Summary

Basic research is conducted on optical new-concept devices using the local optical electric field enhancement and the light trapping effects in nanoscale metallic microstructures and photonic crystals, and research is conducted on new optical materials providing nonlinear optical phenomena with low light intensity as well as nonlinear optical devices.

Also, research is conducted on the creation and functional evaluation of various polymeric materials that use or manipulate light as well as new polymerization reaction control, primarily from the perspective of global environmental preservation and sustainable chemistry. For example, the artificial synthesis of optically-active helical nanowire using plant-derived substances as raw materials and its application to advanced materials and new optical elements, etc. and production of solar cells and light-emitting elements that use low-cost synthetic polymers.

Research topics

1. Research on Nonlinear Optical Materials Using Optical Field Enhancement Effects in Nano Structure
   1-1　Outline

   Basic research will be performed on new-concept optical devices using the local optical electric field enhancement and the light trapping effects in nanoscale metallic microstructures and photonic crystals, and proposals of new optical materials providing nonlinear optical phenomena with low light intensity and research on nonlinear optical devices and their fabrication technologies will be carried out.

    

   1-2　Keywords

   Nano-optics, nanostructure, plasmon, photonic crystal, femtosecond laser, local optical electric field enhancement effect, nonlinear optical effect

    

   1-3　Supervisors

   Masanobu Haraguchi, Toshihiro Okamoto, Shuichi Hashimoto, Shigeki Matsuo, Atsushi Mori

    

2. Research on Creation and Optical Functions of Polymer Nanomaterial
   2-1　Outline

   This project will carry out research on the creation and functional evaluation of various polymer nanomaterials from the perspective of environmentally-friendly and sustainable chemistry. For example, the artificial synthesis of new, optically-active helical nanowire using biomass and its application to advanced materials and new optical elements, etc., and the production of organic solar cells and light emitting diodes using low-cost synthetic polymers.

    

   2-2　Keywords

   Polymer, polymerization, nanomaterial, optical activity, biomass, organic solar cell

    

   2-3　Supervisors

   Hitoshi Tanaka, Yoshihiko Tezuka, Miki Niwa