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Imura Lab
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A lab that probes the essence of nanomaterials with light and puts light to advanced use.
AboutAbout the lab
Probing the essence of nanomaterials and putting light to advanced use
The Imura Lab is a photophysical chemistry lab that studies how matter of nanometer size behaves toward light.
Spectroscopy, which measures the absorption, reflection, and scattering of light, can be applied widely, but because of the diffraction of light, the finest detail it can resolve is limited to about the wavelength of light.
Using a microscope based on a new principle called near-field optics, the lab observes samples at nanoscale resolution that exceeds this diffraction limit.
The lab visualizes the plasmons that appear in noble metal nanoparticles such as gold, aiming to connect this work to the use of light energy and to sensor applications.
Key terms
- Plasmon
- A phenomenon in which free electrons in a metal oscillate collectively. It confines light and enhances its electric field.
- Near-field optical microscope
- A microscope that can observe matter at nanometer-scale detail, beyond the diffraction limit of light.
- Diffraction limit
- The limit caused by light bending around obstacles, which means an ordinary optical microscope can resolve details only down to about the wavelength of light.
NewsLab news
Paper on electron-beam-induced oligomerization of perylene single crystals accepted to J. Phys. Chem. Lett.
Collaborative research result "A light-controlled nano temperature switch" released in a press release
A student won an Outstanding Poster Presentation Award at CSJ Chemistry Festa 2025
A student won an Outstanding Presentation Award at the Nano-Optics Research Group Symposium
Paper on controlling the plasmon resonance of gold nanorods accepted to J. Phys. Chem. Lett.
ResearchResearch themes
The lab works on evaluating physical properties at the nanoscale spatial level, which has become important with the advance of nanotechnology. Using a near-field optical microscope to obtain resolution beyond the diffraction limit of light, it visualizes the spatial structure of plasmons in noble metal nanoparticles, aiming to understand their functions and apply them.
*Illustrative imageDeveloping nanoscale microspectroscopic imaging methods
Spectroscopy can probe the properties of matter across a wide range of energies, but its spatial resolution is limited to about the wavelength of light because of diffraction. Using a microscope based on a new principle called near-field optics, the lab is developing methods that measure at nanoscale resolution beyond the diffraction limit.
*Illustrative imageVisualizing and controlling plasmons
Bulk gold is golden in color, but at the nanometer scale it shows vivid colors. This is due to plasmon resonance, a collective oscillation of free electrons. Its spatial scale is smaller than the wavelength of light, so it is normally invisible. A near-field optical microscope can visualize this spatial structure (the wavefunction).
*Illustrative imageHighly sensitive sensing with metal nanomaterials
Plasmons confine light in a small space and enhance the electric field of the light. This property is promising for highly sensitive chemical sensors, and applications are also expected in the use of light energy, electronic materials, and medicine.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Imura Lab consist of faculty and students in the doctoral, master's, and undergraduate programs.As of 2026
- ProfessorKohei Imura
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: “Front of 4th century CE Roman Lycurgus Cup, British Museum (1958,1202.1)” Chappsnet / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Developing nanoscale microspectroscopic imaging methods: “Light dispersion of a mercury-vapor lamp with a flint glass prism IPNr°0125” D-Kuru / CC BY-SA 3.0 at (cropped)
- Visualizing and controlling plasmons: “Au nanoparticles” Nikonianman / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Highly sensitive sensing with metal nanomaterials: “Goldkolloidlösung” Wolfgang Kühn Verleimnix / CC BY-SA 2.0 de (cropped)
- Related lab (Ishii Lab): “John Piper glass panel, Stained Glass Museum, Ely” Ojwelch / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Sakti Lab): “All-solid lithium-sulfur battery ( )” Oak Ridge National Laboratory / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Nakai Lab): “Benzene IBO” Alicesu / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Yamaguchi Lab): “Chloro complexes of transition metals” Leiem / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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