In our laboratory, we conduct research on the creation of solid materials with new functional properties by combining various chemical reactions with atomically controlled crystal growth methods. We also use advanced analytical techniques and theoretical calculations to elucidate the mechanisms of chemical reactions and physical properties.

Solid materials are composed of aggregated atoms and molecules, and exhibit a wide variety of properties depending on the combination of elements and differences in structure. Among them, metal oxides have been widely used since ancient times as familiar items such as pigments and ceramics. Today, their applications are further expanding to include memory devices and optical devices that support our daily lives. As devices continue to shrink in size, it is desirable to develop materials that are thinner and smaller than ever before, yet still offer high performance.

In our laboratory, we focus on “thin films” to address these issues. Thin films are close to device structures and have the advantage of obtaining single crystals and metastable phases that cannot be obtained in bulk materials. In addition, heterostructures, periodic structures, and interface-specific physical properties can be expected by stacking different materials.

Along with the above, we focus on “anions” in solid compounds. For example, in oxides, by replacing some of the oxygen with different anions such as fluorine, it is possible to control the polarity and band gap.