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Ramakanta Chapai

Dr. Ramakanta Chapai
Assistant Professor of Physics
PhD, Physics, Louisiana State University
MS, Physics, Miami University
Email: rchapai@nsu.edu
Phone: (757) 821-1756
Office: MCAR 501H
555 Park Ave
Norfolk, VA 23504

 

Brief Biography
Dr. Ramakanta Chapai received his PhD in Physics from Louisiana State University in 2021, where his research focused on the topological properties of correlated electron materials. He then held postdoctoral appointments in the Materials Science Division at Argonne National Laboratory and the Materials Science and Technology Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory before joining the Physics Department at Norfolk State University as an Assistant Professor in Fall 2025.


Research Interests
Dr. Chapai’s research focuses on correlated and topological quantum materials, investigating how electronic correlations and topology intertwine to produce novel superconducting and transport phenomena, and how these effects manifest in strongly correlated electron systems. His work explores superconductivity, quantum phase transitions, Fermi surface reconstruction, and emergent orders in low dimensional systems, particularly under extreme conditions such as high magnetic 􀏐ields, low temperatures, applied pressure, and strain. He specializes in the design, synthesis, and characterization of novel quantum materials including topological superconductors and chiral fermion systems with potential applications in dissipationless transport and next generation quantum technologies.

Awards and Recognition:

  • Outstanding Postdoctoral Performance Award in Basic Research, Argonne National Laboratory (2024)
  • Coates Outstanding Dissertation Award, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Louisiana State University (2022)

Recent Publications

  • R. Chapai, A. E. Koshelev, M. P. Smylie, D. Y. Chung, A. Kayani, K. Bhatt, G. Rimal, M. G. Kanatzidis, W.-K. Kwok, J. F. Mitchell, and U. Welp, Upper Critical Field Behavior of Kagome Superconductor CsV₃Sb₅ Driven by Van Hove Singularities, accepted for publication as a Letter in Physical Review B (2025).
  • R. Chapai, G. Peterson, M. P. Smylie, X. Chen, J. S. Jiang, D. Graf, J. F. Mitchell, and U. Welp, Fermi surface topology and magnetotransport properties of superconducting Pd₃Bi₂Se₂, Physical Review B 110, 075152 (2024). doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.110.075152 
  • R. Chapai, M. Leroux, V. Oliviero, D. Vignolles, N. Bruyant, M. P. Smylie, D. Y. Chung, M. G. Kanatzidis, W.-K. Kwok, J. F. Mitchell, and U. Welp, Magnetic breakdown and topology in the Kagome superconductor CsV₃Sb₅ under high magnetic field, Physical Review Letters 130, 126401 (2023). doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.126401
  • R. Chapai, M. P. Smylie, H. Hebbeker, D. Y. Chung, W.-K. Kwok, J. F. Mitchell, and U. Welp, Superconducting properties and gap structure of the topological superconductor candidate Ti₃Sb, Physical Review B 107, 104504 (2023). doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.107.104504
  • R. Chapai, P. V. S. Reddy, L. Xing, D. E. Graf, A. Karki, T.-R. Chang, and R. Jin, Evidence for unconventional superconductivity and nontrivial topology in PdTe, Scienti􀏐ic Reports 13, 6824 (2023). doi:10.1038/s41598-023-33237-5
  • R. Chapai, A. Rydh, M. P. Smylie, D. Y. Chung, H. Zhen, A. E. Koshelev, J. E. Pearson, W.-K. Kwok, J. F. Mitchell, and U. Welp, Superconducting properties of the spin Hall candidate Ta₃Sb with eight-fold degeneracy, Physical Review B 105, 184510 (2022). doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.105.184510