Fig. 1: Two-coil mutual inductance set-up (home-built) of our lab for high frequency AC susceptibility measurement. 

Figure courtesy: Amit Jash et al., Phys. Rev. Appl. 12, 014056 (2019).

My research lies at the fascinating intersection of strong electronic correlations and band topology — two of the most active frontiers in condensed matter physics. Each field on its own hosts a wealth of exotic quantum phenomena, but when strong correlations and topology intertwine, they can give rise to entirely new quantum states of matter yet to be fully understood.

At present, I am studying Samarium Hexaboride (SmB₆), a material predicted to be the first Topological Kondo Insulator (TKI) — a new class of topological materials emerging from the interplay between strong electron correlations and spin–orbit coupling. Despite extensive studies, the nature of its low-temperature conduction — whether arising from 2D topological surface states, bulk neutral fermions, or a coexistence of both — remains an open question.

In our lab, we explore SmB₆ single crystals using diverse experimental probes, including electrical transport, DC and high-frequency AC magnetic susceptibility (via a home-built two-coil setup), specific heat measurements, and magneto-optical imaging (MOI) of local current distributions — the latter being a technique one of its kind in India. Our recent results indicate that surface conduction in SmB₆ emerges just after the Kondo gap opens, suggesting a complex surface state that is neither purely topological nor purely correlated, but a hybrid of both. We are now extending this study using local current imaging to visualize these surface states directly.

Parallel to this, I am also involved in the growth and characterization of thin films of Bi₂Se₃, a conventional topological insulator, to study how its electronic properties evolve with substrate choice, dimensionality, and disorder. 

To further extend our investigations into two-dimensional regimes, I have developed a home-built 2000 °C high-vacuum induction furnace for growing SmB₆ thin films, which will enable a systematic exploration of dimensional crossover from 3D to 2D in these correlated topological systems.