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Akatsuka Lab
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A plasma science and engineering lab that reads what is inside a plasma from its light.
AboutAbout the lab
Diagnose, understand, and use plasma.
The Akatsuka Lab researches plasma science and engineering, centered on plasma spectroscopy.
The lab builds numerical models of how atoms and molecules emit light inside plasma, and combines them with simple spectroscopic measurements to develop methods for determining the state of a plasma.
It also does fundamental research on flows of weakly ionized plasma that expand at supersonic speed.
This is a field that draws on knowledge of physics, chemistry, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering, and people from a wide range of departments are active in it.
Key terms
- Plasma
- A state in which energy given to a gas separates atoms into electrons and ions that are mixed together. It emits light.
- Optical emission spectroscopy
- A method of splitting the light emitted by plasma by wavelength and measuring it to determine the state of the atoms and molecules inside.
- Electron temperature
- The energy of the electrons moving around in a plasma, expressed as a temperature.
- Decommissioning
- The work of dismantling and removing facilities such as nuclear reactors that have ended operation, and bringing them to a safe state.
NewsLab news
Developed an analysis method for plasma optical emission spectroscopy for semiconductor processes
A doctoral student received the Excellent Paper Presentation Award from the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan
A doctoral student received the Excellent Poster Award from the Japan Society for Atomic Collision Research
Invited review on low-temperature plasma optical emission spectroscopy published in Jpn. J. Appl. Phys.
Associate Professor Akatsuka received a Poster Award at the international conference ISPlasma
ResearchResearch themes
The lab conducts fundamental research in plasma science and engineering, centered on developing optical emission spectroscopy based on atomic and molecular processes in plasma. Its research ranges from plasma measurement to the physics of plasma moving at supersonic speed and applications to nuclear reactor decommissioning.
*Illustrative imageMeasuring plasma with the light of atoms
The lab develops methods that analyze the spectrum of light emitted by atoms in plasma and model atomic and molecular processes to determine electron temperature and electron density. It also works on measuring the plasma used for dry etching of semiconductors.
*Illustrative imageMeasuring gas temperature with the light of molecules
This research analyzes the spectra of light emitted by molecules such as nitrogen to examine the state of low-pressure molecular gas plasma. The lab also applies optical emission spectroscopy to diagnosing plasma processes that form thin films for solar cells.
*Illustrative imagePlasma moving at supersonic speed
The lab experiments on plasma jets accelerated to supersonic speed along open magnetic field lines, using a wind tunnel of rarefied gas with an applied magnetic field. It also investigates the acceleration mechanism through numerical calculations that combine particle and fluid methods.
*Illustrative imageApplication to nuclear reactor decommissioning
The lab researches arc plasma engineering for use in decommissioning nuclear reactors. It studies spectroscopic measurement of arc discharge plasma blown into water, and how heat is transferred.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Akatsuka Lab consist of faculty and doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- Associate ProfessorHiroshi AkatsukaPublications ↗
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: “Gerds plasma” Gerd domrath at German Wikipedia / Public domain (cropped)
- Measuring plasma with the light of atoms: “Gallium spectrum” Umop503 / CC0 (cropped)
- Measuring gas temperature with the light of molecules: “Nitrogen-glow” Jurii / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- Plasma moving at supersonic speed: “Hall Effect Thruster in a vacuum chamber” EXOTRAIL SA / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Application to nuclear reactor decommissioning: “Plasma cutting components for Broadway bridge, January 2020” MassDOT / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (沖野研究室): “Buse plasma à pression atmosphérique” Acxys / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (間中・
田口研究室): “Organic crystal 1” RemiJos / CC BY 4.0 (cropped) - Related lab (竹内研究室): “Water plasma” Original uploader was Sfusare at en.wikipedia. A later version was uploaded by Equazcion also at en.wikipedia. / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (當麻研究室): “Au nanoparticles” Nikonianman / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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