Food and feeding behaviour of Asiatic elephant (Elephas maximus Linn.) in Kuldiha Wild Life Sanctuary, Odisha, India.

The feeding behaviour of Asiatic elephant (Elephas maximus) with food reference was studied in Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha during 2007 to 2009. Though the study area houses a good number of plant species only 71 species were identified as elephant fodder plants. The food trail of elephant was observed as twig breaking, bark peeling, branch breaking, stem twisting uprooting and flower plucking in different regions of study area during different seasons.

Simultaneous polarized neutron reflectometry and anisotropic magnetoresistance measurements.

A novel experimental facility to carry out simultaneous polarized neutron reflectometry (PNR) and anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) measurements is presented. Performing both techniques at the same time increases their strength considerably. The proof of concept of this method is demonstrated on a CoO/Co bilayer exchange bias system.

Studies of self-organized nanostructures on InP(111) surfaces after low energy Ar+ ion irradiation.

We report formation of self organized InP nano dots using 3 keV Ar+ ion sputtering, at 15 degrees incidence from surface normal, on InP(111) surface. Morphology and optical properties of the sputtered surface, as a function of sputtering time, have been investigated by Scanning Probe Microscopy and Raman Scattering techniques. Uniform patterns of nano dots are observed for different durations of sputtering.

Scaling studies of nano dots formed on InP(111) surfaces via MeV implantation.

The scaling parameters have been studied here for InP(111) surfaces that evolve after implantation with MeV ions. The surfaces show the development of nano pattern and kinetic roughening. Growth exponent beta, roughening exponent alpha and the characteristic wavelength have been studied here at several fluences.

Raman scattering studies of InP nanostructures created by MeV Sb ion implantation.

We have investigated the nanostructures created via MeV implantations by utilizing the techniques of Raman scattering and scanning probe microscope (SPM). SPM demonstrates that a large number of nanostructures are smaller than 100 nm in size and lower than 4 nm in height. SPM and Raman scattering techniques have been combined to show that although InP surfaces initially become rougher with increasing fluence, they become smoother after critical fluence when the crystalline/amorphous phase transition takes place.