Department of Physics

Research

The Department of Physics is currently involved in research in the fields of Materials Science, Solar Energy and Photovoltaics, Applied Nuclear Physics (Non-Destructive Testing) and Theoretical Physics.  The research in Materials Science is focused on finding materials with properties to improve the performance of solar water heaters and of solar cells.  In Solar Energy and Photovoltaics, the Department is interested in renewable energy solutions for lighting and other applications.  The work in Applied Nuclear Physics is concentrating on finding ways of testing materials without damaging them, which can be achieved through the careful use of radioactive isotopes.  In Theoretical Physics, work is being done on the foundations of Quantum Mechanics by investigating interpretations of the theory which are different from the standard Copenhagen interpretation. These research activities are generating projects for undergraduate final-year students and for Masters’ dissertations.  Thus, students in the Department of Physics have a chance to participate in these research activities.

Publications

  1. S Mudenda and GM Kale, (2017) Electrochemical determination of activity of Na2O in Na2Ti6O13-TiO2 two phase system between 803–1000 K, Electrochimica Acta 258, 1059-1063
  2. Orlova, E. L. Green, J. M. Law, D. I. Gorbunov, G. Chanda, S. Krämer, M. Horvatić, R. K. Kremer, J. Wosnitza, and G. L. J. A. Rikken: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Signature of the Spin-Nematic Phase in LiCuVO4 at High Magnetic Fields, Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 247201 (2017)
  3. S Mudenda and GM Kale,(2015) New insight into the electrical properties and ion dynamics of screen printed NASICON thick films, Journal of Materials Chemistry A 3 (23), 12268-12275
  4. S Mudenda, GM Kale, YRS Hara, (2014)Rapid synthesis and electrical transition in p-type delafossite CuAlO2 , Journal of Materials Chemistry C 2 (43), 9233-9239
  5. S Mudenda, KL Streib, D Adams, JW Mayer, R Nemutudi, TL  Alford,  Effect of substrate patterning on hydroxyapatite sol–gel thin film growth, Thin Solid Films 519 (16), 5603-5608
  6. Jacob O. Oduogo, Christopher Mayero and Reccab M. Ochieng. (2015).  Investigation of Laplace’s Velocity Equation for Temperature Compensation in Pulse-Echo Time of Flight Ultrasonic Ranging.  International Journal of Mathematics, Game Theory, and Algebra Volume 24 Number 4. 278-287.
  7. Christopher Mayero, Jacob O. Oduogo, and Reccab M. Ochieng. (2015).  Inverted Triangle Tri-Sonar Sensor Configuration for Obstacle detection and Avoidance. International Journal of Energy, Environment and Economics Volume 23 Number 1, 79-91.
  8. R. M Ochieng and R.O Ochieng. (2016) Analysis of the Betz Criterion in Wind Turbine Power Modelling by Use of “Variational Principle (Method)” in the Power Equation.  International Journal of Energy, Environment and Economics Volume 23 Number 2, 283-289.
  9. R. M Ochieng and R.O Ochieng, (2016).  A power Series Formulation of the Betz’s Criterion and Equation in a Wind Turbine.  International Journal of Energy, Environment and Economics Volume 23 Number 2, 291-299.
  10. Shuo Yuan, Xinping Zhou, Reccab Ochieng. Xiangdong Zhou. (2016).  A numerical Thermal Growth Model for Prediction of Microalgae Production in Photo bioreactors. J. Renewable Sustainable Energy 8, 023102 (2016); doi: 10.1063/1.4942875.
  11. Suhyun Lee, Byungsik Hong, Kyongsei Lee, Benard Mulilo, Sung Keun Park Construction and performance of a dose-verification scintillation-fiber detector for proton therapy.(2013) Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment. 10(1) 6-11
  12. G. Samukonga, S. Hatwaambo, R. O. Manyala, (2017).  Construction and Evaluation of the Performance of a Photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) Collector using the Batch Method. International Journal of Energy, Environment and Economics Vol.24 No.2-3, 324-334.
  13. Prem Jain, “Coal power in Zambia: time to rethink”, Southern African Journal of Policy and Development (on-line), Vol 3, No.2, November 2017, p.14-24.
  14. Pushpendra K Jain, Prem Jain and Philmon Dhafana: “Addressing Barriers to off-grid Rural Electrification: The Botswana and Namibia Experience”, Journal of Energy and Power Engineering, David Publishing Company, New York, U.S.A., Vol 8, No.8, 1351-1359, Aug 2014.
  15. P. C. Jain and Suman Jain, "Managing Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The Possibilities of Static Population Tradable Emission Permits". Change (Netherlands), 40, pp. 14-16 (January-February, 1998).
  16. Louis Balona, Thebe Medupe, Peter Kalebwe, Simon Anguma(2000) Mode Identification in the Delta Scuti Star 1 Mon, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 321, 239 – 246 
  17. Kelebogile Maabong, Augusto G. Machatine, Yelin Hu, Artur Braun, Fred J. Nambala, Mmantsae Diale (2017), Morphology, structural and optical properties of iron oxide thin film photoanodes in photoelectrochemical cell: Effect of electrochemical oxidation Physica B 480 (2016) 91–94
  18. A. Orlova, E. L. Green, J. M. Law, D. I. Gorbunov, G. Chanda, S. Krämer, M. Horvatić, R. K. Kremer, J. Wosnitza, and G. L. J. A. Rikken (2017), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Signature of the Spin-Nematic Phase in LiCuVO4 at High Magnetic Fields.  Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 247201 
  19. Habatwa V Mweene (2006) Generation of matrices with specified eigenvalues. Contemporary Problems in Mathematical Physics: pp. 304-314.
  20. D. Wu, G. Chanda, H. S. Jeevan, P. Gegenwart, M. Dressel : Optical investigations of the chemical pressurized EuFe2(As1-xPx)2: an s-wave superconductor with strong interband interaction s, Physical Review B 83, 100503(R) (2011). 
  21. G. Chanda R. P. S. M. Lobo, E. Schachinger, J. Wosnitza, M. Naito, and A. V. Pronin: Optical study of superconducting Pr2CuOx with x 4, Physical Review B 90, 024503 (2014). 
  22. E. Schachinger, G. Chanda, R. P. S. M. Lobo, M. Naito, and A. V. Pronin: Eliashberg analysis of the optical conductivity in superconducting Pr2CuOx with x 4, Journal of Physics Condensed. Matter 27, 045702 (2015). 
  23. R. P. S. M. Lobo, G. Chanda, A. V. Pronin, J. Wosnitza, and S. Kasahara, T. Shibauchi, and Y. Matsuda: Optical conductivity evidence of clean-limit superconductivity in LiFeAs, Physical Review B 91, 174509 (2015). 
  24. A.Gambardella, M.Bianchi, S. Kaciulis, A. Mezzi, M. Brucale, M. Cavallini, T. Herrmannsdoerfer, G. Chanda, M. Uhlarz, A. Cellini, M.F. Pedna, V. Sambri, M. Marcacci, and A. Russo:  Magnetic hydroxyapatite coatings as a new tool in medicine: A scanning probe investigation, Material Science and Engineering C 62, 444 (2016).
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