S. Das Sarma — LLMpedia

S. Das Sarma
Name	S. Das Sarma
Birth date	1953
Birth place	Kolkata
Fields	Condensed matter physics, Quantum information science, Quantum computing
Workplaces	University of Maryland, College Park, Joint Quantum Institute, Condensed Matter Theory Center
Alma mater	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, University of California, San Diego
Doctoral advisor	Frank J. Molzahn
Known for	Topological quantum computation, Majorana fermion (condensed matter physics), Spintronics

Contents

S. Das Sarma is an Indian-American theoretical physicist known for contributions to condensed matter physics, quantum information science, and quantum computing. He has held leadership roles at the University of Maryland, College Park, co-founded interdisciplinary centers, and authored influential work on topological order, Majorana zero modes, and quantum Hall effect. His research has influenced experimental programs at institutions such as Microsoft Station Q, Harvard University, and Princeton University.

Early life and education

Born in Kolkata, he completed undergraduate studies at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur before moving to the United States for graduate work at the University of California, San Diego. At UC San Diego he studied under Frank J. Molzahn and earned a Ph.D. focused on problems in semiconductor physics and many-body theory. Early influences included seminal texts and researchers from Bell Labs, IBM Research, and the postwar era of solid state physics at institutions like MIT and Caltech.

He joined the faculty of the University of Maryland, College Park and served as director of the Condensed Matter Theory Center and co-director of the Joint Quantum Institute, a collaboration with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Laboratory for Physical Sciences. He has held visiting positions at Microsoft Station Q, Harvard University, Princeton University, and Stanford University, and collaborated with groups at Cornell University, Columbia University, and Yale University. Administrative roles included leadership in departmental initiatives interfacing with agencies such as the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy.

His theoretical work spans electron transport in semiconductors, the quantum Hall effect, spintronics, and the theory of Majorana fermion (condensed matter physics) in topological superconductors. He co-authored foundational papers on disorder and interaction effects in two-dimensional electron systems relevant to experiments at Bell Labs, Sandia National Laboratories, and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Contributions to topological quantum computation and proposals for realizing Majorana zero modes influenced experimental searches at Microsoft Station Q, University of Copenhagen, and ETH Zurich. His collaborations extended to experimental teams at Duke University, University of Chicago, and Argonne National Laboratory investigating graphene, semiconductor nanowires, and proximity effect induced superconductivity. His theoretical frameworks for spin-orbit coupling effects and heterostructure interfaces informed device designs at NIST and IBM Research. Citation impact is reflected in cross-disciplinary engagement with researchers in materials science, nanotechnology, and applied physics at institutions such as Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Brown University.

Notable papers include influential collaborations and reviews on quantum Hall effect, Majorana bound states, and topological phases of matter published in journals associated with American Physical Society, Nature Publishing Group, and Institute of Physics. He co-authored widely cited reviews on topological quantum computation and theoretical proposals for semiconductor-superconductor heterostructures that guided experiments at Microsoft Station Q and ETH Zurich. His textbooks and monographs are used in graduate courses at MIT, Stanford University, and Caltech.

He served on advisory panels for the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and the Simons Foundation, and participated in strategic planning for national initiatives in quantum information science involving NIST and academic consortia. He helped organize conferences and workshops at venues such as Princeton University, Harvard University, Perimeter Institute, and international meetings including International Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors and March Meeting of the American Physical Society. Outreach includes public lectures and media engagement with outlets connected to science communication at Smithsonian Institution events and university-sponsored public forums.

His mentoring of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers contributed to academic careers at institutions including Cornell University, University of California, Berkeley, University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, and University of Texas at Austin. Legacy includes theoretical frameworks and proposals that shaped experimental searches for Majorana zero modes and advanced the agenda of topological quantum computation across research centers such as Microsoft Station Q, Joint Quantum Institute, and Condensed Matter Theory Center. His influence persists through alumni who hold appointments at Columbia University, Yale University, Duke University, and international centers including Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research and Cavendish Laboratory.