Avishek Das

Avishek's research focuses on computationally probing the dynamics of nucleation, growth and annealing of strongly coupled superlattices from the self-assembly of gold nanocrystals. Strongly coupled superlattices with metallic transport find potential use in optoelectronic devices like LEDs, solar cells and photodetectors. Optimal design of self-assembly conditions by exploiting the kinetics of assembly may produce tunable superlattices with desired emergent properties. Using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, Avishek is exploring the role of interparticle interaction mediated by charged inorganic ligands in the formation of the superlattice. In collaboration with the Ginsberg group, he will use numerical simulations and theory in parallel to their time-resolved coherent X-ray scattering experiments to understand the dynamics of nanoscale fluctuations and the growth of order at the onset of self-assembly. Elucidating the transient mechanism and kinetics will allow bottom-up control over structural and optoelectronic properties of the resultant nanostructure and uncover general nonequilibrium design principles for Coulomb-mediated self-assembly.