Research Projects

Various photon-atom interaction processes especially in the vicinity of the inner-shell ionization threshold will be investigated using the photon sources based on X-ray tube/radioactive source and fluorescence exciters with monochromators using energy dispersive detection set ups. Rayleigh and Compton scattering differential cross-sections will be measured over a wide angular range ~ 0o-180o with special emphasis for the incident photon energies in the vicinity of the K/L shell binding energy of the target elements. Comparison of measured cross-sections with the theoretical available database will be helpful in investigating the reliability of anomalous scattering factors (ASF) in case of Rayleigh scattering and the electron binding effects on the incoherent scattering function (ISF) in case of Compton scattering. The measurements of Rayleigh and Compton differential scattering cross-sections at low energies will also throw light on the molecular form factors. It is also planned to investigate the decay of virtual and real shell/subshell vacancies produced in the resonant Raman scattering (RRS) and photionisation processes, respectively, to deduce information regarding the radiative, Coster-Kronig and Auger transition probabilities. Further RRS measurements in different physical (crystalline/noncrystalline) and chemical forms of an element will make it more investigative. Alignment of vacancy states produced in RRS and photoionisation, respectively, will be probed through angular distribution of the radiative emission. The chemical shifts in X-ray fluorescence spectra of various compounds will be measured using energy dispersive (ED) and high-resolution wave length dispersive (WD) spectrometers to identify elemental spin states, oxidation states, and even the types of neighboring atoms. Analytical applications of various photon-atom interaction processes will be further explored.

Photon-atom interaction, Ionization threshold, Resonant Raman Scattering, Alignment of vacancy states, Scattering processes