Description of Research Area

Nonequilibrium Fluctuations and Nonlinear Optical Responses of Solid-State Devices: Spectroscopic Imaging of Fluctuations with Nanoscale Optical Measurements

Research Subject

Charge fluctuations are usually regarded as an obstacle to precise measurements in solid-state devices. In some instances, however, fluctuation measurements provide a useful probe for gaining a deeper understanding of phase transitions of materials. This research project is aimed at investigating nonequilibrium charge fluctuations and the resulting nonlinear optical response of solid-state devices by developing a novel type of charge fluctuation imaging combined with a nanoscale optical illumination system. This measurement system is expected to enable us to obtain direct information about charge fluctuations in space and frequency domains. We plan to apply this imaging system to solid-state devices and polymer materials and to reveal microscopic mechanisms behind charge distribution and dynamics relevant to the fluctuations.