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Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Science Lab (Collaborative Chair, NIFS)
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A lab that approaches phenomena in fusion and the universe through the light and behavior of atoms.
AboutAbout the lab
Atomic, molecular, and optical science linking fusion and the universe
The Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Science Lab is a collaborative chair with the National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS), and studies from a quantum-theoretical perspective the structure and collisions of the atoms and molecules that make up plasmas and materials, and their interaction with light.
Built on three pillars (spectroscopy of highly charged ions, first-principles calculations, and atomic data for heavy elements), the lab pursues research that links fusion and astrophysics.
In the master's program, students first attend lectures and exercises at the Chikushi Campus for six months, then move to NIFS to begin full-scale research.
Research is carried out at the National Institute for Fusion Science (Toki, Gifu Prefecture).
Key terms
- Highly charged ion
- An ion that has lost many electrons and carries a large positive charge
- First-principles calculation
- A method of calculating the properties of matter from the fundamental laws of quantum mechanics, without relying on experimental values
- Kilonova
- Electromagnetic emission produced by the merger of neutron stars
NewsLab news
A doctoral student's paper was published in Plasma and Fusion Research
A doctoral student's paper was published in a special issue of Plasma and Fusion Research
A doctoral student's paper was published in Plasma and Fusion Research
A paper by Prof. Kato and a doctoral student was published in the Journal of the Japan Society of Plasma Science and Nuclear Fusion Research
A doctoral student's paper was published in the Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer
ResearchResearch themes
The lab's central aim is to understand complex phenomena in fusion, materials, and astrophysics through atomic processes. Combining theory, computation, data construction, and collaboration with experiments, the lab works on spectroscopy of highly charged ions, simulation of fusion reactor materials, and the creation of atomic data for heavy elements.
Interpreting the Light of Highly Charged Ions
Heavy elements that enter a fusion reactor become highly charged ions that radiate strongly and cool the plasma. The lab observes and analyzes the spectra of highly charged ions of heavy elements using the Large Helical Device (LHD) and an electron beam ion trap, and studies the behavior of impurity ions.
Computing Damage to Fusion Reactor Materials
The lab investigates how fusion reactor materials such as tungsten behave when damaged by plasma and high-energy particles, combining first-principles calculations with machine learning, and studies the fundamentals of material damage and atomic and molecular processes.
Building Atomic Data for Heavy Elements
To understand the light from kilonovae and r-process elements, the lab computes atomic-process data for heavy elements on a large scale, evaluates their accuracy, and compiles them into databases. In collaboration with astronomy, it takes on the challenge of understanding how heavy elements are produced in the universe.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Science Lab consist of faculty members and students in the doctoral and master's programs.As of 2026
- ProfessorDaiji Kato
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