Pritiraj Mohanty

Professor (Physics, MSE)

Office 590 Commonwealth Ave, SCI 206
Email mohanty@bu.edu
Phone 617-353-2600
Website Mohanty Group Home Page

Research Areas

Applications of Nanomechanical Devices: Wireless Communications and Sensors
Our research in this specific area focuses on the development of ultra-high-frequency (UHF) oscillators, filters and frequency-selective elements for eventual use as high-speed sensors and communication systems. Our systems are nanomechanical oscillators, and they vibrate at speeds exceeding 2 GHz—the highest mechanical frequency ever reported. Because of their mechanical construct and the small size, they will enable a host of future applications. Currently, we are exploring specific applications, which include nanomechanical memory elements for high-speed high-density data storage and gigahertz-range nanomechanical oscillators for use as frequency-selecting device in cellular phones.
Quantum Computing: Quantum Control of Coherence of the Electron Wave Function
This project involves the development of quantum control techniques to externally control coherence properties of electron wave functions, or to increase the coherence time of electron wave functions in sub-micron and nanoscale mesoscopic systems. The main thrust behind our approach is to develop enabling technologies for increasing the coherence time scales from the usual nanosecond range to microseconds or even milliseconds. The long-term direction is to perform picosecond time-domain reflectometry and a host of quantum control techniques (open-loop, closed-loop learning feedback and bang-bang).
Quantum Nanomechanics: Quantum Motion to Testing the Limit of Quantum Mechanics
Our current research efforts in this area involve the observation of quantized displacement, energy quantization and Rabi oscillations in macroscopic mechanical oscillators. We have already observed the first two phenomena. In the next few years, we will explore approaches to use these mechanical systems as quantum bits, particularly for quantum information processing. Furthermore, we are exploring foundations of quantum mechanics with these experiments, which involve the largest quantum systems ever realized in a laboratory.
Spintronics: Control of Spins with Nanomechanical Torque
Our current research efforts in this area involve a new proposal for spintronics: spin detection and control can be done mechanical torque. We have recently proposed a comprehensive technique to carry out a series of experiments for demonstrating spin current and spin transfer across a hybrid junction of nanowire, fabricated on top of a two-element suspended torsion oscillator with sub-micron features. The proposed plan of this 3-year project is to demonstrate spin detection and control. This project involves measurement of single-spin conductance and the value of Planck’s constant.

Additional Affiliations

Division of Materials Science & Engineering

Department or Division: Materials Science & Engineering

Affiliation: Primary & Affiliated Faculty

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