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.

Kera group has been studying the electronic states of organic molecular films on the surfaces at UVSOR, the Institute for Molecular Science. The functions and properties of this class of materials are considered in a unique hierarchy character of a localized electron in a molecule with strong phonon couplings. Since the impact of weak interaction on the electronic state is appeared competitive and complicated way, it is very difficult to evaluate them experimentally. The characteristics of molecular assembles are investigating by looking the electronic states and vibrational states precisely to hold a view of a transport charge.

Fig. 1: The state-of-the-art instruments“Photoelectron Momentum Microscope” was installed at UVSOR-III BL6U on February 2020 (Kera group).

Fujimori Group has been studying the electronic structures of strongly-correlated electron materials by soft X-ray spectroscopies at SPring-8 BL23SU. The main research objective is to elucidate the mechanism of exotic physical properties of strongly-correlated rare-earth and actinide materials by understanding their electronic structures and magnetic properties.

Fig. 2：Comparison between the band structure and Fermi surface of UB2 obtained by ARPES experiment at SPring-8 BL23SU and the band-structure calculation (Fujimori group).

Ikemoto Group has been conducting infrared (IR) spectroscopies and microscopies in the near- to far- IR regime under various sample conditions at SPring-8 BL43IR. In particular, magnetic field and humidity control systems are intensively developed in recent years. Investigations about various kind of materials such as strongly correlated electron system and organic compounds have been carried out.