外国人客員所員を経験してOliver Portugall
CNRS-LNCMI, Toulouse, France
oliver.portugall@lncmi.cnrs.fr
Measurements under extreme conditions - high pressure,inspiring than to discuss and work side-by-side with

low temperature, intense magnetic fields - often give risecolleagues interested in the same domain? I haveto new discoveries in solid state physics and other

therefore been extremely elated when, several years

scientific domains. Research infrastructures all over theback, Prof. Matsuda proposed me to visit his lab more

world therefore make substantial efforts to push theseregularly in order to intensify our existing collaboration

conditions to unprecedented limits, while trying to copeand jointly promote the technical progress and use ofwith the inevitable side-effect of an increasingly harsh

Megagauss fields. After a first 6-month stay in 2022 I

experimental

outstanding

thus found myself again in Kashiwa for two 1-monthfacilities, the Institute for Solid State Physics is anstays in mid-November 2023 and mid-February 2024.

international

underThe stifling heat and mistiness of the 2022 summer

extreme conditions. This notably includes the highestmonths was this time replaced by Koyo, my favorite

indoor magnetic fields in the world, produced by Prof.

season in Japan, and a cold winter month with clear

Matsuda's group in the International Megagauss Scienceviews of Fuji-san. By comparison, the atmosphere in theLaboratory (IMGSL)

lab was as always: companionable and most inspiring!

Research in high magnetic fields is also the principal

My work was this time dominated by a scientific project,

activity of my home institution, the Laboratoire National

opticaldes Champs Magnétiques Intenses (LNCMI) in Toulouse,

inorganic perovskites, and I am grateful for theFrance, and its partners of the European Magnetic Field

additional machine time I was given at the end of myLaboratory (EMFL). Apart from Kashiwa, Toulouse isstay in order to be able to finish the experiments. Of

currently the only other place in the world wherecourse, this would still not have been possible without Dr.

magnetic fields above 100 T are routinely used forZhou's help and that of 2 old acquaintances, Prof. Miyata

scientific experiments. As such fields can only beand Dr. Yang, who respectively stayed in Toulouse for

produced on a microsecond timescale using high-voltage

their postdoc and PhD roughly 10 years ago. Working

pulsed-power equipment, researchers in either facility

with them was an immense pleasure and I apologize forare facing a common problem: to conceive measurement

breaking their replaceable cryostats rather than building

techniques(and breaking) my own.

environment.
reference

withforadequate

With

its

measurements

acquisition

speedandmeasurementson2-dimensionalorganic-

sufficient protection against transient electromagnetic
disturbances.

GiventhenumberofpotentiallyApart from scientific-technical work, my stay alsointeresting techniques this represents a vast andprovided a good occasion to plan ahead as far as ourambitious endeavor.

collaboration is concerned. As of 2024 the project will
dispose of a yearly travel budget provided by Centre

Experimental development is often exciting, sometimes

National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in thefrustrating and always very time-consuming. It often

framework of an International Research Project (IRP).

depends on the right inspiration, and what could be more

The decision how to spend this budget in the first year■■■■ ■■■

物性研だより第 64 巻第 2 号

28was quickly taken: a small bilateral workshop on Science

different stays. It is hard to imagine a better host. I amand Instrumentation for Extreme Magnetic Fields

equally indebted to Prof. Miyata, Drs. Zhou and Yang as(6MaF) organized by Prof. Matsuda and myself inwell as all other IMGSL members for the warm welcome

Toulouse will permit other members of the 2 groups toin their lab, good discussions and help whenever andget acquainted. It will put the collaboration on a broaderwherever I needed it. Last but not least, I would like tobasis and notably motivate students and younger staff tothank Mrs. Ishiguchi, Mrs. Sugimoto and all other ISSP

interact and play a more active role.

staff involved in my stay for their untiring support withadministrative and everyday matters that made my life

In view of the scientific-technical results I could obtainin Kashiwa simple and enjoyable. I always felt perfectlyat IMGSL, the deepening of our collaboration and theaccompanied, both during my stay and the preceding

good time I had in the Tokyo area, I consider my stay as

preparation phase.

extremely fruitful and enjoyable. This would not havebeen possible without the ISSP's generous and perfectly

At present, I am looking forward to a continued

well organized international visiting professors program

collaboration with more exciting discussions andand the help of local staff for which I am sincerely

experiments both in Kashiwa and Toulouse. I am sure tograteful. My thanks go of course first of all to Prof.

be back soon ...

Matsuda for inviting me and taking care of me during my29

物性研だより第 64 巻第 2 号■■ ■■ ■ ■ ■