Ultrafast Molecular Manipulation Research Team

Team Leader

Tahei Tahara

  • D.Sci.
  • Tahei Tahara
  • Brief resume
    1989
    D.Sci., University of Tokyo
    1989
    Research Associate, University of Tokyo
    1990
    Research Associate, Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology
    1995
    Associate Professor, Institute for Molecular Science
    2001
    Chief Scientist, Molecular Spectroscopy Laboratory, RIKEN (-current)

Outline

Ultrafast Molecular Manipulation Research Team

We develop advanced spectroscopic methods based on "extreme" optical technology, and carry out fundamental studies for elucidation and control of material functions, including chemical reactions. We pursue basic knowledge for developing novel functional materials by investigating the molecular elementary processes that occur across the material hierarchy, i.e., fundamental molecules, complex molecules, and heterogeneous systems. Using the most advanced laser technology in the photon energy of ultraviolet ~ visible ~ infrared ~ terahertz, we observe and elucidate novel molecular phenomena to understand and control the complex systems.

Recent Research Topic

Real-time observation and tracking of structural evolution of reacting molecules
Fig. 1: Real-time observation and tracking of structural evolution of reacting molecules

Selected Publications

  1. M. Iwamura, H. Watanabe, K. Ishii, S. Takeuchi, T. Tahara, Coherent nuclear dynamics in ultrafast photoinduced structural change of bis-diimine copper (I) complex, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 7728.
  2. Z. R. Wei, T. Nakamura, S. Takeuchi, T. Tahara, Tracking of the nuclear wavepacket motion in cyanine photoisomerization by ultrafast pump-dump-probe spectroscopy, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, in press.
  3. A. Jha, K. Ishii, J. Udgaonkar, T. Tahara, G. Krishnamoorthy, Exploration of the correlation between solvation dynamics and internal dynamics of a protein, Biochemistry, 2011, 50, 397.
  4. P. Sen, S. Yamaguchi, T. Tahara, Ultrafast dynamics of malachite green at the air/water interface studied by femtosecond time-resolved electronic sum-frequency generation (TR-ESFG): an indicator for local viscosity, Faraday Discuss. 2010, 145, 411.
  5. J. Klosterman, M. Iwamura, T. Tahara, M. Fujita, Energy transfer in a mechanically trapped exciplex, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 9478.
  6. S. Takeuchi, S. Ruhman, T. Tsuneda, M. Chiba, T. Taketsugu, T. Tahara, Spectroscopic tracking of structural evolution in ultrafast stilbene photoisomerization, Science 2008, 322, 1073.
  7. T. Nakamura, et al. Ultrafast pump-probe study of primary photoreaction process in pharaonis halorhodopsin: Halide-ion dependence and isomerization dynamics, J. Phys. Chem. B 2008, 112, 12795.
  8. K. Sekiguchi, S. Yamaguchi, T. Tahara, Femtosecond time-resolved electronic sum-frequency generation (TR-ESFG) spectroscopy: A new method to investigate ultrafast dynamics at liquid interfaces, J. Chem. Phys. 2008, 128, 114715.
  9. M. Iwamura, S. Takeuchi, T. Tahara, 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. 2007, 129, 5248.
  10. S. Takeuchi, T. Tahara, The answer to concerted versus step-wise controversy for the double proton transfer mechanism of 7-azaindole dimer in solution, Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 2007, 104, 5285.

Core Members

Principal Investigator add delete
Tahei Tahara Team Leader (Chief Scientist, Molecular Spectroscopy Laboratory)    
Staff Scientist add delete
Satoshi Takeuchi Senior Research Scientist (Senior Research Scientist, Molecular Spectroscopy Laboratory)    
Shoichi Yamaguchi Senior Research Scientist (Senior Research Scientist, Molecular Spectroscopy Laboratory)    
Kunihiko Ishii Research Scientist (Research Scientist, Molecular Spectroscopy Laboratory)    
Satoshi Nihonyanagi ASI Research Scientist 　  
Postdoctoral Fellow add delete
Student Trainee add delete
Technical Assistant add delete
Administrative Assistant add delete
Visiting Research Staff add delete
Other Staff add delete

( ) indicates primary affiliation in RIKEN.

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