Dr. Preeti Garg: Scientist-E at DRDO, India
Title/Designation: Dr.
Name: Preeti Garg
Current Role: Scientist-E
Organization: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Solid State Physics Laboratory
Country: India
Subject Track: Physics
Award Category Nominated: Best Innovator Award
Dr. Preeti Garg is a highly accomplished Scientist-E at the Solid State Physics Laboratory (SSPL), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), New Delhi. With over 19 years of rigorous experience in semiconductor physics, crystal growth, and nanomaterials, she has made significant contributions to India’s indigenous research efforts in infrared imaging systems, explosive detection technologies, and optoelectronic devices. Her scientific journey reflects a seamless integration of applied and fundamental research, with a track record of developing advanced materials and technologies that have both strategic and industrial relevance. Her work encompasses a wide array of cutting-edge techniques and materials, with a strong focus on reliability, scalability, and performance under demanding conditions.
Online Profiles
Dr. Preeti Garg is an active contributor to global scientific literature, with her work indexed under Scopus Author ID: 57190088964. Her research has garnered 501 citations across 397 documents, reflecting significant academic impact in the fields of materials science, semiconductor physics, and nanotechnology. With 48 published documents and an h-index of 14, she maintains a strong scholarly footprint, indicative of both the quality and consistency of her contributions. Her research is widely cited for its practical applications in infrared detection, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), 2D materials, and optoelectronic device development.
Education
Dr. Garg holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, awarded in 2020 for her research in optoelectronic materials. Prior to this, she completed her M.Sc. in Physics (2006) and B.Sc. in Physics (2004) from Ramjas College, University of Delhi, securing the top rank in her postgraduate batch. She demonstrated early academic excellence by qualifying for competitive national fellowships such as the CSIR-UGC NET (JRF and Lectureship) in 2006 and the GATE 2007 exam with an All India Rank of 178. Her academic journey is marked by deep conceptual grounding and a consistent record of performance.
Research Focus
Her research focus spans across the development and integration of advanced materials for optoelectronic applications, including bulk crystal growth of germanium, gallium arsenide, and cadmium zinc telluride for infrared detection, alongside fabrication of hybrid 2D nanomaterials like graphene, MoS₂, and their composites with noble metals for sensing and energy applications. She is actively involved in the synthesis and optical characterization of GaN quantum dots using MOCVD and has been leading DRDO-funded initiatives on enabling technologies for THz optoelectronic devices. Additionally, her interest in nanostructure-assisted trace explosive detection systems adds a strong application-oriented dimension to her research.
Experience
Over nearly two decades, Dr. Garg has gained deep domain experience in semiconductor device materials, with specialized proficiency in crystal growth using the Czochralski and Bridgman methods. Her professional expertise covers wafer processing, polishing, and characterization using a suite of spectroscopic and microscopic tools such as Raman, FTIR, UV-Vis, AFM, SEM, TEM, and XPS. At DRDO-SSPL, she has been a key contributor to mission-driven projects on IR detector substrates, SERS-based sensors, and quantum structures for THz applications. Known for her ability to work across interdisciplinary teams, she efficiently translates user requirements into scalable, high-performance material systems for national defense and industrial use.
Research Timeline & Activities
Dr. Garg’s research timeline reveals a steady progression from classical crystal growth and wafer engineering in her early years to more sophisticated nanostructures and 2D materials in recent times. Her initial work focused on Ge and GaAs wafer processing and later advanced to the growth and tuning of CdZnTe substrates for mercury cadmium telluride-based IR detectors. Between 2014 and 2020, she pivoted towards nanoscale SERS substrates, hybrid graphene-metal systems, and optical simulations using FDTD. Currently, she leads workstreams on quantum dots, THz films, and device fabrication involving MOCVD-grown III-nitride materials. She has actively presented her findings at national and international conferences and contributed to collaborative R&D projects within DRDO and academic institutions.
Awards & Honors
Dr. Garg’s academic and professional journey has been recognized with several prestigious honors. She was the batch topper during her M.Sc. at Delhi University and earned the highly competitive CSIR-UGC Junior Research Fellowship and Lectureship in 2006. Her outstanding GATE performance in 2007, with an All India Rank of 178, further established her academic excellence. Within DRDO, she has received acknowledgments for delivering critical research outcomes under stringent timelines and contributing to strategic defense technologies. Her work continues to earn citations globally, and her role in over 20 peer-reviewed publications underscores her standing as a thought leader in applied materials science.
Recent Publications (2025)
Impregnation of Single-Atom Iron from Metallosurfactants onto MOF-Derived Porous N-Doped Carbon for Efficient Wastewater Treatment via Peroxymonosulfate Activation
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2025
This study explores the catalytic performance of single-atom Fe embedded in porous nitrogen-doped carbon derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for advanced wastewater treatment. The catalyst demonstrates exceptional performance in activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for organic pollutant degradation.
Citations: 3
🔗 Access: ACS Publications
Investigation of Surface and Interface Phonon Polariton in Nitrogen-Implanted GaN Epi-layers
Journal of Applied Physics, 2025
This work delves into the phonon-polariton dynamics in nitrogen-implanted GaN epitaxial layers. Using advanced vibrational spectroscopy, it provides insights into phonon localization and interface behavior critical for GaN-based high-frequency devices.
🔗 Access: AIP Scitation
Structural, Optical and Antibacterial Properties of Nd³⁺ Doped Cadmium Oxide Nanoparticles Using Vitex negundo Leaf Extract
Ceramics International, 2025
This green synthesis approach utilizes Vitex negundo extract to fabricate neodymium-doped CdO nanoparticles. The study reports enhanced optical absorption, crystalline quality, and significant antibacterial activity, offering potential in biomedical and environmental applications.
Citations: 2
🔗 Access: Elsevier
Thiolaryl Substituted β-Lactams as Important Capping Agents for Hafnia Nanoparticles
Journal of Sulfur Chemistry, 2025
This paper investigates the role of sulfur-rich β-lactam derivatives as novel capping agents for HfO₂ nanoparticles. It contributes to the understanding of ligand–nanoparticle interaction mechanisms relevant to nanoformulation and catalysis.
🔗 Access: Taylor & Francis