Molecular Spectroscopy Laboratory
Chief Scientist
Tahei TAHARA (D.Sci.)
Spectroscopy is the "eyes" of modern science, and hence it plays essential roles in a variety of research fields covering physics, chemistry and biology. We develop and utilize the most advanced spectroscopy for molecular science of complex systems in the condensed-phase. To elucidate a variety of complex phenomena occurring in the condensed phase, we need to clarify the electronic and vibrational states of molecules, the response of surroundings, and the fluctuation and dissipation of energy behind. Based on this view, we carry out fundamental research using the most advanced linear/nonlinear spectroscopic methods with most suitable time- and space-resolution for the problems to be studied. Currently, we are carrying out the following projects:
1. Elucidation and control of ultrafast phenomena using advanced time-resolved spectroscopy,
2. Study of soft interfaces using new nonlinear spectroscopy,
3. Study of the dynamics of complex systems in the femtosecond - millisecond time region.
Targets of the projects 1, 2, 3 are (1) fundamental molecules in solution, (2) molecules at the air/liquid,liquid/liquid, liquid/solid and biological interfaces, and (3)biological macromolecules, respectively.
- Elucidation and control of ultrafast phenomena using advanced time-resolved spectroscopy
- Study of soft interfaces using new nonlinear spectroscopy
- Study of the dynamics of complex systems in the femtosecond - millisecond time region.
- September 28, 2011
- When water and air meet
New study sheds light on the mysterious structure of the world's most common liquid interface
- July 29, 2009
- New laser spectroscopy method developed for detection of 'color' on liquid interface
- November 14, 2008
- A new methdology for the detection of the change in molecular structure in a time of 0.1 ps (pico second), providing powerful tools 'to elucidate the transition state of chemical reactions
- August 31, 2007
- The Molecular Spectroscopy Laboratory of DRI has developed a "fourth-order nonlinear Raman spectroscopy," a new laser spectroscopy that enables the depiction of a specific boundary surface buried between dense materials.
- March 20, 2007
- Molecular Spectroscopy Laboratory provided key evidence that supported the concerted mechanism, and not the step-wise, in the mechanistic controversy for the double proton transfer reaction.
- September 24,2010
- Heads up, tails down
Advanced laser spectroscopy exposes the unique organization of water molecules under model membrane surfaces
- October 16, 2009
- Interfaces: Different for every molecule
A novel spectroscopic technique reveals a new fundamental property of air/water interfaces
- August 14, 2009
- A tight fit helps energy transmit
Mechanically trapped molecules throw light on energy transfer within artificial photosynthetic systems
- March 19, 2009
- Seeing molecules move in real-time
Ultrafast lasers instantaneously track a molecular twist in progress
- November 22, 2007
- Hidden surface chemistry revealed
A new technique that works at normal pressures shows molecular interactions at liquid interfaces
- September 28, 2007
- Using 10-femtosecond optical pulses to observe novel molecular behavior
- Mondal, J. A., Nihonyanagi, S., Yamaguchi, S. and Tahara, T.:
"Structure and orientation of water at charged lipid monolayer/water interfaces probed by heterodyne-detected vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy"
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 132, 10656 (2010). - Nihonyanagi, S., Yamaguchi, S. and Tahara, T.;
"Water hydrogen bond structure near highly charged interfaces is not like ice"
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 132, 6867 (2010). - Ishii, K. and Tahara, T:
"Resolving Inhomogeneity Using Lifetime-Weighted Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy"
J. Phys. Chem. B, 114, 12383 (2010). - Sen, S., Yamaguchi, S. and Tahara, T.;
"Different molecules experience different polarity at the air/water interface"
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 48, 6439 (2009). - Nihonyanagi, S., Yamaguchi, S. and Tahara, T.;
"Direct evidence for orientational flip-flop of water molecules at charged interfaces: a heterodyne-detected vibrational sum frequency generation study"
J. Chem. Phys., 130, 204704 (2009). - Takeuchi, S., Ruhman, S., Tsuneda, T., Chiba, M., Taketsugu, T. and Tahara, T.:
"Spectroscopic tracking of structural evolution in ultrafast stilbene photoisomerization"
Science 322,1073 (2008) - Yamaguchi, S. and Tahara, T.:
"Heterodyne-detected electronic sum frequency generation: 'up' vs 'down' alignment of interfacial molecules"
J. Chem. Phys., 129, 101102 (2008). - Yamaguchi, S. and Tahara, T.:
"χ(4) Raman spectroscopy for buried water interfaces"
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 46, 7609 (2007). - Takeuchi, S. and Tahara, T.:
"The answer to concerted versus step-wise controversy for double proton transfer mechanism of 7-azaindole dimer in solution"
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 104, 5285 (2007). - Iwamura, M., Takeuchi, S. and Tahara, T.:
"Real-time observation of the photoinduced structural change of bis-2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline copper (I) by femtosecond fluorescence spectroscopy: A realistic potential curve of the Jahn-Teller distortion"
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 129, 5248 (2007).