Creation of high-quality bulk crystals by controlling solid-liquid interface dynamics

In order to realize a high-quality crystalline material with few crystal defects, it is necessary to clarify what kinds of phenomena occur at the solid-liquid interface in the process of crystal growth and to clarify their fundamental mechanisms.

Explore new functionality of magnets utilizing topology and symmetry

Spin-Related Functional Materials Science Group In magnets, the magnetic moments show some order at low temper・・・

Quantum cosmology explored by experimental research on quantum many-body systems

The semiconductor industry that supports modern life is based on a variety of advanced technologies, including ultra-high quality crystal growth and nano-device fabrication. Taking advantage of this technology, we create devices using ultra-high quality semiconductors and novel functional materials. These devices are the stage on which we conduct experiments to explore the novel physics of solid-state particles and quasi-particles such as electrons, holes, excitons and nuclear spins, revealing the essence of quantum mechanics.

Creating the future by advanced photonics of quantum materials

Ultrafast Spectroscopy Group Current technologies for high-speed communications and data processing, which are・・・

Optical exploration of novel functionality in quantum condensed matter

Solid State Photo-Physics Group Here we would like to introduce the research of the “Solid State Photo-Physics・・・

A road from the material to the life

The life is generated on the primitive Earth as a result of complex chemical reaction network and self-organization of amphiphilic molecules and macromolecules, so-called soft matter. The life has a very unique nature in contrast to the material: it establishes the domain of the individual by enclosing it with a membrane (cells), synthesizes the energy molecules and building blocks of the individual from the nutrients (metabolism), reproduces itself by using them (self-production). The reproduced offspring has the same self-reproduction property of the parent (heredity). It is a great challenge to understand the life system based on the non-equilibrium soft-matter physics.

Study of the strongly correlated materials using synchrotron radiation

Synchrotron radiation is generated from electrons moving at nearly the speed of light, and it has a wide energy range from X-rays to infrared rays. It has excellent characteristics as a light source, and can be used in various fields from basic science to industrial applications. It is an indispensable light source, especially in materials research, and various solid-state spectroscopic studies are being carried out. In the strongly correlated electron physics group, our faculty members are engaged in advanced materials science research at various synchrotron radiation facilities in Japan.

Condensed-matter physics in thin films and interfaces -Synthesis and Engineering-

Thin-film synthesis is a core technique for fabricating useful semiconductor, magnetic, and quantum devices in our daily life. In our group, we explore intriguing physical phenomena involving topological transport properties, magnetism and superconductivity by employing thin-film growth techniques such as molecular beam epitaxy, sputtering, as well as pulsed-laser deposition. We also attempt to create novel functional devices based on these exotic physical properties.

Emergent properties of correlated π-electrons

In general, characteristic physical properties of the organic materials assembled by molecules are thought to be electrical insulating and mechanically flexible like as plastics. These properties result in the microscopic electronic states of organic materials in principle. In the meantime, there exist some interesting groups of organic materials which show functional electronic properties as high electrical conductivity and characteristic magnetism. One can produce soft electronic devices like as organic transistor, organic LED etc. using characteristic properties of light weight, flexibility and electronic functionality. Main research subjects in this group are the experimental investigations on the novel electronic states emerging in the organic molecular materials. We are actively studying the interesting and important issues on the condensed matter physics from the viewpoint of the combination between the characteristic flexibility of the lattices and strongly correlated π-electrons in the organic materials. We introduce recent research topic on understanding how π-electrons in solids turn to glass.

Approaching the intrinsic nature of two dimensional superconductors

Superconductivity is a typical quantum phenomenon at low temperature. While most superconducting phenomena occur in three-dimensional or quasi-two-dimensional electron systems, the intrinsic properties of the superconductors at the two-dimensional limit, where a long-range order is supposed to be suppressed, have been one of the long-argued questions. We have recently found that highly crystalline two-dimensional superconductors induced at clean crystal surfaces exhibit the various novel quantum states.