), Dehradun, is a pioneering institution devoted to research, design, development and technology transfer in the fields of sophisticated optical and electro-optical instrumentation of vital interest to the Defence Services. Research and Development activities are mainly related to Target Acquisition Systems, Thermal Imagers, Night Vision Devices, Laser Range Finders, Laser Range Sensors, Laser Warning Systems, Photonics & Holographic Products, and Fiber Optics Systems.

http://www.drdo.org/labs/electronics/irde/index.shtml

Centre of Excellence in Lasers & Optoelectronic Sciences (CELOS)

In recognition of the outstanding work carried out by a group of teachers and researchers in the area laser related subjects, the UGC identified Cochin University of Science and Technology as a "University with Potential for Excellence in Lasers and Optoelectronic Sciences" in March 2002. As per this unique programme intended to create Centres of Excellence in selected areas in a few Universities in India, Cochin University of Science and Technology was selected to receive a substantial financial assistance up to Rs.30 crores for a period of 5 years. Following this selection by University Grants Commission, Cochin University of Science and Technology established a separate and independent "Centre of Excellence in Lasers & Optoelectronic Sciences" (CELOS) in the month of July 2002.

One of the main objectives of CELOS is to strengthen research activities in the field of Lasers & Optoelectronic Sciences and to build them to a level of competence comparable with international standards. The thrust areas of Research at this centre include Laser Technology, Non-linear Optics, Laser-matter Interaction, Fiber Optics, Optical Fiber Sensors, Optical Neural Network, Photonic Materials Development, Optoelectronic Devices.

http://www.photonics.cusat.edu/celos.htm

Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi

Laser and Photonics related activities, are being pursued by Applied Optics group of Physics Department and Optical Communication Group - a joint effort of Electrical Engineering and Physics departments. Opto-Electronics and Optical-Communication is a research programme being conducted by IIT Delhi. It is an interdisciplinary programme and is jointly conducted by Department of Electrical Engineering and Department of Physics. The programme was established in 1980 and is a source of pride producing the world class OPTOEngineers. The programme enjoys a very special status in the country and has produced the top professionals in this field. The main objective of the programme is to generate trained professionals in the area of Opto-Electronics and Optical-Communication with a strong background in both Engineering and Science and aims to achieve excellence in technology by interacting with the industry and providing the best facilities.

The research areas include Fiber- optics; Laser Electron Acceleration in Dense Plasmas, Real-time Optical Processing, Laser Raman and Photolumenescence, Spectroscopy, Non-linear Integrated Optical Devices, Millimeter Wave Free Electron Laser, Photon induced interface modifications.

http://web.iitd.ac.in/~optoelectronics/about.htm
http://www.iitd.ernet.in/deptt/phy/index.html

Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati

(Department of Physics)

The major focus of research in the department is in the following areas: Condensed Matter Physics (Theory and Experiment), Lasers and Photonics, and Theoretical and Mathematical Physics. The faculty members ably support their research work through externally funded research projects. Laser related activities include laser physics and spectroscopy, Laser Matter Interaction, Plasma Diagnostics, optical interferometry, optoelectronics, Integrated optics, etc.

http://www.iitg.ernet.in/scifac/phy/public_html/index.html

Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur

Laser and Photonics related activities are being pursued in Departments of Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering, Physics and Meteorology and Material Science. The areas of research include Optical networks, Fiber optics, Fiber-optic communication, image processing, integrated optics, optical communication, photonics, laser physics, non-linear optics.

http://www.iitkgp.ac.in/

Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai

Department of Physics at IIT, Madras carries out research in many frontier areas, including experimental condensed matter physics, optical and laser physics, theoretical and computational physics. Some of the prominent fields include Applied Optics, Non-linear Electro-Optics and Liquid Crystals, Thin films, Ultrafast Lasers and Optical Amplifiers.

http://www.iitm.ac.in/

Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai

The Physics Department at IIT, Bombay has a vibrant research program with work going on in frontier areas of Experimental and theoretical Condensed Matter Physics, Optics and Laser Spectroscopy, Nuclear Physics and High Energy Physics. The areas under Laser and Optics being pursued include Non-linear Optical Processes and Ultrafast Optical Switching, Holographic Interferometry and Laser Spectroscopy.

http://www.phy.iitb.ac.in/research/research.html

Raman Research Institute, Bangalore

The Optics Lab was started in late 1996, with a primary aim of studying light scattering in turbid media, and some novel nonlinear phenomena. Over the years, the interests have widened to include laser cooling and trapping of atoms, study of ultrafast processes and intense laser-matter interactions. The areas currently under study include Random Lasers, Non-linear Optics, Laser Cooling and trapping of atoms, Intense Laser Matter Interactions, Electro-magnetically induced transparency, Dynamics of Bose Einstein Condensates.

http://www.rri.res.in/htmls/gen/links.html#ra

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR)

Laboratory studies with many ionized species are being pursued in the Institute to understand the processes, which occur in astrophysical and plasma environments. Lasers and heavy ion beams from an accelerator are being increasingly used in this connection. Research in atomic and molecular sciences has been given a major thrust in the last few years. The interaction of high energy, highly charged ion beams with solid matter is used to study the ejection of deeply embedded electrons in solids. In addition, lasers are now aiding collision techniques that have been pursued for a long time. The latter are used to prepare the collision targets in specific energy states to study state-selective collisions. Ultrashort (femtosecond) lasers producing very high peak powers are being used to explosively ionize matter and study its behaviour at these extreme, ''implosive'' excitation conditions. Nonlinear optical properties of emerging and novel materials are being studied to understand how material structure influences its optical response. The general aim of this entire work is to understand structural changes in atoms and molecules in a dynamic fashion under gentle as well as extreme external influences. The research areas at Department of Nuclear and Atomic Physics include Interaction of electrons, ions and neutrals with laser excited molecules, Interaction of matter in intense laser fields, Non-linear optics, Biophysics, Quantum Computing and Optical Communications.

http://www.tifr.res.in/scripts/homepage.php

International School of Photonics, Cochin University of Technology, Cochin

International School of Photonics (ISP) came in to existence in 1995 by restructuring and delinking the laser laboratories along with the faculty members of the laser group from the Department of Physics at Cochin University of Science and Technology. Manpower development and establishment of research activities in Photonics and related fields are the major objectives of ISP. In 1995 we started a three-semester M.Tech course in Opto-electronics and Laser Technology. In 2001, M.Phil course in Photonics with an objective to train teachers in the area of Photonics, was also initiated.

The School has one of the best laser laboratories in the country. The research areas span from fundamental to applied fields in photonics and related areas including Laser Induced Plasma Spectroscopy, Fiber Optic Sensors, Photo-acoustic studies, non-linear optics.

http://www.photonics.cusat.edu/Research.html

University of Pune, Pune

Department of Physics started its activity in 1952 and there is no looking back since then. The department today is an active beehive of research being carried out in a wide variety of frontier areas as well as high quality post-graduate and doctoral programs. The research programs of the Department cover a number of areas like Materials Science, Solid State Physics, Condensed Matter Physics, Nonlinear Dynamics, Scanning Tunneling Microscopy, Cloud Physics, Thin/Thick Films, Diamond Coatings, Nuclear and Accelerator Physics, Lasers, Plasma Physics, Field Electron/Ion Microscopy, Biophysics etc. The research areas include Tree Electron Lasers.

http://physics.unipune.ernet.in/aboutus.shtml

University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram

The Department of Opto-electronics was started in 1995 and basically established to offer new courses and to train persons in the emerging area of Opto-electronics. Research on topics like non-linear optics materials, holography, fiber optic sensors, laser applications etc has been started.

http://www.keralauniversity.edu/f7799dhhd

Physical research Laboratory, Ahmedabad

The initial focus of research in PRL was on Cosmic Rays and the properties of the Upper Atmosphere. Research in Theoretical Physics and Radio Physics were added later. Research related to Laser Physics and Quantum Optics was initiated in 1990s in the Quantum Optics & Quantum Information Division (QOQI). The research activities of this Division include, Quantum computation & quantum information; Quantum Optics; Bose-Einstein condensates; Cold atoms; Quantum field theory, Solitons, optical resonators and optical fibers.

http://www.prl.ernet.in/

Institute of Plasma Research, GandhiNagar, Gujrat

Institute for Plasma Research is an autonomous Physics research institute, involved in research in various aspects of plasma science including basic plasma physics. Basic experiments in plasma physics include Free Electron Laser, dusty plasmas and other nonlinear phenomena.

http://www.ipr.res.in/

Shri G.S. Institute of Technology & Science, Indore

Under National Laser Programme, the Department of Applied Physics at SGSITS was identified to run M.Tech programme in Optoelectronics with specialisation in optical communication. Since its inception in the year 1995, the M. Tech programme is being run in the department with active supports from Raja Rammana Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore. The department has now adequate resource to take up any new training and research activities in the field of laser science, optical electronics and related areas.At present, the department has mobilised its maximum research activities in the areas of Laser Physics, Optical Electronics, Fiber Optics and Nonlinear Optics.

http://www.sgsits.ac.in/deptapphy/deptapphy.htm

Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore

School of Physics established in 1971 is a premier, front line department of physics education in the state. It is dynamic, vibrant and growth oriented having many unique features. All courses offered by the department run on semester system in which evaluation of a student's performance is made on the basis of regular tests and a comprehensive viva-voce at the end of each semester. The department has a highly qualified and dedicated regular faculty and is well supported by distinguished associate faculty from Centre for Advanced Technology, Inter-University Consortium for DAE facilities, Indore, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad and Institute of Plasma Research, Gandhinagar. It has memorandum of understanding (MOU) with internationally reputed laboratories as Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, and Inter-University Consortium for DAE facilities, Indore and Institute of Plasma Research, Gandhinagar. Present research activities include Free Electron Lasers and Quantum well Lasers.

http://www.physics.dauniv.ac.in/research.php