Tokyo Institute of Technology Hitosugi & Shimizu Lab

As atoms condense to form a molecule or a solid, exotic physical phenomenon far beyond our intuition begin to emerge.

Imagine building up a condensed material by bonding atoms together one-by-one. New electronic properties will immediately appear after two atoms bond each other. As we increase the number of atoms further, from three, to ten, to one hundred, to one million, new and unusual physical properties will emerge at each step, and eventually we will arrive at the familiar properties of a bulk material.

By addressing atomic and electronic structure, our group aims to elucidate the novel physical and chemical properties of materials spanning a range of size scales. Our research includes the interactions within networks of condensed materials and the interface phenomena between different materials. In addition to their basic physics and chemistry, we also focus on their technological applications, and ultimately aim for outcomes which are beneficial for our everyday life.

To achieve our goals, we carefully design and fabricate nanostructures and thin films on the atomic scale, and study their electronic properties using state-of-the-art measurement techniques.

Through our tireless pursuit of new materials and functionalities, we are opening up new frontiers in condensed matter science, on scales ranging from the microscopic to the macroscopic.