Introduction of Research

Laser spectroanalytical chemistry/plasmon-based chemistry

The optical physics of nanostructures strongly depend on the size and shape of structures and the distance between structures. However, just dispersing the nanostructures synthesized by the conventional chemical methods on the substrate does not reveal the nature of the resonant phenomenon strongly dependent on the distance between structures. We explore methods to precisely fabricate metallic nanostructures and chalcogenide layered compound with a single-nanometer resolution using advanced nanofabrication technologies and aim to clarify physical and chemical pictures of interactions between nanostructures or between nanostructures and molecules by various spectroscopy and femtosecond time-resolved measurements. In particular, we are working on the development of new chemical measurement methods for optical physics of well-defined nanostructures and analytical chemistry.

Introduction of laboratory

Our laboratory is conducting researches on nanostructures that manipulate light. Because the light is so fast that it goes around the earth seven and a half times a second, it is hard to keep it in one place. We precisely design and fabricate metallic nanostructures such as gold and silver that store light, and develop light-energy conversion devices as well as chemical sensors with nanoprocessing and nanomeasurements. Therefore, we are studying on laser spectroanalytical chemistry to measure and elucidate the ultrafast process of light propagation or decay and light matter coupling processes (photochemical reactions) like stroboscopic photographs using a laser beam that shines only for very short time of 10−15 second