Research Interest
Research Interest
My current research focuses on the sympathetic cooling of ions confined in a Paul trap using ultracold atoms held in a magneto-optical trap (MOT), with the aim of reaching the quantum collision regime. The goal is to understand and control atom–ion interactions at ultralow energies. This work has potential applications in cold chemistry, quantum transport, and the development of quantum technologies.
I have worked on generating stable, high-current ion beams using low-pressure microwave plasmas. The aim was to push plasma-based FIB systems towards high-intensity nano-beams for applications in nanofabrication and materials analysis.
Nonlinear demagnification
I have studied the role of the plasma sheath near the extraction aperture. Found that when the aperture size approaches the Debye length (~100 μm), electric field penetration increases nonlinearly. This modifies the emission surface, leading to a significant reduction in beam size.
[Barman et al., Plasma Research Express 4, 025003 (2022),
Maurya et al., Physics of Plasmas 26, 063103 (2019).]
Micro-glass capillary guiding
I have employed micro-capillaries to guide and focus ion beams with low loss. Beam-induced charge patches on the inner wall enable self-guiding, while external fields allow additional control. This helped achieve stable nano-scale (~160 nm) beams with better control over trajectories.
[Barman et al., Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics 57, 405206 (2024),
Maurya et al., Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics 52, 055205 (2018).]
I have explored the quantum nature of low-energy ion beams through diffraction experiments using material gratings.
Diffraction and Interferometry
Developing a cryogenic ion interferometer to study diffraction patterns. These patterns are highly sensitive to external electric and magnetic fields.
Towards Quantum Sensing
The strong field sensitivity of ion diffraction opens up possibilities for precision sensing. The system can also be used to probe ion–matter interactions at quantum scales.
[Barman et al., arXiv 2602.15615 (2026);
Barman et al., Physica Scripta 100, 045404 (2025);
Barman et al., New Journal of Physics 25, 083044 (2023);
Barman et al., Journal of Applied Physics 132, 034401 (2022).]