Centre for Functional Materials

• Induces Surface Distribution of Residual Stresses
• Increases thermal stability of Residual Stresses
• Induces in-Depth Residual Stress Distribution
• Also be used to strengthen thin sections, harden surfaces, shape or straighten parts and break up hard materials.

Useful for multiple disciplines of research such as Materials Science and Mechanical Engineering

Room No.: 402
Technology Tower
Centre of Functional Materials
School of Advanced Sciences (SAS)

Dr. S Madeswaran
Centre of Functional Materials
VIT, Vellore, TN-632014.
Email: cfm.lsps@vit.ac.in
Phone: 0416-220 2353/58

• Tester vary primarily in load range.
• Accommodate either the vicker's or Knoop Indenters.
• Load from 10 to 1000 gf are directly applied to the top of the indenter.
• For a high-accuracy measurement, the test should be performed on a flat specimen with a polished or prepared surface.
• The quality of the required surface is dependent on the force used.
• In all the tests, the indentation perimeter and depth should be clearly defined when observed by the microscope.

Useful for multiple disciplines of research such as Materials Science, Mechanical engineering, Crystal Growth.

Room No.: 402
Technology Tower
Centre of Functional Materials
School of Advanced Sciences (SAS)

Dr. R EzhilVizhi
Centre of Functional Materials
VIT, Vellore, TN-632014.
Email: cfm.vkhs@vit.ac.in
Phone: 0416- 2202350/53

• Measure the nonlinear optical properties of materials.
• Determine intrinsic photo-physical properties of materials by focusing a single laser beams onto the surface of the materials sample.
• Measurements need to be taken at different laser pulse energies or different laser pulse lifetimes in order to determine what nonlinear processes are present.
• Sample (of size 1mm x 1- 10 mm x 1-10 mm) should be flat with a polished surface.

Useful for multiple disciplines of research such as Materials Science, Crystals and Optical materials.

Room No.: 402
Technology Tower
Centre of Functional Materials
School of Advanced Sciences (SAS)

Dr. R EzhilVizhi
Centre of Functional Materials,
VIT, Vellore, TN-632014.
Email: cfm.zst@vit.ac.in
Phone:0416 - 2202350 / 53

Voltage range : ±210 V
Current range :±3 A DC, ±10.5A pulsed
Accuracy : 0.015%
Source and measurement
Resolution : 10 fA and 100 nV

Sample Preparation:
• Thin films or pallets with metallic contact pads
• Maximum, sample size 1in x 1in.

• Precise voltage/current source and measurement
• Perform Restivity, I-V Characterization, DC or Pulsed I-V test
• Semiconductor Component Test, Verification, and Analysis
• Two-leaded Diodes, laser diodes, LEDs, Photodetectors, sensors
• Three terminal field effect transistors (FETs), bipolar junction transistors(BJTs)
• Complete Automated System
• Limit (compliance) feature prevents device damage
• Integrated sweep and arbitrary waveform measurement functionality

402 - Technology Tower, CFM Lab
Centre for Functional Materials
Vellore Institute of Technology –Vellore Campus
Thiruvalam Road,Vellore,Tamil Nadu, India.

Laser System:

Gas : KrF
Wavelength : 248 nm
Maximum Energy : 750 mJ
Pulse duration : 20 ns
Maximum Frequency : 10 Hz

Deposition Chamber:

1. Standard Chamber:
Maximum deposition area: 1 cm x 1 cm
Target size : 1 inch
Targets : 6
Substrate temperature : 800 °C
Target Rastering
Maximum Sample size : 1 cm x 1 cm

2. Large Area Chamber:
Maximum deposition area: 2.5cm x 2.5 cm
Target size : 1 or 2 inch
Substrate temperature: 800 °C
Laser and Target Rastering
Uniformity over 1 square inch

• Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) is a PVD technique used to deposit thinfilms of various materials. The PLD process involves directing a high-energy laser beam onto a target, which ablates the atoms of the target material. The ablated particles form vaporised plasma and are then deposited on the substrate.
• A key advantage of PLD is that it yields high-quality stoichiometric thinfilms. It is a versatile technique for depositing multicomponent materials like complex oxides, nitrides, etc. It also allows precise control of the thickness of the film, especially when equipped with in situ units like RHEED.
• PLD-deposited films have broad applications in semiconductors, memory Devices, spintronics, sensors, solar cells, superconductors, etc.

402 - Technology Tower, CFM Lab,
Centre for Functional Materials
Vellore Institute of Technology –Vellore Campus,
Thiruvalam Road,Vellore,Tamil Nadu, India.

Dr. Atul Thakre
Assistant Professor
Centre for Functional Materials
CBMR - 201A, VIT Vellore Campus,
Katpadi, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014

Faculty In-charge E-mail ID: atul.thakre@vit.ac.in
Facility E-mail ID: cfm.pld@vit.ac.in

1. Battery Performance Evaluation
• Charge/discharge cycling of single cells and battery packs
2. Electrochemical Characterization
• Galvanostatic and potentiostatic control for batteries, supercapacitors, and hybrid devices
• Voltage‑current response characterization
• Rate capability testing
3. Material and Electrode Research
• Evaluation of new electrode materials (anodes, cathodes)
4. Advanced Diagnostics
• Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) for kinetic and transport properties
5. Safety and Reliability Testing
• Overcharge/overdischarge tolerance
• High precision current/voltage control for abuse testing
• Thermal effect correlation with electrical performance
6. Application Areas
• Lithium-ion, Li‑S, Na-ion, solid-state, and other emerging battery chemistries
• Supercapacitors and hybrid capacitors
• Fuel cell single-cell studies
• Industrial R&D, academic research, and quality control

• Growth of epitaxial layers (Si, Ge, GaAs, GaN, InP, etc.) with controlled doping and thickness

• Controlled growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene, where catalyst activation and CNT elongation need different zones.
• Nanowires and quantum dots (Si, GaN, ZnO, etc.) with composition gradients or heterostructures

• Make and Model: Biologic-SP-150e
• Year: 2023
• Voltage: ± 10 V
• Current: ± 10 µA to ± 1 A
• EIS: 1 MHz to 10 µHz

• Make and Model: NewportLCS‑100 94011A
• Source: 100 W xenon lamp
• One sun illumination withAM 1.5G Filter
• Class ABB spectral match

• Material Characterization, Battery and Supercapacitor Testing, Corrosion Studies
• Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER), Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER), and Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR)

• Precise measurement of passive components under controlled temperature.
• Helps in characterizing behaviour across a wide temperature range.

• Evaluates how dielectric, magnetic, and conductive properties vary with temperature.
• Essential for materials used in harsh or varying environmental conditions.

• Precise measurement of passive components under controlled temperature.
• Helps in characterizing behaviour across a wide temperature range.

• Evaluates how dielectric, magnetic, and conductive properties vary with temperature.
• Essential for materials used in harsh or varying environmental conditions

• Heat treatment of metals (annealing, tempering, stress relieving).
• Hardening or softening materials for microstructure studies.
• Sintering of ceramics, powders, and composite materials.
• Melting and refining of small metal samples.

• Calibration and testing of thermocouples and sensors.
• High-temperature reaction studies.
• Controlled oxidation/reduction experiments.

• Make: EverBeing Int'l;
• Model: C4HT
• Micropositioners :4 probes with magnetic-lock-based
• Probe:Tungsten tips of 5µm diameter
• Temperatures: RT - 200°C(Heatable vacuum chuck)
• Optical microscope: Magnification: 150x;
• Camera: Moticam 8MP

• Model:Keysight B2902B
• Voltage range: ±210 V
• Current range:±3 A DC, ±10.5A pulsed
• Accuracy: 0.015%
• Source and measurement
• Resolution : 10 fA and 100 nV

• Gold (Au), Silver (Ag), Copper (Cu), Aluminum (Al), and Tungsten (W) coatings.

• Mirror coatings (Al, Ag) for optics, solar panels, and decorative hardware.

• SiO₂, Al₂O₃, HfO₂, TiO₂ for capacitors, MOS devices, and passivation layers.

• ZnO, CdS, Ga₂O₃, and other oxide semiconductors for photovoltaics and sensors.

• For X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic absorption (AAS), ICP, and other analytical methods.
• Producing homogeneous powder mixtures.

• Solid-state reactions, phase transformations, and amorphization.
• Used in research on nanomaterial’s and advanced alloys.

• To submicron and manometer range (< 1 µm).
• Suitable for dry or wet grinding.