Tata Institute of Fundamental Research

Physics

TIFR scientists study all areas of experimental and theoretical physics - from the tiniest subatomic particles to the whole universe. At the Main Campus in Mumbai, research is conducted in a wide spectrum of areas covered in five departments: Dept. of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Dept. of Condensed Matter Physics and Material Sciences, Dept. of High Energy Physics, Dept. of Nuclear and Atomic Physics, which have high-quality laboratory and instrumentation facilities, and in the Dept. of Theoretical Physics. The centres, i.e., ICTS at Bengaluru, NCRA Pune, and TIFR Hyderabad, have a focus on specific directions.

At TIFR Mumbai :

Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics

The research programs of DAA span the whole of Astrophysics and include the study of the Sun, the stars, exoplanets, compact objects (black holes and neutron stars), the matter between the stars, gravitational waves, galaxies, transient phenomena and cosmology. These research areas are addressed with a combination of theoretical, simulation and observational work. The department has pioneered, built and continues to contribute significantly to ground and space-based instrumentation in the X-ray and infrared wavelengths.

Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Material Sciences

Research in DCMPMS asks questions about the nature of materials that are in the condensed state – familiar condensed phases like solids or liquids, but also more exotic phases such as the superconducting phase at low temperatures, magnetically-ordered phases etc. They also work on semiconductors and nanostructured materials, and soft-matter. Electronic, physical, mechanical, optical, and chemical properties of materials are studied in relation to their structure. The emphasis is on the experimental measurement of various properties using different probes in an attempt to understand the underlying physical behavior. Fabrication of optoelectronic, plasmonic, and superconducting device structures serve as test systems to study novel phenomena, as well as to enable real world applications.

Learn more at the DCMPMS website.

Department of High Energy Physics

The Department of High Energy Physics is engaged in experiments which investigate the origin, evolution, and the ultimate fate of the universe using accelerator-based and non-accelerator based techniques. At present, the department has activities in large-scale international collaborations at CERN, KEK, fermilab, as well as home-grown experiments in the areas of cosmic ray physics, gravitational physics, and cold atoms. With expertise in instrumentation and detector development, the department is a major driver of the upcoming Indian Neutrino Observatory.

Find out more at DHEP website.

Department of Nuclear and Atomic Physics

The Department of Nuclear and Atomic Physics has experimental programs in molecular dynamics and control, high intensity laser-matter interactions, ultrafast phenomena, nano and mesoscopic optics, nuclear structure and dynamics, many-body nuclear physics at finite temperature and angular momentum, search for neutrinoless double beta decay, nuclear spectroscopy, accelerator-based atomic and condensed matter physics, studies of ultracold atoms and molecules, as well as theoretical studies of nuclear and quark matter.

Find out more at the DNAP website.

Department of Theoretical Physics

The scientists in the Department of Theoretical Physics work closely with experiments and data to build theories to understand everything, from the tiniest subatomic particles to the whole universe, i.e., condensed matter and statistical physics, cosmology and astroparticle physics, high energy physics including electroweak and strong interactions, as well as string theory and mathematical physics. The department has a vibrant research atmosphere, with internationally acclaimed faculty, active graduate research, a vigorous postdoctoral program, and dozens of international experts visiting every year to collaborate and exchange ideas.

To learn more visit the DTP website.

At Centers :

International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Bengaluru

The ICTS-TIFR in Bengaluru is a unique centre in India with three main goals: housing highest quality research cutting across disciplines in physical and mathematical sciences, organising global collaborative research programs, and undertaking vigorous science outreach activities. Researchers work on astrophysics, string theory, complex systems, and related areas in mathematics.

National Centre for Radio Astronomy, Pune

NCRA-TIFR in Pune, carries out cutting-edge research centred on low frequency radio astronomy in wide-ranging areas, e.g., solar physics, pulsars, active galactic nuclei, the interstellar medium, supernova remnants, the Galactic Centre, nearby galaxies, high-redshift galaxies, fundamental constant evolution, and the epoch of reionization. NCRA-TIFR has built and operates the largest steerable radio telescope in the world, the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope, as well as the Ooty Radio Telescope. It offers challenging opportunities to work at the frontiers of astronomy and astrophysics, as well as in instrumentation development. In recent times, NCRA-TIFR has taken the lead in participating in international projects such as the Square Kilometre Array.

TIFR Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Hyderabad

The research interests of the faculty at TIFR Hyderabad do not fall under traditional subjects. Most faculty members work in multiple areas. At present, they are active in areas such as biophysics, mechanobiology, computational physics, fluid dynamics, materials science, soft matter physics, and related areas of theoretical physics.

Find out more at TIFR Hyderabad Research.

Physics @ TIFR