Centre for Nanoscience & Nanotechnology (U.I.E.A.S.T.)

About Centre for Nanoscience & Nanotechnology (U.I.E.A.S.T.)

The Centre for Nano Science & Nano Technology (CNSNT) came into existence in the year 2005 offering M. Tech. (Nano Science and Nano Technology) degree program by the University Centre for Instrumentation Micro-electronics (UCIM) and later under the aegis of Department of Physics, Panjab University. It has grown into an independent Centre under the renewed initiative of University Institute for Emerging Areas in Science and Technology (UIEAST) by Panjab University.

Currently, the centre offers two years M. Tech. degree in Nano Science and Nano Technology and Ph.D. programs in multidisciplinary subjects. The centre also offers hands-on training on various advanced characterization techniques in-house and at other nearby institutes and central facilities from Sophisticated Analytical Instrumentation Facility (SAIF) of Panjab University. Experiments are carried out to analyze samples using various relevant advanced level instruments related to Nanoscience such as Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), and various other instruments like Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscope (FT-IR), UV-visible spectroscope, Hall Effect Measurement, Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometer, Chemical Vapor Deposition and RF-Sputtering, Cyclic Voltammetry for electrochemistry, Surface Enhanced Raman Spectrometer (SERS). Students also get ample opportunity in fabrication of few devices like solar cells, memory devices, sensors, and processes like thin film deposition, growth of 2D and 3D nanomaterials. Faculties of various Science and Engineering departments of Panjab University participate in teaching and research activities at CNSNT. Special invited lectures are also arranged involving faculties and scientists from Institute of Nano Science and Technology- Mohali, CSIO-Chandigarh, IISER-Mohali, etc. The focus of the centre is to impart conceptual and up to date knowledge of nanoscience and nanotechnology, along with hands-on training on various advanced instrumentation techniques for nonmaterials synthesis and characterization. CNSNT strives to create much needed world class infrastructure facilities for innovative research and training at the industry-academia interface.

CNSNT has also close collaborative research program and arrangements to share infrastructure with major national scientific research institutions in the country like INST (Mohali), IISER(Mohali), NPL (Delhi), IIT (Delhi), IITs (Ropar and Mumbai), IISc (Bengaluru), CSIR Laboratories (CSIO, IMTECH-Chandigarh), NIPER (Mohali), and IHBT (Palampur). The centre has signed MOUs with INST, Mohali and Saitama University, Japan for research collaboration and sharing infrastructure facilities to augment the research and developmental activities and students' participation. CNSNT is also one of the participant departments of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) network universities. CNSNT aims to become one of the leading academic centre in research and innovation through proactive collaborations with premier research institutes worldwide and by actively participating in cutting edge research in nanoscience and concomitant technological developments in focused areas like optoelectronics, nanoelectronics, biosensing, drug delivery, solar energy harvesting, environment, and healthcare. The centre also encourages participation of industries by creating state of the art infrastructure facilities for relevant industrial research, creating an atmosphere for time bound delivery, promoting entrepreneurship, and generating skilled manpower in allied domains.