Dr. Pimputkar’s research is currently focused on synthesizing bulk and thin film single crystal, nitrogen-containing materials. Materials of interest include the ammonothermal growth of ultrawide bandgap semiconductor cubic BN (for future use in power electronic devices and systems that require super hard materials), the ammonothermal growth of bulk InN (as substrates for efficient long wavelength emitters based on high-indium content devices), and the flux growth of bulk, ternary III-N such as AlGaN and InGaN (for use as substrates for high efficiency, low defect density UV and visible-light optoelectronic devices). An ammonothermal-hydrothermal hybrid approach is being investigated for growth of single crystal oxy-nitrides (a first of its kind). To enable growth of decomposition limited materials, a new thin film growth equipment is being developed. This novel high-pressure CVD tool will enable thin-film, single crystal growth of high-indium content Group III-N semiconductors providing growth of InGaN and AlInN across the entire solid solution spectrum at temperatures in excess of 1100 °C. Dr. Pimputkar has published 19 papers, 1 book and 2 book chapters on bulk GaN growth and on the thermodynamic investigation of ammonothermal systems (equation of state development for supercritical ammonia solutions and ammonia decomposition under ammonothermal conditions). He holds 3 patents with 25 patent applications pending and has been invited to speak at 18 conferences.
Dr. Pimputkar has obtained several grants from the National Science Foundation. He has received awards from the National Science Foundation, Department of Homeland Security, NASA, Lehigh University, University of California-Santa Barbara, and Illinois Institute of Technology. In 2019, he was named a P.C. Rossin Assistant Professor.
He is a member of the American Association for Crystal Growth, American Ceramic Society and Materials Research Society. He has been on numerous program committees for conferences, has organized an ammonothermal summer school, was a guest editor for the Journal of Crystal Growth and is the conference chair for the International Workshop on Bulk Nitride Semiconductors (IWBNS).
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