Experience:
Pani (Chakrapani) Varanasi has 14 years of R&D experience, including six years in industry as a research scientist/project manager, in addition to his years as a UDRI principal investigator for sponsored (DOD/DOE/industry) research. His work experience includes research on advanced materials in the areas of metal halide lighting, high temperature superconductors, SOFC fuel cells, hydrogen storage materials, dielectric materials (BST), ZnO, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). In addition, Pani is experienced in proposal writing, budget planning, and in supervising engineers, technicians and graduate students.
Pani has published more than 70 papers in respected journals and conference proceedings, and has one patent issued with two more pending (see recent publications below). Pani has presented several invited talks at international conferences in the USA as well as abroad and has chaired technical sessions. Pani has also served as a technical sub-editor for IEEE Proceedings, as a reviewer of publications for international journals, and as a reviewer of DOE proposals.
Awards:
- UDRI Wohlleben–Hochwalt Outstanding Professional Research Award, 2006 (highest award for a professional at the Institute).
- Nano50, Third Annual Nanotech Briefs Technology Award, November 2007.
Education:
Ph.D., Materials Science & Engineering, University of Notre Dame, USA, 1994
M.S., Materials Science & Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India, 1990
B.S., Metallurgical Engineering, Regional Engineering College, Srinagar, India, 1987
Work Experience:
Sr. Materials Scientist and Principal Investigator, University of Dayton Research Institute, 2004-present
Principal investigator (PI) for an Air Force funded project (~ $3.5M) to improve the performance of ceramic HTS coated conductors; hydrogen storage project funded by industry/DOE ($30K); ZnO nanotube and BST ferroelectric materials project (DOD, $60K); ultrasound force microscopy characterization of nanoparticles (DOE, $30K).
Sr. Materials Scientist/Program Manager, APL Engineered Materials Inc., 1998-2004
Worked on a multidisciplinary high intensity discharge lighting project involving quartz, ceramics, and inorganic chemicals to improve performance; contributed to a winning DARPA proposal (~$3M) on a lighting related project.
Research Engineer, University of Dayton Research Institute, 1995-1998
Developed processing methods for depositing thin film multi-layered structures; characterized films for microstructure, crystal structure, texture and current-conducting ability.
Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Notre Dame, 1994-1995
Conducted research involving bulk materials processing of ceramic powders, rods, thick coatings etc. and characterization of sintered and melt processed samples.
Patents:
Emilsson, T., Brumleve, T. R., Varanasi, C. V., "Barrier coatings and methods in discharge lamps," US Patent 7,057,335, 2006.
US Patent Application 20070129255
US Patent Application 20050052134
Recent Publications:
Pani has published more than 70 papers in respected journals and conference proceedings. Eighteen recent journal articles are listed below.
1. C. V. Varanasi, J. Burke, P. N. Barnes, “Thick YBa2Cu3O7-x Films with Enhanced Critical Current Density at High Magnetic Fields,” submitted to Appl. Phys. Lett. (2008).
2. J. P. Rodriguez, P. N. Barnes, C. V. Varanasi, “In Field Critical Current of Type -II Superconductors by Strain from Nano-Rod Inclusions,” accepted, Phys. Rev. B (2008).
3. C. V. Varanasi, J. Burke, Rongtao Lu, J. Wu, L. Brunke, L. Chuck, H. E. Smith, I. Maartense, P. N. Barnes, “Bi-axially Textured YBa2Cu3O7-x Films Deposited on Polycrystalline Flexible Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Ceramic Substrates,” Physica C 468 (2008) 1070–1077.
4. C. V. Varanasi, J. Bulmer, L. Brunke, J. Burke, J. Baca, K. Yost, P. Barnes, “Growth and Characterization of Carbon Nanotubes on Constantan (Ni-Cu-Mn Alloy) Metallic Substrates Without Adding Additional Catalysts,” J. of Vac. Sci. & Technol. A 26 (2008) 832. (Also selected for July 14, 2008 issue of Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science & Technology.)
5. Chakrapani V. Varanasi, Leon Chuck, Lyle Brunke, Jack Burke, Andrew D. Chaney, Paul N. Barnes, “A Simplified Test Method to Compare the Yield Strengths of Metallic Substrates Under Development for Use in YBa2Cu3O7-x Coated Conductors,” J. Electron. Mater. 36, 10 (2007) 1265-1269.
6. M. D. Sumption, T. J. Haugan, P. N. Barnes, T. A. Campbell, N. A. Pierce, C. Varanasi, “Magnetization Creep and Decay in PLD YBCO with Artificial Nanostructure Pinning,” Phys. Rev. B 77 (2007) 094506.
7. Rongtao Lu, Judy Z. Wu, Chakrapani Varanasi, Jack Burke, Iman Maartense, P. N. Barnes, “Textured IBAD-MgO Template on Non-Metallic Flexible Ceraflex for Epitaxial Growth of Perovskite Films,” J. Elect. Mater. 36 (2007) 1258-1264.
8. C. V. Varanasi, J. Burke, L. Brunke, H. Wang, M. Sumption, P. N. Barnes, “Enhancement and Angular Dependence of Transport Critical Current Density in Pulsed Laser Deposited YBa2Cu3O7-x + BaSnO3 Films in Applied Magnetic Fields,” J. Appl. Phys. 102 (2007) 063909. (Also selected for the Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science & Technology.)
9. C. V. Varanasi, P. N. Barnes, J. Burke, “Enhanced Flux Pinning Force and Uniquely Shaped Flux Pinning Force Plots Observed in YBa2Cu3O7-x Films with BaSnO3 Nanoparticles,” Supercond. Sci. Technol. 20 (2007) 1071-1075.
10. Chakrapani V. Varanasi, P. N. Barnes, J. Burke, L. Brunke, I. Maartense, T. J. Haugan, E. A. Stinzianni, K. A. Dunn, P. Haldar, “Flux Pinning Enhancement in YBa2Cu3O7-x Films with BaSnO3 Nanoparticles,” Supercond. Science & Technol. 19 (2006) L37-L41.
11. C. V. Varanasi, L. Brunke, J. Burke, I. Maartense, N. Padmaja, H. Efstathiadis, Chaney, P. N. Barnes, “Biaxially Textured Constantan Alloy (Cu 55 wt%, Ni 44 wt %, Mn 1 wt %) Substrates for YBa2Cu3O7-x Coated Conductors,” Supercond. Science & Technol. 19 (2006) 896-901.
12. P. N. Barnes, J. W. Kell, B. C. Harrison, T. Haugan, C. V. Varanasi, M. Rane, F. Ramos, “Minute Doping with Deleterious Rare Earths in YBa2Cu3O7-x Films for Flux Pinning Enhancements,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 89 (2006) 012503.
13. Chakrapani V. Varanasi, Nicholas A. Yust, Paul N. Barnes, “Biaxially Textured Copper –Iron Alloy Substrates for Use in YBCO Coated Conductors,” Supercond. Science & Technol. 19 (2006) 85-95.
14. C. V. Varanasi, P. N. Barnes, J. Burke, J. Carpenter, T. J. Haugan, “Controlled Introduction of Flux Pinning Centers in YBa2Cu3O7-x Films During Pulsed Laser Deposition,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 87 (2005) 262510-12.
15. Chakrapani Varanasi, Chetan Juneja, Christina Chen, Binod Kumar, “Electrical Conductivity Enhancement in Scandia-Stabilized Zirconia,” J. of Power Sources, 147 (2005) 128-135.
16. A. Lamouri, A. Naruka, J. Sulcs, C.V. Varanasi, T. R. Brumleve, “Influence of Electrode, Buffer Gas, and Control Gear on Metal Halide Lamp Performance,” J. Phys. D, Appl. Phys. 38 (2005) 3028-3032.
17. Binod Kumar, Christina Chen, Chakrapani Varanasi, Joseph P. Fellner, “Electrical Properties of Heterogeneously Doped Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia,” J. Power Sources 140 (2005) 12-20.
18. P. N. Barnes, T. J. Haugan, C. V. Varanasi, T. A. Campbell, “Flux Pinning Behavior of Incomplete Multilayered Lattice Structures in YBa2Cu3O7-d,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 85, 18 (2004) 4088-4090.