News
・My research plan "High-Efficient and Ultra-Thin Solar Cells using Plasmonics" was selected as a project of "Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology; PRESTO (Sakigake)". detail information (Japanese) (8/27/2009)
・Invited Talk was planned at TACT2009 International Thin Films Conference (Taipei, December 14-16, 2009)
"Surface plasmon coupling at nanostructured metal films and nanoparticles", K. Okamoto
・Invited Paper was published in IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 1190-1209 (2009)
"High efficient InGaN/GaN light emitters based on nanophotonics and plasmonics" K. Okamoto, and Y. Kawakami
・Invited Talk was given at 2009 Workshops on Nanotechnology and Solar Cells & Green Chemical Processes and Materials (Mingchi University of Technology, Taipei)
"Surface plasmon enhanced light-emitting and light-receiving devices", K. Okamoto
・Invited Talk was given at 2008 Japan-US Nanophotonics Seminar (Miyazaki, Japan, September 23-27, 2008)
"Highly efficient light emission based on plasmonics", K. Okamoto, Y. Kawakami, A. Schere
・My application to the Gordon Research Conference on Plasmonics (Tilton, NH 7/27-8/1) has been accepted. (4/3/2008)
・I became a father of a healthy baby boy. We named him "Kazuki". The meaning is "the First Brilliant". (2/26/2008)
・Invited Talk was scheduled at 2nd International Conference on Functional materials and Devices 2008 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysis, June 16 -19, 2008)
"Surface plasmon enhanced highly efficient light-emitting devices", K. Okamoto, A. Scherer, Y. Kawakami
・Invited Talk was given at JSPS – UNT Winterschool on Nanophotonics (University of North Texas, Denton, USA, February 14-15, 2008)
"Surface plasmon enhanced Super Bright Solid-State Light-Emitting Devices", K. Okamoto, Y. Kawakami, A. Schere
・Invited Talk was given at 9th RIES-Hokudai International Symposium (Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan, January 28 -29, 2008)
"Highly efficient light emission based on surface plasmon coupling", K. Okamoto
・I was appointed as a Research Associate Professor at Kyoto University. (9/1/2007)
・My research "Development of super bright light emitting devices based on plasmonics" was selected as a project of "Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology; PRESTO (Sakigake)". detail information (Japanese) (9/1/2006)
・Our recent paper (Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 161104, 2005) was highlighted at Editors' Choice, Science 310, 591, 2005. (10/28/2005)
Research Interest
Main research fields are Quantum-optics, Nonlinear-optics, Opt-electronics, Solid-states-physics, Material Science, and Photo-chemistry, etc. Current research interests include design, fabrication, and characterization of novel materials and devices based on nano-photonics and plasmonics, and development of highly time-spatial resolved spectroscopy.
In my most recent devices, I have shown dramatic increases in the light emission intensity from quantum wells when these are placed within the high electromagnetic fields of surface plasmons formed at the interface between metals and dielectric materials (Nature Materials, 3, 601, 2004). This work would lead to a new class of highly efficient and high-speed solid state light emitters alternative to conventional light bulbs.
Technical Skills
Nanofabrication techniques; Electron beam lithography, UV photolithography, Laser beam writhing, Reactive ion etching (RIE), Chemically assisted ion etching (CAIBE), Inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching (ICPRIE), Sputter deposition, Metal evaporation, Ion milling, chemical etching, etc.
Characterization techniques; Ultra-fast time-resolved laser spectroscopy, Pump and probe spectroscopy, Nonlinear spectroscopy (transient grating technique, etc.), Raman spectroscopy, Near-field scanning optical microscopy, Confocal scanning laser microscopy, Photoluminescence, Electroluminescence, Cathodeluminescence, Photothermal spectroscopy, Time-space resolved spectroscopy, etc.
By using these techniques, I can design, fabricate, and characterize nanophotonics devices (photonic crystals, quantum wires/dots, microcavities, waveguides, etc.), plasmonic devices (super bright and high-speed light emitter, etc.), and microfluidic devices (cell sorter, single molecule sensor, DNA sequencer, etc).
Education
Ph.D. Science, March 1998, Graduated School of Science, Chemistry, Kyoto University
Research Field: Photo Physical Chemistry, (Nonlinear Laser Spectroscopy)
Thesis Adviser: Prof. Noboru Hirota
M.S. Science, March 1994, Kyoto University
B.S. Chemical Engineering, 1991, Doshisha University
Experiences
September 2007- Current, Research Associate Professor, Department of Electronic Science and Engineering, Kyoto University
October 2006- Current, PRESTO Researcher, Japan Science and Technology Agency
February 2005 - March 2007, Senior Research Fellow (Faculty Position), Department of Physics, California Institute of Technology
June 2004 - January 2005, Senior Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Electrical Engineering, California Institute of Technology
June 2001 - May 2004, Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Electrical Engineering, California Institute of Technology (NanoFabrication Group)
April 2000 - December 2002, Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Department of Electronic Science and Engineering, Kyoto University
April 1998 - March 2000, Postdoctoral Researcher, Venture Business Laboratory, Kyoto University
April 1997 - March 1998, Lecturer, Faculty of Integrated Human Studies, Kyoto University
Awards
Mar. 2001, Kansai Silicon valley Forum, Venture Business Prize
Apr. 2000 - Dec. 2002, JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Scientists
Apr. 2000 - Mar. 2002, Grant of the Research Foundation for Opto-Science and Technology
Nov. 2000, Kansai Techno-Idea Prize ’2000
Jan. 2000, Konica Imaging Science Prize
Nov. 1999, Kansai techno-Idea Prize ’99, Japan
May 1999, Young Researcher Prize in Kyoto University-Venture Business Lab.
May 1999, Kansai Silicon valley Forum, Venture Idea Prize
Nov. 1998, KU-VBL, Techno-Idea Prize
Sep. 1998 - Mar. 2001, KU-VBL, Research Grant for Young Scientists
Apr. 1994 - Mar. 1997, Fellowship of the Japan Scholarship Foundation
Selected journal Papers
Plasmonics
・K. Okamoto, I. Niki, A. Shvartser, Y. Narukawa, T. Mukai, and A. Scherer, "Surface plasmon enhanced light-emitters based on InGaN quantum wells", Nature Materials, Vol. 3, No. 9, pp. 601-605 (2004).
---> highlighted at Photonics Spectraa, December 2004, p. 105
・K. Okamoto, I. Niki, A. Scherer, Y. Narukawa, T. Mukai, Y. Kawakami, "Surface plasmon enhanced spontaneous emission rate of InGaN/GaN quantum wells probed by time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy", Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 87, Art. No. 071102 (2005).
・K. Okamoto, S. Vyawahare, A. Scherer, "Surface plasmon enhanced bright emission from CdSe quantum dots nanocrystal", Journal of the Optical Society of America B, Vol. 23, No. 8, pp. 1674-1678 (2006).
Near-field Optics
・K. Okamoto, A. Scherer, Y. Kawakami, "Near-field scanning optical microscopic transient lens for carrier dynamics study in InGaN/GaN", Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 87, Art. No. 161104 (2005).
---> highlighted at Editors' Choice, Science Vol.310, p.591 (2005)
・K. Okamoto, M. Loncar, T. Yoshie, A. Scherer, Y. Qui, P. Gogna, "Near-field scanning optical microscopy of photonic crystal nanocavities", Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 82, No. 10, pp. 1676-1678 (2003).
・K. Okamoto, A. Kaneta, Y. Kawakami, S. Fujita, J. Choi, M. Terazima, T. Mukai, "Confocal micro-photoluminescence of InGaN-based light emitting diodes", Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 98, Art. No. 064503 (2005).
Nonlinear Optics
・K. Okamoto, Z. Zhang, D. T. Wei, and A. Scherer, "Mask pattern transferred transient grating technique for molecular dynamics study in solutions", Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 85, No. 21, pp. 4842-4844 (2004).
・K. Okamoto, T. D. Neal, Z. Zhang, D. T. Wei, A. Scherer, "Molecular dynamics study of photochromic molecules probed by the mask pattern transferred transient grating technique", Chemical Physics Letters, Vol. 414, pp. 155-160 (2005).
Recent Invited Talks
・K. Okamoto, "Development and Characterization of Novel Optical Devices based on Nanophotonics and Plasmonics", UCSD Electrical & Computer Engineering Special Seminar, University of California San Diego, USA, 2007.
・K. Okamoto, "Surface plasmon enhanced light emission", Focused Session in International Workshop on Nitride Semiconductors (IWN2006), Kyoto Univ., Japan, 2006
・K. Okamoto, "Surface plasmon enhanced super bright solid-state light emitters: Fabrication and characterization", CSU-Long Beach Physics Colloquium, Long Beach, USA, 2005
・K. Okamoto, "Highly efficient light emission based on surface plasmon coupling", 9th RIES-Hokudai International Symposium, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan, 2008
・K. Okamoto, Y. Kawakami, A. Scherer, "Surface plasmon enhanced Super Bright Solid-State Light-Emitting Devices", JSPS – UNT Winterschool on Nanophotonics, University of North Texas, Denton, USA, 2008 (scheduled)
・K. Okamoto, A. Scherer, Y. Kawakami, "Surface plasmon enhanced highly efficient light-emitting devices", 2nd International Conference on Functional materials and Devices 2008, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysis (scheduled)
“Purple sunset in downtown LA” taken from Griffith Observatory at Sept. 2001
©COPYRIGHT Koichi Okamoto 2007