光電場デザインと物質操作の科学
Spectroscopy and Quantum Control with Designed Light
光は、その電場と磁場を通じて物質中の電子や原子核を揺さぶることで、ミクロな世界を「見る」「操る」ための優れたツールとなります。なかでも超短パルスレーザーは、多数の周波数成分の重ね合わせによって実現されるパルス状の光です。この豊富な周波数資源と、周波数成分ごとの位相や偏光状態は、物質の計測と制御に新たな自由度をもたらします。
私たちはこの超短パルスレーザーとそれをナノスケール空間に集中させるナノ光学に基づいて、原子・分子・固体などの物質の量子状態を計測・制御する手法の創出に取り組んでいます。新しい光の場を作り出すことで、これまでは不可能であった超高感度計測および精密な物質制御を達成することが私たちの夢です。ここで得られる基礎科学の知見は、新規光源の開発にとどまりません。人間の目では到底見ることのできない原子・分子の超高感度な検知、化学反応や相転移の自在な制御、さらには超高速エレクトロニクスの新原理構築まで、幅広い応用展開が期待されます。
Light serves as an exceptional tool for “observing” and “manipulating” the microscopic world by shaking electrons and nuclei within matter through its electric and magnetic fields. In particular, an ultrashort pulse laser provides pulsed light realized by the superposition of numerous frequency components. These abundant frequency resources, combined with the phase and polarization state of each component, bring new degrees of freedom to the measurement and control of matter.
By integrating these ultrashort pulse lasers with nano-optics that concentrates light into nanoscale spaces, we are working to pioneer new methods for measuring and controlling the quantum states of matter, such as atoms, molecules, and solids. Our dream is to engineer novel optical fields to achieve ultrasensitive measurements and precise material control that were previously impossible. The fundamental scientific insights gained here go far beyond the development of novel light sources. They are expected to lead to a wide range of applications, from the highly sensitive detection of atoms and molecules entirely invisible to the human eye, to the coherent control of chemical reactions and phase transitions, and even the establishment of new principles for ultrafast electronics.
