Dt:17th sept.,friday,2004: Today , our lecture ended in NPLT ( New Physics Lecture Theatre ) at 1:50 pm and only 10 min. was left for our DRDO trip to be started . I had my lunch in 8 min.. Quickly , I went to my room to keep my notes and then rushed to join my scientific colleagues who were eagerly waiting for the vehicle which was already arranged for our departmental trip. By 2:10 pm , we reached the gate of SSPL , DRDO ( Solids State Physics Laboratory , Defence Research Development Organisation ) , enquired about the permission for taking photo snaps.Then , the official in the Reception Division told us , "No mobile , no camera and no bag." I opinionated my views to my friends , "What is this nonsense ? Yes , I do agree this is a very high security zone area , but can they prevent from taking snaps of this lab. by the satellites in the space ?" At last , no photo was taken . 28 future physicists from 1st , 2nd , 3rd , years along with our teacher Dr.A.Aziz went together . We discussed and took a bit of rest in the AC room of the Reception Division .
After a few minutes , we entered and I myself felt extremely secured in an absolutely clean environment with well maintained decorum . By 2:25 pm. , we were briefed by scientist-F Dr.R.Murali Dharan , MBE ( Molecular Beam Epitaxy) Division in the Conference Hall . He spoke on the organisation , structure , constituents ( scientific , non-scientific staff ) of the lab. , its initiatives , its new production in collaboration with and without US (United States of America) . Some interesting areas were : a) manufacturing of cool garments specially designed for the defence personnels working in the climatically hot regions , b) MCT ( used in Defence Technology ) to sense IR ( Infra Red ) radiations , c) Clean Room Complexes ( 100 sq.m, 1000 sq.m, 10000sq.m{sq.m = square metres} which costed in crores , d) distribution of DRDOs in India from east to west and north to south , e) missile developing works in DRDL ( Defence Reseach Development Laboratory ) , Hyderabad and radar technology in DRDO , Bangalore , f) maintenance cost ( more than 10 crores in a year , I saw the MBE machine costed Rs.15 crores.) . After the round table conference , we were told to make 3 groups , each group to be guided by by a scientist-B.
By 3:06 pm. , we ( group of 1st year along with Dr.A.Aziz ) were escorted by a scientist-B Purnevo Chakraborty . He asked us , " What do you know about DRDO ?" I replied ,"This was the most important oganisation where Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam was working ." He talked on LCA ( Light Combat Aircraft or Tejas ) , difference between lab. and industry , difference between DRDO and AEC (Atomic Energy Commision ) , growth and production of the gadgets , chips , photography of small electronic components ( at the order of the size of micron ) which were ultimately required in building weapons , missiles , aircrafts , satellites , and other defence equipments .After this , we reached Clean Room Complexes ( in front of which we were stopped because the entry was possible only for those actual scientists working in that division called Clean Room Complexes ). Our escort told us ,"You can't enter inside because of your heavy traffic ." Then , I questioned in my natural and blunt manner ,"What is this ? We are not traffic or ordinary people , we are the future scientists." ( all my friends laughed !) and he also replied in a funny way ,"My friends ,you are the future scientists and I am the present scientist , even I am not allowed to enter inside ." Later on , we were permitted and by 3:25 pm. , one scientist of higher level spoke on MMIC ( Miniature Monolithic Intregation Circuit ) Technology in which the application of GaAs ( Gallium arsenide ) was widely discussed because of its higher mobility and high efficiency in monolithic intregation .
After that , our real scientific trip started , we took out our shoes & socks ( including Dr.A.Aziz ) , we were given special long lab-coat like shirt which cover our body ( indeed we dressed up like astronaut except our hands , feet and face were not covered ) , then we ( 4 persons at a time because the shower room could accomodate maximum 4 persons in showering time ) stood inside the shower room ( the room to remove the particles of 0.5 micron from our body and clothes ) till the red signal becomes green . The entrance room inside was cooler than the peripheral region because of the deliberate pressure difference so that particles or dust didn't enter inside as the air flows from higher to lower pressure . Indeed , we only peeped through window ( perfectly covered with glass ) to see the machines which were inside the experimental clean rooms ( like inner core room ) in which the pressure maintained was the highest to shield from the outside particles which could give a disasterous effect ( if present ) to the observations and photography of the microbial component . The floor of the clean rooms was made up of clean liners ( regularly arranged bored metallic floor on which we found so many holes of radius 0.5 cm. ). Before we moved out from that division , we passed through the exit door and in front of that door , there was one special mat on which we stepped our sole , then automatically the particles from our sole were stuck to it and they were removed . ( I felt the pain on my sole !)
Then , we proceeded to another division where we find class 1000 sq.m. clean room . The one and only entry door to this division worked on finger print technology . None of our finger prints ( including that of our escort ) matched but fortunately the room was already open because one lady sweeper ( karmachari in Hindi language ) was cleaning the floor of the outer entrance room . Inside , we came to know that the temperature and humidity controls were effectively done in those clean rooms . Again , we took out our shoes & socks , wore those special shirts provided by that division and then entered inside the another shower room ( unlike the previous one ) where the air was passed onto our body from almost all the angles only to wipe out the dust and the other unwanted particles . I had to bear the speed of air blown onto me . Then , we marched forward to the class 1000 sq.m. clean room ( which I had mentioned earlier ) . We were briefed by one lady scientist ( of higher level more that scientist-D ; and to me , she actually looked like Albert Einstein , .....Great ! ) . We went inside the Plasma room ( the room which was functioned on the application of plasma and its energy ) . She explained plasma ( 4th state of matter ) to be the highest energy state of matter and indeed showed us the plasma tube-lights which were the only source of light inside that room . The tube light was like an ordinary tube but its light was not due to flow of electrons or due to filament being heated as in a traditional electric bulb but only due to plasma energy ( the first in my life to see such a plasma tube .......really fantastic ! ) . Then , we tried to see the liquid nitrogen but the room was closed ,so it was not seen. After that , we entered into the most complexed , cleanest and sensitive room called class 100sq.m. room ( relatively the coldest room because of the highest pressure maintained ) . And further we moved to the Metallisation Room where I saw SEM ( Scanning Electron Microscope ) . Lastly , we came out after going to the Characterisation Room of that division .
By 4:15 pm. , we were in the MBED ( Molecular Beam Epitaxy Division ), then moved to Characterisation Room . In that division , we didn't pass through any shower room because it was not under the clean room complexes . In the CR ( Characterisation Room ) , I saw the most interesting thing for the first time in my life i,e. Green Laser ( of 20 to 30 milliwatt , not so strong ) going from the source to the target in a straight line inside the room which was made dark temporarily to show the Laser ( Infact , that Laser was again marvellous , I just dreamed that I was experimenting on a beam of particles for a few seconds......! ) .Then , EBM ( Electron Beam Machine ) which ran throughout 365 1/4 days was shown to us by the scientist-F Dr.R. M.Dharan . The trip inside the MBED was completed at 4:25 pm. .
By 4:35pm. , we reached CGS ( Crystals Growth Section ) in which the crystals were grown and WF ( Wafer Fabrication ) took place . Again , we didn't pass through any shower room to enter inside that division . We saw LEC ( Liquid Encapsulated Czochalski ) Crystals Growth Machine or shortly it was called "Cooler ". The height of that cooler was almost 2 1/2 storeyed building ( building here means middle indian building .....) . It was not working at that time because the technicians were working on it to make it more complexed and more sophisticated . The computerised video chamber was fixed to view the growth of crystals and small videos were aslo there inside the room in which the cooler was kept . If the cooler worked , then the scientists controlled and observed the changes inside the room and the inside the cooler also with the help of computers kept outside in the controlling unit . Then , I saw a machine to find out the orientation of the crystallographic plane based on the Bragg's equation . Indeed , I realised the application of Peltier's Effect & Hall Effect ( which I learnt a bit in cl.12 physics in school .....! ) in SSPL . The concerned scientist-B for that division showed us the CdZnTe ( Cadmium zinc tellurium ) crystal which was used to detect the IR rays.
By 4:50pm. , we came out and all of us ( 1st , 2nd , 3rd years future physicists & Dr. A.Aziz ) met and had tea and biscuits in one room . A few scientists of various positions were with us in the refreshment time. Before our final departure , I quietly moved away from the crowd and asked the scientist-F ( who was talking with 3 more scientist-B ) ," Excuse me sir , I was educated in the defence school run directly under the Ministry of Defence , Govt. of India . We were quite familiar in having discussions on Missile Technology , fighter planes , tanks , warfare equipments etc. and I am indeed so much interested in nuclear bombs...........sir , Where are the nuclear bombs manufactured in our country ?" ( all of them , the real scientists paused for a few seconds ....... ) .He ( the scientist-F ) replied , " That nobody knows , we also don't know and nobody will tell you also , the one who is making one part of the nuclear bomb will not know who is the other one making the remaining part of the bomb..........) ( everybody luaghed , I laughed wholeheartedly..........! ) .Later , I asked to our escort scientist-B ," Well , Is this lab. protected from the nuclear radiations ?", he replied ( which I already thought he would ) , " Well , no." Later , I took the official address and e-mail of the scientist-F and came to know that he was none other than Scientist-F Dr. R.Murali Dharan ( from Tamil Nadu ),MBED .
We left the SSPL at 5:30 pm. . We also had a small discussion on the hierarchy of scientists and their equivalents with the officials in the Defence Forces . I came to know the following chain of command and their equivalent status. The hierarchy of scientists working in DRDO starts from the lowest level of scientist-B to the highest level called scientist-H ( i,e. scientist-B,C,D,E,F,G,H ) . Scientist-H is equivalent to Principal Scientist . In some scientific institutes or labs. , scientists go by the designation as Scientist , Senior Scientist , Principal Scientist & upcourse in universities as Assistant Professor , Associate Professor , Professor . The Scientific Advisor is equivalent to the Chief of Indian Army . When Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam was the Scientific Advisor , he even called Lt.Gens. in his room for discussions . I found that 2 of the Directors of SSPL , DRDO were Brigadiers of Indian Army .
I am sure that this view of mine may not be satisfactory as it is a long story-like scientific travel . To technically travel inside the SSPL , DRDO , I need a full 7 days which I believe I will be doing it one day in the future. I am thankful to our Physics Society for such a great trip which will remain refreshingly green in my mind , soul and heart throughout my life . [Note: The time I mentioned above is my time which is almost 18 min. faster than the IST ( Indian Standard Time ) . My time = 18min. + IST.
By, Ningombam Bupenda Meitei
Physics (H) ,1st year,H-4,All Nutt North Block,
St.Stephen's College,INDIA .................................................................................................................................................................
