Wednesday, May 21, 2008

A brief indication of Research Highlights


Since 1980s, Dipankar Home has been working on various Foundational aspects of Quantum Mechanics, especially on topics related to Quantum Entanglement, Quantum Nonlocality, the Quantum Measurement Problem, the Quantum Zeno Effect, the Quantum Time Distributions, and on the Nonstandard Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics such as the Bohmian model. Of late, Home has also been working on issues concerning Quantum Information Transfer/Processing, such as Quantum Teleportation and Quantum Cryptography.

The thrust area of Home’s research works has been to probe the way the abstract conceptual issues underpinning Quantum Mechanics can be linked to experiments in order to derive new insights and uncover some of the unexplored implications of Quantum Mechanics. Among the research contributions by Home, two of his proposed experiments have already been realized in practice:

(i) One of these by Home and his collaborators (Bell's Inequality for a Single Spin 1/2 Particle and Quantum Contextuality; with S. Basu, G. Kar and S. Bandyopadhyay, Physics Letters A 279, 281 (2001)) gave a novel formulation of a Bell-like inequality for a single particle so that an incompatibility between Quantum Mechanics and the hypothesis of noncontextuality (the notion that an individual outcome of a measurement of a dynamical variable does not depend on the specifics of an experimental context) can be experimentally tested. Earlier, there have been a number of mathematical theorems on this issue, but no experimental test was possible. The scheme proposed by Home et al. was the first to indicate the feasibility of experimentally testing the property of contextuality in Quantum Mechanics by entangling the “path” and “spin” – type degrees of freedom of a single particle.

Subsequently, an experiment using neutrons based on the above scheme was carried out by H. Rauch and Y. Hasegawa at Atominstitut, Vienna; this is the first experiment showing the violation of a Bell-like inequality for a single particle, implying Quantum Contextuality; published in Nature 425, 45 (2003), followed by related studies pulished in J. Opt. B 6, S7 – S12 (2004);Physica B 385, 1377 (2006), Physical Review Letters 100, 130404 (2008) A similar experiment was also done, using photons, by M. Michler et al.; Physical Review Letters 84, 5457 (2000).

(ii) The other proposal by Home that has been empirically tested is the one with P. Ghose and G. S. Agarwal which formulated a scheme that used the predicted quantum tunneling of single photon states of light to show both “wave” and “particle” – like properties of a single photon state in the same experimental arrangement (An Experiment to throw more Light on Light; with P. Ghose and G. S. Agarwal, Physics Letters A, 153, 403 (1991); 168, 95 (1992)). This proposal provoked debate about Bohr’s famous Complementarity Principle which decrees mutual exclusiveness between “wave” and “particle” properties of quantum objects.

The experiment suggested by Home and his collaborators was subsequently performed by Y. Mizobuchi and Y. Ohtake at the Hamamatsu Photonics Central Research Laboratory, Japan (Y. Mizobuchi and Y. Ohtake, Physics Letters A 168, 1 (1992)), and the results confirmed the theoretical prediction by Home and his collaborators. Another recent experiment has also confirmed this predicted effect (G. Bridaa, M. Genovesea , , M. Gramegnaa and E. Predazzi, bPhysics Letters A 328 313 (2004)).

Two other works by Home currently await experimental realization:

(a) The question of having efficient resources of entangled states is of considerable importance because Quantum Entanglement lies at the heart of not only the foundational issues of Quantum Mechanics like Quantum Nonlocality, and the Quantum Measurement Problem, but is also at the core of the development of new Quantum Technologies like Cryptography and Teleportation. However, to date all the experimental schemes available for this purpose are system-specific, and most empirical studies have been done using photons.

Against this backdrop, an entirely new approach to have a generic resource for preparing entangled states of any system (Bosons, Fermions or Macromolecules) has been formulated and its implications have been studied (Generic Entanglement Generation, Quantum Statistics, and Complementarity; with S. Bose, Physical Review Letters 88, 050401 (2002); Testing Quantum Statistics with Particles in Distinguishable States; with S. Bose, International Journal of Quantum Information 3, 117 (2005)). The proposed scheme uses the intrinsic property of “indistinguishability” of identical quantum objects originating from independent sources. This novel technique of linking Quantum Entanglement with Quantum Statistics is experimentally implementable, and it also suggests a number of hitherto unexplored implications, including the possibility of teleporting states of massive objects.

(b) An experimentally realizable scheme has been formulated (Observability of the arrival time distribution using spin-rotator as quantum clock; with Alok Kumar Pan and Md. Manirul Ali, Physics Letters A 352, 296 (2006)) which can test any postulated quantum mechanical approach for calculating the transit/arrival time distribution whose quantum prediction has an intrinsic nonuniqueness. This proposed scheme is in terms of the transit/arrival time distribution of spin-1/2 neutral particles corresponding to a Gaussian wave packet passing through a spin-rotator (SR) which contains constant magnetic field. Such a calculated time distribution can then be used for evaluating the distribution of spin orientations for the particles emerging from the SR. Based on this, the result of spin measurement along any arbitrary direction can be predicted that is empirically testable. Thus, our suggested setup enables experimental discrimination between different quantum approaches available for computing the transit/arrival time distribution.time distribution.

Most Important Research Papers

Some of the Significant Research Papers (post-1991)


1. Generic Entanglement Generation, Quantum Statistics, and Complementarity; with S. Bose, Physical Review Letters 88, 050401 (2002).


2. A conceptual analysis of Quantum Zeno Paradox, Measurement and Experiment; with M.A.B. Whitaker, Annals of Physics, 258, 237 (1997).


3. Testing Quantum Statistics with particles in Distinguishable States; with S. Bose, International Journal of Quantum Information 3, 117 (2005).


4. Bell's inequality for a single spin 1/2 particle and Quantum Contextuality; with S. Basu and S. Bandyopadhyay, Physics Letters A 279, 281 (2001).


5. Observability of the arrival time distribution using spin-rotator as quantum clock; with Alok Kumar Pan and Md. Manirul Ali, Physics Letters A 352, 296 (2006).


6. DNA Molecular Cousin of Schroedinger’s Cat: A Curious Example of Quantum Measurement; with R. Chattopadhyaya, Physical Review Letters, 76, 2836 (1996).


7. An Experiment to throw more Light on Light; with P. Ghose and G. S. Agarwal, Physics Letters A, 153, 403 (1991); 168, 95 (1992).


8. Information flow and Quantum Cryptography using Statistical Fluctuations; with M. A. B. Whitaker, Physical Review A 67, 022306 (2003).


9. On the quantum analogue of Galileo’s leaning tower experiment; with Md. Manirul Ali, A. S. Majumdar, and Alok Kumar Pan, Classical and Quantum Gravity, 23 6493 – 6502 (2006).


10. Information Transfer and Non-locality for a Tripartite Entanglement using Dynamics; with John Corbett, Physics Letters A 333, 382 (2004).


11. Spin-dependent observable effect for free particles using the Arrival Time Distribution; with Md. Manirul Ali, A. S. Majumdar and Shyamal Sengupta, Physical Review A 68, 042105 (2003).


12. Quantum effects involving Interplay between Unitary Dynamics and Kinematic Entanglement; with John Corbett, Physical Review A 62, 062103 (2000).


13. Quantum-Mechanical effects in a Time-varying Reflection Barrier; with S. Bandyopadhyay and A. S. Majumdar, Physical Review A, 65, 052718 (2002).


14. Interpreting the Measurement of the Time of Decay: Phenomenological Significance of the Bohm Model; with A. S. Majumdar, Physics Letters A 296, 176 (2002).


15. Ensemble Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics: A Modern Perspective; with M.A.B. Whitaker, Physics Reports, 210, 4 (1992).


Some of the Significant Research Papers (Pre-1991)


1. Neutral kaon physics from the Point of view of Realism; with F. Selleri, Journal of Physics A, 24, L1073 (1991).


2. Manifestly Lorentz Covariant formulation of the EPR problem using the Tomonaga-Schwinger Formalism; with P. Ghose, Physical Review A, 43, 6382 (1991).


3. New twists to Einstein’s Two-slit experiment: Complementarity Vis-a-Vis the Causal Interpretation; with P.N. Kaloyerou, Journal of Physics A, 22, 3253 (1989).


4. A curious gedanken example of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox using CP Nonconservation; with A. Raychaudhuri and A. Datta, Physics Letters A, 123, 4 (1987).
5. Quantum non-Separability versus Local Realism: A New Test Using the kaon Systems; with A. Datta, Physics Letters A, 119, 3 (1986).


6. Reflections on the Quantum Zeno Paradox; with M.A.B. Whitaker, Journal of Physics A, 19, 1817 (1986).


7. Bell’s Inequality and Non-Contextual dispersion-free states; with S. Sengupta, Physics Letters A, 102, 159 (1984).


8. A critical re-examination of the Aharonov-Bohm effect; with S. Sengupta, American Journal of Physics, 51, 942 (1983).


9. Heisenberg’s gedanken experiment revisited; with S. Sengupta, American Journal of Physics, 51, 567 (1983).


10. Concept of temperature without the Zeroth law; American Journal of Physics, 45, 1203 (1977).

Research Publications

A Complete List of Research Publications (until March 2008)

1. Quantum transit time distribution, its testability and foundational implications; with Alok Kumar Pan in “Quantum Optics – Coherence, Entanglement and Nonlinear Dynamics”; (eds. J. Banerji, P. K. Panigrahi, and R. P. Singh), Macmillan India Limited, Delhi, (2008).


2. Reply to “Comment on ‘Quantum time-of-flight distribution for cold trapped atoms’”; with Md. Manirul Ali, A. S. Majumdar and Alok K. Pan, Physical Review A 77, 026101 (2008).

3. Aspects of nonideal Stern – Gerlach experiment and testable ramifications; with Alok Kumar Pan, Md Manirul Ali and A S Majumdar, Journal of Physics A: Math. Theor. 40, 13975 (2007).


4. Quantum time of flight distribution for cold trapped atoms; with Md. Manirul Ali, A. S. Majumdar and Alok Kumar Pan, Physical Review A 75, 042110 (2007).


5. On the quantum analogue of Galileo’s leaning tower experiment; with Md. Manirul Ali, A. S. Majumdar, and Alok Kumar Pan, Classical and Quantum Gravity, 23 6493 – 6502 (2006).


6. Quantum Superarrivals: Bohr's Wave-Particle Duality Revisited; with Md. M. Ali and A. S. Majumdar, Foundations of Physics Letters, 19, 179(2006).


7. Observability of the arrival time distribution using spin-rotator as quantum clock; with Alok Kumar Pan and Md. Manirul Ali, Physics Letters A 352, 296 (2006).


8. Testing Quantum Statistics with Particles in Distinguishable States; with S. Bose, International Journal of Quantum Information, 3, 117 (2005).


9. Information Transfer and Non-locality for a Tripartite Entanglement using Dynamics; with John Corbett, Physics Letters A 333, 382 (2004).


10. Spin-dependent observable effect for Free Particles using the Arrival Time Distribution; with Md. Manirul Ali, A. S. Majumdar and Shyamal Sengupta, Physical Review A 68, 042105 (2003).


11. Information Flow and Quantum Cryptography using Statistical Fluctuations; with M. A. B. Whitaker, Physical Review A 67, 022306 (2003).


12. Understanding Quantum Superarrivals using the Bohmian Model; with Md. Manirul Ali and A. S. Majumdar, Physics Letters A 304, 61 (2002).


13. Quantum Information Transfer without An External Chanel; with John Corbett, in Proc. 7th Int. Symp. on Foundations of Quantum Mechanics in the Light of New Technology ISQM – Tokyo’01; World Scientific (2002).


14. Quantum Information Transfer Using A Time-Dependent Boundary Condition; with A. S. Majumdar; in Proc. 7th Int. Symp. on Foundations of Quantum Mechanics in the Light of New Technology ISQM – Tokyo’01; World Scientific (2002).


15. Generic Entanglement Generation, Quantum Statistics, and Complementarity; with S. Bose, Physical Review Letters 88, 050401 (2002).


16. Quantum-Mechanical Effects in a Time-varying Reflection Barrier; with S. Bandyopadhyay and A. S. Majumdar, Physical Review A, 65, 052718 (2002).


17. Interpreting the Measurement of the Time of Decay: Phenomenological Significance of the Bohm Model; with A. S. Majumdar, Physics Letters A 296, 176 (2002).


18. Quantum superarrivals and information transfer through a time varying boundary; with A. S. Majumdar, Pramana 59, 321 (2002).


19. Bell's Inequality for a Single Spin 1/2 Particle and Quantum Contextuality; with S. Basu and S. Bandyopadhyay, Physics Letters A 279, 281 (2001).


20. Facets of Tripartite Entanglement, Invited Paper in Foundations of Quantum Theory and Quantum Optics; edited by S. M. Roy, Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore (2001); reprinted from Pramana – J. Phys. 56, Nos. 2 and 3.


21. Quantum Effects involving Interplay between Unitary Dynamics and Kinematic Entanglement; with John Corbett, Physical Review A 62, 062103 (2000).


22. On the Importance of the Bohmian Approach for Interpreting CP Violation Experiments; with A.S. Majumdar, Foundations of Physics 29, 7 (1999).


23. Quantum Zeno Effect: Relevance for Local Realism, Macroscopic Realism, and Non-invasive Measurability at the Macroscopic Level; with M.A.B. Whitaker, Physics Letters A 239, 6 (1998).


24. Response to “Comment on DNA Molecular Cousin of Schroedinger’s Cat: A Curious Example of Quantum Measurement”; with R. Chattopadhyaya, Physical Review Letters 80, 6 (1998).


25. Comment on Why Quantum Mechanics Cannot be formulated as a Markov Process; with L. Hardy, E. J. Squires and M.A.B. Whitaker, Physical Review A, 56, 4 (1997).
26. A Conceptual Analysis of Quantum Zeno Paradox, Measurement and Experiment; with M.A.B. Whitaker, Annals of Physics, 258, 237 (1997).


27. Collapse-Induced Quantum Nonlocal Effect; with G. Kar, Foundations of Physics, 27, 12 (1997).


28. Testing a Dynamical Model of Wavefunction Collapse in the Cosmological Scenario; with A.S. Majumdar, in Quantum Coherence and Decoherence; edited by K. Fujikawa and Y.A. Ono (Elsevier, 1996).


29. Is Spontaneous Localization Compatible with the Energy density of the Universe?; with A.S. Majumdar, Physics Letters A, 220, 17 (1996).


30. The Two-Prism Experiment and Wave Particle Duality of Light; with P. Ghose, Invited Contribution to the Special Issue of Foundations of Physics in honour of Max Jammer, 26, 943 (1996).


31. Standard Quantum Mechanics with Environment-Induced Decoherence and Wavefunction Collapse: Possibility of an Empirical Discrimination Using Neutron Interferometry; with S. Bose, Physics Letters A, 217, 209 (1996).


32. DNA Molecular Cousin of Schroedinger’s Cat: A Curious Example of Quantum Measurement; with R. Chattopadhyaya, Physical Review Letters, 76, 2836 (1996).


33. The Inadequacy of Effective Incoherence Interpretations of Quantum Theory, as demonstrated by analysis of EPR Measurements; with M.A.B. Whitaker, Physics Letters A, 211, 5 (1996).


34. An Incompatibility between Quantum Mechanics and Classical Realism in the Strong Macroscopic Limit; with A.S. Majumdar, Physical Review A, 52, 4959 (1995).


35. Quantum Nonlocality of Single Photon States; with G.S. Agarwal, Physics Letters A, 209, 1 (1995).


36. An Analysis of the Aharonov-Anandan-Vaidman Model; with P. Ghose, Foundations of Physics, 25, 1105 (1995).


37. Quantum Mechanical Interference and Indistinguishability in Nuclear Orbiting Reactions; with A. Ray, Physics Letters A, 204, 87 (1995).


38. On Boson Trajectories in the Bohm Model; with P. Ghose, Physics Letters A, 191, 362 (1994).


39. Position and Contextuality in Bohm’s Causal Completion of Quantum Mechanics; Physics Letters A, 190, 353 (1994).


40. Wave Function Collapse as a Nonlocal Quantum Effect; with R. Nair. Physics Letters A, 187, 224 (1994).


41. Parameter Dependence in the EPR-Bohm Type Experiment; with M.A.B. Whitaker, Physics Letters A, 187, 227 (1994).


42. Non-Classical Interference and Which Path Information in a Gamma Angular Correlation Experiment Using a Heavy-Ion Orbiting Reaction; with A. Ray, Physics Letters A, 178, 33 (1993).


43. Relativistic Quantum Mechanics of Bosons; with P. Ghose, M N Sinha Roy, Physics Letters A 183 267 (1993).


44. Comment on Computational Approach to the Quantum Zeno Effect; with M.A.B. Whitaker, Physical Review A, 48, 2502 (1993).


45. A New Theorem on Quantum Nonlocality, in: Vistas in Astronomy, 37, 269-272 (1993).


46. The Aharonov-Bohm Effect from the Point of View of Local Realism; with F. Selleri, in: Wave-Particle Duality (Plenum, New York, 1993) 127-138.


47. Interrupted Fluorescence Experiments and Hidden Variables; with M.A.B. Whitaker, Physics Letters A, 181, 114 (1993).


48. A Unified Framework for Quantum Zeno Processes; with M.A.B. Whitaker, Physics Letters A, 173, 327 (1993).


49. Locality and Causality in Time-Dependent Aharonov-Bohm Interference; with R.A.Brown, Nuovo Cimento, 107B, 303 (1992).


50. Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Correlation - Parallelism between the Wigner Function and Local Hidden Approaches; with G.S. Agarwal and W. Scleich, Physics Letters A, 170, 359 (1992).


51. Wave -Particle Duality of Single Photon States; with P. Ghose, Invited Contribution to the Special Issue of Foundations of Physics on the birth centenary of L. de Broglie, 22, 1435 (1992).


52. An Experiment to throw more Light on Light: Implications; with P. Ghose and G. S. Agarwal, Physics Letters A, 168, 95 (1992).


53. Negative-Result Experiments and the Requirement of Wave Function Collapse; with M.A.B. Whitaker, Journal of Physics A, 25, 2387 (1992).


54. Realism and the Quantum Mechanical Two-State Oscillator; with L. Hardy, E.J. Squires and M.A.B. Whitaker, Physical Review A, 45, 4267 (1992).


55. A Critical Re-examination of the Zeno Paradox; with M.A.B. Whitaker, Journal of Physics A, 25, 657 (1992).


56. Ensemble Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics: A Modern Perspective; with M.A.B. Whitaker, Physics Reports, 210, 4 (1992).


57. Testing Wave Function Collapse and the Complementarity Principle using Neutron Self - Interference and Tunneling; with P. Ghose, Physica B, 174, 403 (1991).


58. Comment on “A Critique of Home and Sengupta Derivation of a Bell Inequality”; with S. Sengupta, Foundations of Physics Letters, 4, 451 (1991).


59. Critique of a Recent Claim of a Formal Difference between Copenhagen and Statistical Interpretations of Quantum Theory; with M.A.B. Whitaker, Physics Letters A, 160, 325 (1991).


60. Neutral Kaon Physics from the Point of View of Realism; with F. Selleri, Journal of Physics A, 24, L1073 (1991).


61. Quantum Theory and the EPR Paradox; with F. Selleri, Rivista del Nuovo Cimento, 14, 9 (1991).


62. Local Realistic Models and Non-Physical Probabilities; with V.L. Lepore and F. Selleri, Physics Letters A, 153, 357 (1991).


63. Is Bell-type inequality violated for the Kaon systems? with A. Datta, Foundations of Physics Letters, 4, 165 (1991).


64. Manifestly Lorentz Covariant Formulation of the EPR Problem using the Tomonaga-Schwinger Formalism; with P. Ghose, Physical Review A, 43, 6382 (1991).


65. An Experiment to throw more Light on Light; with P. Ghose and G.S. Agarwal, Physics Letters A, 153, 403 (1991).


66. An Analysis of the validity of Local Causality at the Statistical Level in Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen type situations; with M.D. Srinivas, Pramana-Journal of Physics, 35, 303 (1990).


67. Perspectives on Quantum Nonlocality Versus Classical Reality, invited contribution to the Written Round Table on What is Reality? published in: Che Cos e la Realta (Jaca Book, Milan, Italy, 1989); also reprinted in the Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research,. 6, 17 (1989).


68. New Twists to Einstein’s Two-Slit Experiment: Complementarity Vis-a-Vis the Causal Interpretation; with P.N. Kaloyerou, Journal of Physics A, 22, 3253 (1989).


69. Is Quantum Mechanics with CP Nonconservation Incompatible with Einstein’s Locality Condition at the Statistical Level?; with A. Datta and A. Raychaudhuri, Physics Letters A, 130, 187 (1988).


70. Wave Function Collapse in the Ensemble Interpretation; with P.T. Landsberg, in: Microphysical Reality and Quantum Formalism, edited by A. van der Merwe (Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 1988), 1, 65-69.


71. Interpretations of Quantum Measurement without the Collapse Postulate; with M.A.B. Whitaker. Physics Letters A, 128, 1 (1988).


72. Exploring the Meaning of an Individual Feynman Path; with D. Gangopadhyay. Physics Letters A, 126, 219 (1988).


73. Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Paradox for the Kaon systems, in: Quantum Mechanics versus Local Realism, edited by F. Selleri (Plenum, New York, 1988).


74. A Curious Gedanken Example of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Paradox using CP Nonconservation; with A. Raychaudhuri and A. Datta, Physics Letters A, 123, 4 (1987).


75. The Many Worlds and Relative States Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics and the Quantum Zeno Paradox; with M.A.B. Whitaker, Journal of Physics A, 20, 3339 (1987).


76. An Analysis of Wave Function Collapse Using the Ensemble Interpretation; with P.T. Landsberg, American Journal of Physics, 55, 226 (1987).


77. Quantum Non-Separability versus Local Realism: A New Test Using the Kaon systems; with A. Datta, Physics Letters A, 119, 3 (1986).


78. Is the Wave Function Collapse a Physical Reality?; with M.A.B. Whitaker, Physics Letters A, 117, 439 (1986).


79. The Ensemble Interpretation and Context - Dependence in Quantum Systems; with M.A.B. Whitaker, Physics Letters A, 115, 81 (1986).


80. Reflections on the Quantum Zeno Paradox; with M.A.B. Whitaker, Journal of Physics A, 19, 1817 (1986).


81. A Stochastic Local Realist Model for the EPR Atomic Cascade Experiments which reproduces the Quantum Mechanical Coincidence Rates; with T. Marshall, Physics Letters A, 113, 183 (1985).


82. Response to Comment on a Critical Re-examination of the Aharonov-Bohm Effect; American Journal of Physics, 53, 778 (1985).


83. Bell’s Inequality and Non-Contextual Dispersion-Free States; with S. Sengupta, Physics Letters A, 102, 159 (1984).


84. Classical Limit of Quantum Mechanics - A Paradoxical Example; with S. Sengupta, Nuovo Cimento B, 82, 214 (1984).


85. A Critical Re-examination of the Aharonov-Bohm Effect; with S. Sengupta, American Journal of Physics, 51, 942 (1983).


86. Heisenberg’s Gedanken Experiment Revisited; with S. Sengupta, American Journal of Physics, 51, 567 (1983).


87. Classical Limit of Quantum Mechanics; with S. Sengupta, American Journal of Physics, 51, 265 (1983).


88. On the Discontinuity in the First Derivative of Schroedinger Wave Function; with S. Sengupta, American Journal of Physics, 50, 552 (1981).


89. Extensivity of Entropy, Gibb’s Paradox and Distinguishability; with S. Sengupta, Pramana, 17, 509 (1981).


90. Comments on – “On a Proposed New Test of Heisenberg’s Principle”; with S. Sengupta, Journal of Physics A 14, 539 (1981).


91. On Integralness of Orbital Angular Momentum Eigenvalues; with S. Sengupta, American Journal of Physics, 48, 305 (1980).


92. Concept of Temperature without the Zeroth law; American Journal of Physics, 45, 1203 (1977).

Friday, May 9, 2008

PROFESSOR DIPANKAR HOME

Dipankar Home
Dept. of Physics
Bose Institute
(Govt. of India, Department of Science and Technology), Kolkata


Main Campus

93/1, A. P. C. Road
Kolkata - 700 009
India
FAX: 91-33-2350 6790

Salt Lake Campus

Center for Astro-Particle Physics
and Space Science
EN Block, Sector - V, Salt Lake
Kolkata - 700 91
Phone: 91-33-2569 3105
FAX: 91-33-2569 3127

A. Research interests:

Foundational issues of Quantum Mechanics like the Quantum Measurement Problem and Quantum Nonlocality, Connecting conceptual problems Quantum Mechanics with realizable experiments, Quantum Entanglement and Quantum Information Transfer/Processing schemes, studies on the implications of novel Quantum effects discovered using Atom/Neutron/Electron interferometry and the Quantum Optical methods.

B. Total Number of Research Publications: 92
Total Number of Citations: around 650 (until March 2008)

C. Books:


Technical Books


(a) "Conceptual Foundations of Quantum Physics - An Overview from Modern Perspectives" (Plenum Press, New York, 1997).
Foreword by Nobel Laureate Sir Anthony Leggett.

Reviews of this book have appeared in Physics Today, October 1998; The Times (London) Higher Education Supplement, 25 September 1998; Progress in Quantum Electronics Vol.22, pp.41-42 (1998); and Foundations of Physics, Vol. 31, pp. 855-857 (2001). The Reviews have been written by some of the leading experts in this field, viz. Profs. James Cushing, Alastair Rae, Peter Landsberg and Daniel Greenberger respectively.

(b) "Einstein’s Struggles with Quantum Theory: A Reappraisal" (Springer, New York, 2007), with Andrew Whitaker (Queen's University, Belfast).
Foreword by Sir Roger Penrose.
Review of this book has appeared in Physics Today, May 2008. The appreciative review has been written by Tilman Sauer of the California Institute of Technology, US.

Popular Book

"Riddles in your Teacup - Fun with Everyday Scientific Puzzles" , Institute of Physics Publishing (1994), Bristol, UK, and distributed in India by Rupa; with P. Ghose.
Foreword by Paul Davies.

Translations in Japanese, Italian and Turkish, apart from being translated into several Indian languages (Bengali, Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, Malayalam), published by the National Book Trust, Delhi.

D. Awards/Recognitions Received:


2002 Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship
2001 Darshan Vigyan Samman
1995 B. M. Birla Science Prize
1995 Associate Membership of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy
1993 Homi Bhabha Fellowship
1990 Commission of the European Community Fellowship
1987 Associateship of the Indian Academy of Sciences
1986 Indian National Science Academy Medal for Young Scientists