LAB LOGA page on LabLog, a review site (not the lab's official page)
Kubo Lab
Machine-translated · View original
A lab that captures light waves traveling along metal surfaces with femtosecond time resolution.
AboutAbout the lab
Capturing light waves on metal surfaces at femtosecond resolution
The Nanophotonics Lab (Kubo Lab) studies the ultrafast dynamics, and the temporal and spatial structure, of surface plasmon polaritons, electromagnetic waves that propagate along metal surfaces.
A surface plasmon polariton is an electromagnetic wave in which light is coupled with collective oscillations of free electrons in the metal. It is characterized by the electromagnetic field being localized at the interface between a metal and a dielectric.
The lab combines femtosecond laser pulses with metal nanostructures to create wave packets, and directly observes their propagation and interference using time-resolved photoemission electron microscopy and two-photon fluorescence microscopy.
Working on femtosecond time scales and nano- to micrometer length scales, the lab explores new physics of light-matter interaction through both experiment and theory.
Key terms
- Surface plasmon polariton
- An electromagnetic wave in which light is coupled with collective oscillations of free electrons in a metal. The electromagnetic field is localized at the interface between the metal and a dielectric.
- Wave packet
- A cluster of waves excited by a laser pulse that is localized in both time and space.
- Time-resolved photoemission electron microscopy
- A method that uses an instrument imaging the electromagnetic field distribution via electrons emitted from a surface under light irradiation, taking continuous images while changing the delay time.
- Spin angular momentum
- One kind of angular momentum carried by light, arising from the rotation of the electric field. It is distinct from orbital angular momentum.
NewsLab news
View More ↗ResearchResearch themes
The lab aims to directly observe the properties of surface plasmons propagating along metal surfaces with femtosecond time resolution, and to actively control them using structured light and metal nanostructures. By clarifying the relationship between the spatiotemporal structure of light and spin angular momentum, and the localization and control of electromagnetic fields by periodic nanostructures, the lab aims to open up new physics of light-matter interaction.
*Illustrative imageVisualizing surface plasmon wave packets
The lab films, over time, the propagation and interference of light wave packets traveling along metal surfaces by combining femtosecond lasers with microscopes. It uses time-resolved photoemission electron microscopy and two-photon fluorescence microscopy.
*Illustrative imageSpatial structure created by the spin of light
The lab studies "spin textures," in which the spin angular momentum of surface plasmons changes its direction and magnitude from place to place. It explores the spin structure of light through time-resolved observation and analysis of the electromagnetic field.
*Illustrative imageSpatiotemporal control of surface plasmons
A spatial light modulator shapes the wavefront of femtosecond laser pulses to create light wave packets in which space and time are coupled. These are directed onto metal nanostructures, transferred into surface plasmon wave packets, and observed with two-photon fluorescence microscopy.
*Illustrative imageInteraction between nanoresonators and wave packets
Using time-resolved two-photon fluorescence microscopy, the lab has studied how the frequency components change and how the temporal waveform deforms when a surface plasmon wave packet passes through a metal-insulator-metal nanoresonator. It has observed shifts and splitting of the wave packet's peak position.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Nanophotonics Lab (Kubo Lab) consist of faculty members, doctoral and master's students, and special research students.As of 2026
- LecturerAtsushi Kubo
VoicesStudent voices
Ratings and reviews reflect the experiences of individual current or former students, not the lab's official views. Whether a lab has reviews, or how many, says nothing about the lab itself.
Students who take part in an interview may receive a thank-you gift worth ¥1,000, regardless of what they say.
Student ratings (0 students)
--
--
--
--
--
--
Student voices answer questions like these
- What's great about this lab?
- What did you learn after joining?
- What's the vibe, and what is the professor like?
- Who is this lab for?
- Where do graduates go?
Your experience can help younger students choose their lab. Your name won't be shown.
Write a lab reviewAnonymous · Your draft is saved if you stopRelatedLabs similar to Kubo Lab
Moritomo LabSchool of Science and Engineering, College of PhysicsEnvironmental and energy materials such as lithium-ion and s…
Masumoto-Ikezawa LabSchool of Science and Engineering, College of PhysicsOptical properties of semiconductor nanostructures (quantum …
Otani-Hagiwara LabSchool of Science and Engineering, College of PhysicsStudying the properties of solid surfaces, interfaces, and e…
Nomura LabSchool of Science and Engineering, College of PhysicsOptical properties of nanostructures: innovative devices uti…The information on this page is compiled by the LabLog team from the lab's public information and interviews. For corrections or removal requests, please contact LabLog, not the lab.
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: “COVID-19- DOE Response Researchers with UEM microscope ( )” U.S. Department of Energy from United States / Public domain (cropped)
- Visualizing surface plasmon wave packets: “Surface plasmon resonance device” Laundry / Public domain (cropped)
- Spatial structure created by the spin of light: “Diffractive pattern with several optical vortex beams” Alexander Koshelev / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Spatiotemporal control of surface plasmons: “Femtosecond Pulse Laser at Cornell University” paul_houle / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
- Interaction between nanoresonators and wave packets: “Femtosecond Laser and Pulse Compressor - Optics Lab - INRIM” Giorgio Brida from Torino, Italy / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (エネルギー物質科学
（守友研究室） ): “Solar panel research, Sandia National Laboratories, 2021” U.S. Department of Energy / Public domain (cropped) - Related lab (ナノフォトニクス
（舛本・ 池沢研究室） ): “Laser Diode Module” Robert Howie from Perth, Australia / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped) - Related lab (表面界面物性
（大谷・萩原研究室） ): “Melonite crystal structure (Wyckoff 1963) along a axis” Ra'ike (Wikipedia) / CC0 (cropped) - Related lab (光ナノ物性
（野村研究室） ): “Lasertests” The Air Force Research Laboratory’s Directed Energy Directorate / Public domain (cropped)
About LabLog
LabLog is a lab review app for students only. Student members at each university interview students in labs and publish what they say. Student voices can only be read by students who sign up with a university email address. Operated by bestiee Inc.
Learn more about LabLog ↗Search engines and AI may reference the basic lab info and rating summaries on this page and the description of LabLog. Student voices are for student members only. Automated collection by programs (scraping, or input to or training of AI) is prohibited under Article 8 of the Terms of Service. If you need data for research or analysis, please contact us.