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Imai-Imada Lab
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A lab that uses optical STM to measure the optical functions of individual molecules at the atomic level.
AboutAbout the lab
Innovation through nanotechnology
Imai-Imada Lab studies methods for measuring the optical properties of individual molecules at atomic-level resolution.
The lab has independently developed "optical STM," which combines the mechanisms of optics with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM).
Using this instrument, it investigates the relationship among the structure, electronic states, and optical functions of organic electronics materials, and it is also taking on the measurement of biomolecules.
The lab also doubles as a RIKEN research team, with bases at both Ookayama and Wako.
Key terms
- Scanning tunneling microscope (STM)
- A microscope that brings a sharp tip close to a material's surface and reads the arrangement of atoms from the tiny current that flows
- Photoelectric conversion
- Converting light energy into electrical energy. It is the basis of how solar cells work
- Molecular orbital
- A representation of where and how electrons are spread out within a molecule
NewsLab news
New member joins: Assistant Professor Wu takes up the post
Associate Professor Imai-Imada's ECL Research Team launched at RIKEN
ResearchResearch themes
The lab has independently developed optical STM, which integrates the mechanisms of optics into a scanning tunneling microscope, and measures optical properties at the ultimate spatial resolution. It aims to clarify the relationship among structure, electronic states, and optical functions at the atomic scale.
*Illustrative imageMeasuring the optical properties of a single molecule
The lab independently developed optical STM, which combines the mechanisms of optics with a scanning tunneling microscope. Using it, the lab imaged photoelectric conversion occurring within a single molecule for the first time and elucidated its mechanism.
*Illustrative imagePrecision measurement of organic electronics materials
With optical STM, the lab measures the electronic states of organic electronics materials and the spatial extent of their molecular orbitals at the atomic level. It has clarified how optically functional molecules are affected when they are attached to a substrate.
*Illustrative imagePrecision measurement of biomolecules
The lab aims to use optical STM to build models in which individual biomolecules are arranged in specific patterns, and to evaluate the functions that depend on how they are arranged. It takes on the challenge of clarifying the relationship between structure and function and artificially controlling highly efficient functions.
MembersFaculty
Imai-Imada Lab members consist of faculty, master's and undergraduate students, and administrative staff.As of 2026
- Associate ProfessorMiyabi Imai-ImadaPublications ↗
- Assistant ProfessorDa Wu
VoicesStudent voices
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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: “Scanning tunneling microscope (STM) 250 nm by 250 nm image of one-atom-thick silver islands grown on palladium (111) surface” Ponor / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Measuring the optical properties of a single molecule: “Iron phthalocyanine STM” UCL Mathematical and Physical Sciences from London, UK / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Precision measurement of organic electronics materials: “CP40-STM” Chris J. Judd, Dmitry V. Kondratuk, Harry L. Anderson & Alex Saywell / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Precision measurement of biomolecules: “DNA Double Helix by NHGRI” National Human Genome Research Institute / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (平原研究室): “Graphite-layers-side-3D-balls” Benjah-bmm27 / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (于研究室): “Neel skyrmion coneplot” Forschungszentrum Jülich / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (久世研究室): “Views of the LHC tunnel sector 3-4, tirage 2” Maximilien Brice (CERN) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (陣内研究室): “CERN LHC ATLAS Detector” SimonWaldherr / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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