Research & Publications

🧪 Research Overview

My research spans computational and experimental materials science, with a focus on:

Phase transformation modeling
Dislocation dynamics simulations
Silicon ingot growth for photovoltaic applications
Crystalline silicon solar cell fabrication
Micro-structure evolution in nickel-based superalloys

I have hands-on experience with simulation tools like NuMoDis, Phase Field Modeling, LAMMPS, and experimental techniques in solar cell manufacturing and silicon characterization.

Research Experience

🔬 Postdoctoral Fellow (Jun 2022 – Jan 2025)

IIT Bombay – With Prof. Prita Pant & Prof. M. P. Gururajan

DMRL-IITB collaborative project on simulation of microstructure evolution during dynamic recrystallization in nickel-based superalloys
Dislocation interaction with another dislocation, partials, twin boundaries and with precipitates in DD simulation using NuMoDis with international collaboration
Phase field model to study hexagonal interfacial energy anisotropy for steel making applications
MD Simulations using LAMMPS to understand the dislocation, partials behaviour at the twin boundary region

Microstructure Evolution
microstructure Evolution during Dynamic Recrystallization (CA & MC)

Spinodal Decomposition
Phase Separation process in binary alloy (PFM)

Precipitate Growth
Hexagonal Interfacial Free Energy Anisotropy (PFM)

🧪 Senior Research Fellow (Dec 2021 – Jun 2022)

SSN Institutions, Chennai – With Prof. P. Ramasamy

Fabricated standard silicon solar cells
Grew Ge-doped mc-Si ingots for improved carrier lifetime

Silicon Feedstock along with Germanium dopants

Germanium Doped Silicon Ingot

Solar Cells from Own Silicon Ingots

🔧 Junior Research Fellow (Sep 2018 – Nov 2021)

SSN Institutions, Chennai – With Prof. P. Ramasamy

Modeled mono-like silicon ingot growth using modified DS process.

Simulated DS Furnace

Temperature Distribution (in Growing Silicon Ingot)

Outgoing Heat Flux during Ingot Growth Process

🔬 Project Fellow (Mar 2015 – Aug 2018)

MNRE Project, SSN Institutions – With Prof. P. Ramasamy

Grew mc-Si ingots with improved DS process
Modeled DS furnace for process optimization

Experimental Furnace

Silicon Feedstock (Chunks & Granules) in Quartz Crucible

Silicon Ingot (~15 Kg)

Directionally solidified multi-crystalline silicon ingots

Publications

📝 Journal Articles

Numerical simulation approach to investigate the effect of gas tube design on the impurities distribution and thermal properties of multi-crystalline silicon ingot grown by directional solidification process.
R. Muthukumar, S. Sanmugavel, K. Aravinth, P. Balaji Bhargav, P. Ramasamy & V. Kesavan
Journal of Crystal Growth (2023), vol. 603, pp. 127001.

Influence of back contact annealing temperature in the mc-Si solar cell fabrication process.
G. Aravindan, S. Sanmugavel, S. G. Nagarajan, V. Kesavan, M. Srinivasan & P. Ramasamy
Silicon (2022), vol. 14, pp. 9751-9762.

Transient simulation on the growth of mono-like silicon ingot in DS process using crucible with plano-concave bottom for PV applications.
S. Sanmugavel, G. Aravindan & P. Ramasamy
Silicon (2022), vol. 14, pp. 3653–3663.

Simulation and experimental approach to investigate the annealing effect on mc-Si ingot grown by directional solidification process for PV application.
S. Sanmugavel, G. Aravindan, S. G. Nagarajan, V. Kesavan & P. Ramasamy
Silicon (2021), vol. 13, pp. 2569-2580.

Numerical simulation on the suppression of crucible wall constraint in directional solidification furnace.
S. Sanmugavel, M. Srinivasan, K. Aravinth & P. Ramasamy
Silicon (2019), vol. 11, pp. 775-780.

Influence of additional insulation block on multi-crystalline silicon ingot growth process for PV applications.
S. G. Nagarajan, S. Sanmugavel, V.Kesavan, G. Aravindan, M. Srinivasan & P. Ramasamy
Journal of Crystal Growth (2019), vol. 516, pp. 10-16.

📘 Conference Proceedings

Effect of annealing temperature on the thermal stress and dislocation density of mc-Si ingot grown by DS process for solar cell application.
S. Sanmugavel, M. Srinivasan, K. Aravinth & P. Ramasamy
AIP Conference Proceedings (2018), vol. 1942, pp. 140070.

Effect of heater design on the melt-crystal interface.
S. Sanmugavel, M. Srinivasan, K. Aravinth & P. Ramasamy
AIP Conference Proceedings (2017), vol. 1832, pp. 120020.

Numerical investigations on hot-zone modified DS furnace for mc-Si growth process.
S. Sanmugavel, M. Srinivasan, K. Aravinth & P. Ramasamy
AIP Conference Proceedings (2016), vol. 1731, pp. 110033.

📎 Google Scholar Profile

📎 ORCID

Posters

Presented in 5th International Conference on Advances in Energy Research (ICAER 2015) at IIT Bombay during December 15-17, 2015

Presented in International Conference on Recent trends in Applied Science and Technology (ICRAST 2017) at Anna University, Chennai during September 8-9, 2017.

Presented in 63rd DAE Solid State Physics Symposium (DAE-SSPS 2018) held at Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar during December 18-22, 2018.

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