Research · Singh Lab, CSIR-IICT

1
Light comes in
Sunlight — or the light from a lamp — is a mix of colours, and every colour carries a little packet of energy.
2
Our molecules catch it
We design molecules — chains of carbon rings — that absorb exactly the colours we choose. Swap one atom, and the colour they catch changes.
3
The energy does a job
Inside a solar cell it becomes electricity. In a flask it drives a cleaner chemical reaction. In a sensor it makes a glow that reveals a pollutant.

Organic & indoor solar cells

We make dye molecules that soak up sunlight — or the light from a lamp — and turn it into electricity.

Why it matters: Thin, light, colourful solar cells could power sensors, smart labels and gadgets indoors, without batteries.

We make the thin "middle layer" that carries electric charge out of a new, very efficient kind of solar cell — and protects it.

Why it matters: Perovskite solar cells could become cheaper than silicon, but they need better, longer-lasting materials to reach rooftops.

We use visible light — even ordinary LEDs — to drive chemical reactions that normally need heat, harsh chemicals or rare metals.

Why it matters: Medicines, dyes and materials could be made in fewer steps, at room temperature, with less waste.

We make molecules that glow brightly — and switch their glow on or off when they meet something specific, like an explosive or a toxic metal.

Why it matters: Cheap glowing sensors can spot pollutants or explosives, and help biologists see inside living cells.

We build tiny rings out of carbon — hoop-shaped molecules only a few billionths of a metre across.

Why it matters: Bending a molecule into a ring changes how it handles light and charge, opening up new designs for electronics.