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Applied Physical Chemistry Lab
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The lab uses microwaves to study the properties of next-generation solar cells and to create new materials.
AboutAbout the lab
Creating new materials built on property evaluation.
The Applied Physical Chemistry Lab studies new functional materials and evaluation methods, focusing on the physical chemistry behind functions such as optical, electrical, and dielectric properties.
In particular, it carries out basic research and development on next-generation solar cells using time-resolved measurements with microwaves, a type of electromagnetic wave.
Because evaluating a solar cell device alone often leaves much unexplained, the lab says that investigating the factors that govern performance and the basic physical properties starting from the elements of interest can provide design guidelines for high-efficiency devices.
On the lab's website, it is introduced under the name "Saeki Lab."
Key terms
- Microwave
- A type of electromagnetic wave also used in microwave ovens and smartphone communication. Here it is used as a clue for studying the movement of charges in materials
- Conversion efficiency
- The proportion of the energy of sunlight that can be extracted as electrical power
- Perovskite solar cell
- A next-generation solar cell that uses materials with the ABX3 crystal structure. It can be made by applying a solution
NewsLab news
Won 1st place at StellarNet's 6th Spectroscopy Application Challenge
Developed a "two-faced ladder polymer" with different structures on its front and back (press release)
Developed a chiral two-faced hole-transport material that selects the direction of spin (press release)
Prof. Saeki won the Innovative PV Award of the Japan Society of Photovoltaics
Developed a filterless thin-film optical sensor that identifies the color of light using a trace amount of water (press release)
ResearchResearch themes
The conversion efficiency of a solar cell is determined by a combination of multiple materials and the structure of the stacked device, so evaluating the device alone leaves much unexplained. Centered on time-resolved measurements with microwaves, the lab works on elucidating mechanisms, developing new functional materials, and developing new evaluation equipment and analysis methods.
*Illustrative imageEvaluating organic solar cells without electrodes
For organic thin-film solar cells, device performance evaluation alone leaves much unexplained. Measuring both devices and samples without electrodes showed that conversion efficiency correlates well with the microwave signal, demonstrating that this can serve as a method of direct evaluation without electrodes and is effective for materials screening.
*Illustrative imageA device for fast evaluation with white light and microwaves
Conventional laser excitation can apply only one color of light at a time, so evaluation under white light like sunlight was laborious. The lab therefore developed an evaluation device that uses white light from a Xe flash lamp together with microwaves, making it possible to quickly diagnose and predict performance even for unknown materials and thin-film fabrication conditions.
*Illustrative imageAutomatic evaluation of solar cell materials with a robot
The lab developed an evaluation system in which a robot automatically performs time-resolved microwave measurements, absorption and emission spectroscopy, and optical microscope observation with image processing. Using it to study the processes for Cs/Bi/Sb/I-based solar cell materials, the lab found conditions that give a conversion efficiency six times higher than before.
*Illustrative imageSolution-processed bismuth- and antimony-based solar cells
Lead perovskite solar cells show high conversion efficiency, but the toxicity of lead is a problem. The lab searches for relatively low-toxicity materials by comprehensively evaluating photoelectric properties using microwave measurements and other methods, and has found high performance in solution-processed inorganic solar cells based on SbSI and Ag-(Bi/Sb)-I systems.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Applied Physical Chemistry Lab consist of faculty, a secretary, doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students, and a Visiting Associate Professor.As of 2026
- ProfessorAkinori Saeki
- LecturerRyosuke Nishikubo
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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: “Photovoltaic panel at the National Solar Energy Center in Israel” David Shankbone / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- Evaluating organic solar cells without electrodes: “Thin film folding solar” Wikideas1 / CC0 (cropped)
- A device for fast evaluation with white light and microwaves: “Xenon flash lamp Metz 171 mecablitz” Mister rf / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Automatic evaluation of solar cell materials with a robot: “Industrial automation setup shows robotic arm and equipment for laboratory tasks” Shixart1985 / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Solution-processed bismuth- and antimony-based solar cells: “Perovskite solar cell” Dennis Schroeder / National Renewable Energy Laboratory / Public domain (cropped)
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