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Hirata Lab
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A lab that designs and makes molecular materials that color or emit light, and explores how to use them.
AboutAbout the lab
Designing luminescent molecules to bring out new functions
The Hirata Lab studies molecular materials that show color or emit light.
Depending on changes in shape or in the surrounding environment, molecules can show functions such as changing color when pressed, moving when exposed to light, or changing emission color with temperature.
The lab investigates how to design the molecules, how to make them, and in what state to use them to achieve high-performance, distinctive coloration or light emission.
Drawing on chemistry, physics, and informatics, each student pursues research on a theme of their own choosing.
Key terms
- Delayed emission
- Light emission that continues for a while after irradiation with light stops
- Organic EL
- A mechanism in which organic molecules emit light when electricity is passed through them
- Absorbance
- The degree to which a substance absorbs light
NewsLab news
Selected as an 'Outstanding Achievement in Facility Use' for fiscal 2026 under MEXT's ARIM program
A student won the Excellent Presentation Award at the Young Researchers' Intensive Camp on π-Molecular Complexity
A doctoral student won the Young Researcher Oral Presentation Award at the 36th Symposium on Basic Organic Chemistry
A master's student won the Best Oral Presentation Award at the 47th Young Researchers Meeting on Photochemistry
A paper by a graduate of the lab was published in Nature Communications (press release)
ResearchResearch themes
This lab makes materials that color or emit light using molecules, and studies their properties. It investigates how to design them, how to make them, and in what state to use them to obtain distinctive coloration or light emission, and considers products that could contribute to society based on these functions.
*Illustrative imageMolecular Materials with Long-Lasting Luminescence
Molecules that normally do not show delayed emission at room temperature show long delayed emission on the order of seconds in this system. Anti-counterfeiting and imaging are cited as applications.
*Illustrative imageMaterials That Darken as the Surroundings Get Brighter
Absorbance normally does not depend on the brightness of the surroundings, but in this system absorbance increases as the surroundings become brighter. Smart windows are cited as an application.
*Illustrative imageHigh-Performance Organic EL Materials
Normally, efficiency is halved by a film on the display surface, but in this system the film does not block the light. Coated displays are cited as an application.
*Illustrative imageMolecules That Emit at Wavelengths Shorter Than They Absorb
Molecules normally emit at wavelengths longer than the absorption wavelength, but in this system the molecules emit at wavelengths shorter than the absorption wavelength. Luminescence imaging and artificial photosynthesis are cited as applications.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Hirata Lab are faculty, postdoctoral researchers, doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students, collaborating researchers of Transformative Research Areas (A), and secretaries.As of 2026
- Associate ProfessorShuzo Hirata
- Assistant Professor (Maki-Hirano Laboratory)Kikuya Hayashi
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: “Fluorescent dye” Swastipandey / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Molecular Materials with Long-Lasting Luminescence: “Glow In The Dark D20 Dice” Dark Elf Dice / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Materials That Darken as the Surroundings Get Brighter: “Optical photochromic lenses” Albarubescens / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- High-Performance Organic EL Materials: “PlasticLogic flexible display” Steve Jurvetson / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Molecules That Emit at Wavelengths Shorter Than They Absorb: “Luminescence material” Vishal Garasia vish / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (平野 誉 研究室): “Photinus pyralis Firefly glowing” art farmer from evansville indiana, usa / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (北田 昇雄 研究室): “Close-up view of a bioluminescent beetle Elateroidea” Basile Morin / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (桂川 眞幸 研究室): “Starfire Optical Range - sodium laser” 作者不詳 / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (武者 満 研究室): “Baffled LIGO Scientists” Nkij / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
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