Chief Scientist Laboratories Molecular Spectroscopy Laboratory

Chief Scientist: Tahei Tahara (D.Sc.)

Japanese Page

Research Summary

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 studying complex molecular systems. To elucidate a variety of phenomena occurring in the complex systems, we need to clarify their electronic and vibrational states, 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 the most suitable time- and space-resolution for the problems to be studied. Currently, we are carrying out the following projects: (1) Study of ultrafast dynamics using advanced time-resolved spectroscopy; (2) Study of soft interfaces using novel interface-selective nonlinear spectroscopy; (3) Study of structural dynamics of biomolecules and development of new single molecule spectroscopy.

Main Research Fields

Chemistry

Related Research Fields

Mathematical & Physical Sciences
Biology
Physical Chemistry
Thin film & Surface and interfacial physical properties
Biophysics

Keywords

Ultrafast spectroscopy
Nonlinear spectroscopy
Single molecule spectroscopy
Reaction dynamics
Interface

Selected Publications

1. Kuramochi, H., Takeuchi, S., Iwamura, M., 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).
2. Kuramochi, H. Takeuchi, S. Yonezawa, K, Kamikubo, H. Kataoka, M. and Tahara, T.:
"Probing the early stages of photoreception in photoactive yellow protein with time-domain Raman spectroscopy"
Nat. Chem. 9, 660-666 (2017).
3. Matsuzaki, K., Kusaka, R., Nihonyanagi, S., Yamaguchi, S., Nagata, T., and Tahara, T.:
"Partially hydrated electrons at the air/water interface observed by UV-excited time-resolved heterodyne-detected vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy"
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 138, 7551-7557 (2016).
4. Singh, P. C., Inoue, K., 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).
5. Otosu, T., Ishii, K. and Tahara, T.:
"Microsecond protein dynamics observed at the single molecule level"
Nat. Commun. 6, 7685/1-9 (2015).
6. Nihonyanagi, S., Yamaguchi, S. and Tahara, T.:
"Counterion effect on interfacial water at charged interfaces and its relevance to the hofmeister series"
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 136, 6155-6158 (2014).
7. Ishii, K. and Tahara, T.:
"Two-dimensional fluorescence lifetime correlation spectroscopy. 1. Principle & 2. Application"
J. Phys. Chem. B 117, 11414-11422 & 11423-11432 (2013).
8. Mondal, J. A., Nihonyanagi, S., Yamaguchi, S. and Tahara, T.:
"Three distinct water structures at a zwitterionic lipid/water interface revealed by heterodyne-detected vibrational sum frequency generation"
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 134, 7842-7850 (2012).
9. 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, 204704/1-5 (2009).
10. Takeuchi, S., Ruhman, S., Tsuneda, T., Chiba, M., Taketsugu, T. and Tahara, T.:
"Spectroscopic tracking of structural evolution in ultrafast stilbene photoisomerization"
Science 322,1073-1077 (2008).