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Nanosystem Optical Manipulation Lab
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The lab studies optical manipulation, using the twist and force of light to freely control the nanoscale world.
AboutAbout the lab
Pursuing the 'fascinating' to revolutionize science and technology
The Nanosystem Optical Manipulation Lab (Tanaka Lab) studies the interaction between light and artificial nanostructures from the perspectives of momentum, angular momentum, and chirality.
The lab aims to create new principles of optical manipulation by capturing the dynamics, geometry, and symmetry of the fields where light and matter meet at the nanoscale.
The lab develops and integrates its own techniques in microfabrication, optical measurement and control, and electromagnetic field simulation, and uses them as the foundation of its research.
The lab was launched in April 2023 at the Research Institute for Electronic Science, and welcomes applicants to its graduate program from other universities and other faculties.
Key terms
- Angular momentum
- A quantity representing the momentum of rotation. Light also has angular momentum, through the rotation of its polarization or the twist of its wavefront.
- Chirality
- The property of not being superimposable on one's mirror image, like a right hand and a left hand.
- Optical pressure
- The force with which light pushes or pulls an object when it strikes or scatters off the object.
NewsLab news
A master's student's research result was published in the Journal of the Optical Society of America B
Forces and torques in nanoscale space were measured in three dimensions using a light-driven 'microdrone' (Nature Physics)
A student received the Bioengineering and Bioinformatics Student Research Award
It was shown that optical vortex beams have their own optical chirality (Optica)
A master's student's research result was published in APL Photonics
ResearchResearch themes
The lab studies the fundamental science of the interaction between light and artificial nanostructures, such as plasmonic structures and metasurfaces, from the perspectives of momentum, angular momentum, and chirality. From this work, it aims to create new principles of optical manipulation and extend them to light-driven nanoactuators, optical levitation, and more.
*Illustrative imageFundamental science of light-nanostructure interaction
The lab investigates the angular momentum and chirality of light, optical responses arising from the rotational symmetry of nanostructures, new optical pressure and optical torque acting on nanostructures, and control of laser cooling of solids. It has also shown that optical vortex beams have their own optical chirality and interact selectively with chiral matter depending on its handedness.
*Illustrative imageDeveloping ultra-high-precision nanoscale measurement methods
The lab develops dichroism spectroscopic imaging using optical vortices, and methods for measuring in three dimensions the optical pressure and optical torque acting on nanostructures. Using a light-driven 'microdrone', it observed transverse optical torque, a rotation about an axis perpendicular to the direction in which the light propagates.
*Illustrative imageLight-driven nanoactuators
The lab builds light-driven nanoactuators that move by the optical pressure generated when light shines on metal nanostructures. Taking inspiration from biomolecular motors, it aims to combine nanostructures and move them freely, and also works on autonomously controlled actuators and optical levitation technology.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Nanosystem Optical Manipulation Lab consist of faculty, secretaries, and master's and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- ProfessorYoshito Tanaka
- Associate ProfessorRyuichi Ohta
- Assistant ProfessorShun Hashiyada
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Lasers” 彭家杰 / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Fundamental science of light-nanostructure interaction: “Metasurface ( )” National Institute of Standards and Technology / Public domain (cropped)
- Developing ultra-high-precision nanoscale measurement methods: “Diffraction of laser beam by grating” Epzcaw / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Light-driven nanoactuators: “Levitated nanoparticle” StephTr / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (光エレクトロニクス研究室): “Closing in” Simon Whitehead from Australia / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (システム制御理論研究室): “Attracteur étrange de Lorenz” Rogilbert / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (自律系工学研究室): “Kilobot robot swarm” asuscreative / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (コヒーレント光研究分野): “SACLA Undulator” SRIA / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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