The Raman Research Institute (RRI) is a premier scientific research institute funded by the Indian government’s Department of Science and Technology. The institute is focused on fundamental research in frontier areas, revealing wonders of physics over a breathtaking range of scales stretching from the cosmos to the quantum.
The year 2023 marks its 75th year, and the institute celebrated the milestone with six international conferences, launching prestigious named lecture and talk series by eminent scientists from around the world.
Since the institute’s founding, scientists and engineers have helmed discoveries in equal measure. The institute’s Electronics Engineering Group and Mechanical Engineering Services have built world-class instruments and telescopes in the country and around the globe.
C V Raman: RRI’s visionary founder
The renowned physicist, Professor C V Raman, established RRI in Bengaluru in 1948. Raman is known for many noteworthy contributions to the areas of acoustics, scattering of light, crystal dynamics, nature’s colours and their perception, among others. He discovered the celebrated Raman effect in 1928, which was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930. To commemorate this discovery, and underlying wide ranging applications to science and technology, India celebrates National Science Day on 28 February every year.
Objective and mandate
The research in fundamental sciences covers four main themes.
Astronomy and Astrophysics: Theoretical astrophysics, observational astronomy, experimental radio and X-Ray astronomy, algorithms and signal processing.
This group undertakes detailed study of the physical, chemical and dynamic properties of celestial objects and phenomena. RRI has a history of excellence in major space missions, such as AstroSat, the first dedicated Indian astronomy mission studying celestial sources in X-ray, optical and UV spectral bands. It has designed and built POLIX, the first Indian X-ray polarimeter to study high-energy celestial phenomena), to be launched soon on ISRO’s XpoSat. The institute is looking forward to PRATUSH, a precision radiometer to be placed in lunar orbit to seek subtle signals from the cosmic dawn from the far side of the moon. Terrestrially, from building the country’s first millimetre wave telescope to contributing in the design and development of key electronics, RRI researchers have worked on the Murchison Widefield Array, Ooty Radio Telescope, Mauritius radio telescope, Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope and the Square Kilometre Array – the world’s largest proposed radio telescope.
Light and matter physics (LAMP): Ultra-cold atoms and molecules, development of quantum-enabled technologies and quantum communications and optics, atom-light interaction and spectroscopy, intense light-matter interactions.
The group is engaged in research on fundamental properties of electromagnetic (EM) waves and the nature of their interaction with gaseous neutral atoms, ions, condensed matter, and ultracold and exotic states of matter. These studies aim to unravel fundamental processes and provide new guiding principles.
The cluster of quantum labs at RRI has demonstrated frontline achievements, such as secure quantum communication between two stationary sources, and between a stationary and a moving source, developed quantum sensing of magnetic fields at unprecedented sensitivies using neutral atoms at room temperatures, and uncovered novel quantum physics of laser cooled atoms at ultracold temperatures using in-house built apparatus. Another stream of research is on the optical nonlinearity in novel materials and the generation and characterization of laser-produced plasmas.
Soft condensed matter physics (SCM): Colloids, complex fluids, liquid crystals, nanocomposites, polyelectrolytes, self-assembled systems, polymers and biological materials.
A fundamental understanding of the structure- property correlations, phase behaviour of these systems, and response to external stimuli form major experiments of the group. The institute has made seminal contributions to the field of liquid crystals, colloids, chemistry, biological processes, properties of soft matter.
The biophysics lab has devised cost-effective instruments for the diagnosis of diseases, including neurological conditions, based on study of force responses of cells and molecules. The rheology labs have developed and investigated smart and adaptive materials, studied earthquakes and behaviours of soft materials to shear jamming effects.
Theoretical physics: Foundations of quantum mechanics, general relativity, quantum gravity, statistical physics, condensed matter and quantum optics.
The group has forged robust collaborations with experimental groups within RRI. The connection with the LAMP group is in the areas of precision measurements using atomic systems, foundational questions in quantum mechanics, quantum information and quantum sensing and metrology and non-linear quantum dynamics. The overlap with the SCM group is in areas such as biophysics, polymer physics and modelling stochastic search process. RRI theorists have fruitful ongoing collaborations in all the aforementioned areas within India and elsewhere.
Imparting knowledge
The institute enrols highly motivated students for its PhD programme and offers a vibrant learning space for doctoral studies in the four mandated themes, for experimental or theoretical studies. A comprehensive coursework, research guidance in the aforementioned research areas coupled with exposure to national and international academicians of high standing via conferences, workshops, named lectures and seminars provides the students a holistic approach towards building a career in academics and science.
The institute participates in the Joint Astronomy Programme (JAP) with the Indian Institute of Science along with the Physics and Biology Programme with the National Centre for Biological Sciences. RRI is affiliated to the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), which issues the degrees.
A vibrant two-year post-doctoral programme (extendable by one year) prepares young researchers for independent R&D.
The institute offers specialised training to engineers, and those with a Master’s degree in science or relevant subjects through the Research Assistantship programme. Students working alongside experienced scientists and engineers are engaged in multi-institutional missions and projects.
The Visiting Student Programme, applications for which are open throughout the year, is for students who are either in their gap year or pursuing undergraduate or post-graduate degrees.
Communicating knowledge
Apart from generating high end research manpower, the institute engages with school, college and university-level students and the general public via a number of science outreach activities for greater engagement and dissemination of its research.
RRI has nurtured a healthy balance of top-end scientific research, together with technological capability that holds great promise for future frontier endeavours at par with the best in the world. RRI plans to leverage the unique role that it can play both within the S&T ecosystem in the national and international arena.