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RIKEN Center for Advanced Photonics Ultrafast Spectroscopy Research Team

Team Leader: Tahei Tahara (D.Sc.)

Research Summary

Tahei  Tahara

We develop advanced spectroscopic methods based on the "extreme" optical technology, and carry out fundamental studies for controlling chemical reactions and material functions. We pursue the basic knowledge for developing novel functional materials by investigating the elementary processes that occur in fundamental molecules, complex molecules, and heterogeneous molecular systems. Using the most advanced spectroscopy, we observe and control the motion and function of the molecules.

Main Research Fields

  • Chemistry

Related Research Fields

  • Mathematical & Physical Sciences
  • Biology
  • Physical chemistry
  • Biological physics/Chemical physics/Soft matter physics
  • Biophysics

Keywords

  • Ultrafast spectroscopy
  • Nonlinear spectroscopy
  • Single molecule spectroscopy
  • Dynamics
  • Interface

Selected Publications

  • 1. Kusaka, R., Nihonyanagi, S., and Tahara, T.:
    "The photochemical reaction of phenol becomes ultrafast at the air–water interface"
    Nat. Chem., 13, 306-311. (2021).
  • 2. Ahmed, M., Inoue, K., Nihonyanagi, S., and Tahara, T.:
    "Hidden isolated OH at the charged hydrophobic interface revealed by two-dimensional heterodyne-detected VSFG spectroscopy"
    Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 59, 9498-9505. (2020).
  • 3. Kuramochi, H., Aoyama, G., Okajima, H., Sakamoto, A., Kanegawa, S., Sato, O., Takeuchi, S., and Tahara, T.:
    "Femtosecond polarization switching in the crystal of a [CrCo] dinuclear complex"
    Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 59, 15865-15869. (2020).
  • 4. Inoue, K., Ahmed, M., Nihonyanagi, S., and Tahara, T.:
    "Reorientation-induced relaxation of free OH at the air/water interface revealed by ultrafast heterodyne-detected nonlinear spectroscopy"
    Nat. Commun., 11, 5344/1-7. (2020).
  • 5. Iwamura, M., Fukui, A., Nozaki, N., Kuramochi, H., Takeuchi, S.,and Tahara, T.:
    "Coherent vibration and femtosecond dynamics of the platinum complex oligomers upon intermolecular bond formation in the excited state"
    Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 59, 23154-23161. (2020).
  • 6. Kuramochi, H., Takeuchi, S., Iwamura, M., Nozaki, K., and Tahara, T.:
    "Tracking photoinduced Au–Au bond formation through transient terahertz vibrations observed by femtosecond time-domain Raman spectroscopy"
    J. Am. Chem. Soc., 141, 19296-19303. (2019).
  • 7. Kuramochi, H., Takeuchi, S., Kamikubo, H., Kataoka, M., and Tahara, T.:
    "Fifth-order time-domain Raman spectroscopy of photoactive yellow protein for visualizing vibrational coupling in its excited state"
    Sci. Adv., 5, 6, eaau4490. (2019)
  • 8. Tahara, S., Kuramochi, H., Takeuchi, S., and Tahara, T.:
    "Protein dynamics preceding photoisomerization of the retinal chromophore in bacteriorhodopsin revealed by deep-UV femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy"
    J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 10, 5422 – 5427. (2019).
  • 9. Kuramochi, H., Takeuchi, S., Yonezawa, S., Kamikubo, K., Kataoka, H., and Tahara, T.:
    "Probing the early stages of photoreception in photoactive yellow protein with ultrafast time-domain Raman spectroscopy"
    Nat. Chem., 9, 660. (2017).
  • 10. Singh, P.C., Nihonyanagi, S. Yamaguchi, S., and Tahara T.:
    "Femtosecond hydrogen-bond dynamics of bulk-like and bound water at positively and negatively charged lipid interfaces revealed by 2D HD-VSFG spectroscopy"
    Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 55, 10621. (2016).

Recent Research Results

Related Links

Lab Members

Principal investigator

Tahei Tahara
Team Leader

Core members

Kunihiko Ishii
Senior Research Scientist
Satoshi Nihonyanagi
Senior Research Scientist
Korenobu Matsuzaki
Research Scientist
Ahmed Mohammed
Research Scientist

Contact Information

2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
Email: tahei [at] riken.jp

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