| m.uji@chem.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp | |
| TEL | +81-3-5841-4361 | 24362（ext.） |
| Room | Chemistry Main Bldg. 1404 |
| Links |
Research Field
Photo chemistry, Spin chemistry
Research Subject
Spin-Dependent Photochemistry through Control of Excited-Triplet Dynamics
Current Research
When molecules absorb light, they are promoted to excited states that differ fundamentally from their ground states. In these excited states, changes in electronic configuration and spin state give rise to quantum properties that are usually hidden in stable molecules, yet can emerge as distinctive reactivity and photophysical behavior. Among them, excited triplet states play particularly important roles in designing photofunctional systems because of their relatively long lifetimes and their intimate involvement in energy transfer, spin conversion, and chemical reactions. At the same time, their behavior is highly sensitive to the surrounding molecular environment and aggregated structures, often exhibiting complexities that cannot be fully captured by a simple classical picture. My research focuses on the dynamics of such excited triplet states and on creating new photofunctional materials through their precise control. More specifically, I am developing photon upconversion materials that convert near-infrared light into visible light, as well as exploring their application to bio-quantum imaging, where deeply penetrating light is used to read out local information with high sensitivity. Ultimately, this work aims to establish new noninvasive measurement platforms for visualizing microscopic biological environments and molecular behavior, thereby contributing to the advancement of life science and medical diagnostics.
Keywords
Photon upconversion, Optogenetics, Organic triplet molecules, TADF