Seminar in Laboratoir de Spectrochimie Infrarouge et Raman
Universite de Lille, France
November 4, 2013

Exploration, elucidation, and application offemtosecond laser-induced phenomena inmolecular and bio systems
Hiroshi MASUHARA
Masuhara@masuhara.jp

Department of Applied Chemistry and Institute of Molecular Science,
National Chiao Tung University,
Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan

1960
Laser oscillation was demonstrated.
Late 1960s
3 lasers were introduced to physical chemistrylaboratories in Japan.

1967
Norrish, Porter, Eigen were awarded Nobel Prize due totheir fast kinetic study of chemical reaction.
1968
Masuhara shifted to Mataga laboratory as the 1st year Ph.
D student of Osaka University and this autumn a Ruby
laser was set there. Masuhara belongs to the firstgeneration who had a chance to use lasers for Ph. Dworks.

1968
Prof. Mataga said to Masuhara that
all light sources would be replaced by lasers in future, so
new chemistry would be opened by lasers.

I understood that my Ph. D would be given when I would
demonstrate something new as photochemistry.
Practically I set up and measured nanosecond
absorption spectroscopy of CT complex for the first time,
which received much attention. But I knew it justfollowed Porter’s way and was far from exploratory
research.

My initial trial was to improve time-resolution of electronic
absorption spectroscopy of solution.
Nanosecond, picosecond, and femtosecond
The second trial was to develop time-resolved reflection
spectroscopy for films and powders.
Diffuse, specular, and total internal reflection
Still I felt that we were following Porter’s way
The third trial was to develop time-resolved spectroscopy underconfocal microscope.
Picosecond, femtosecond
Then shifted to transient grating spectroscopy, near field
fluorescence microscopy, single nanoparticle spectroscopy, andso on.
In parallel we have been exploring molecular phenomena utilizing
femtosecond laser.

Schematic diagram of a picosecond Nd-YAG laser photolysis system. DC, dye cell; A,aperture; P, polarizer; PC, Pockels cell; BP, biplanar phototube; PD, photodiode; PM, power
meter; TD, transient digitizer; VD, variable delay; SP, spectrograph; S, sample; MC,microcomputer; IF, interface; RC, remote control; RE, recorder; PR, printer; DU, delay unit;
STR, streak camera; SIT, SIT camera; SIT-C, SIT camera controller; OS, oscilloscope.
Miyasaka, Masuhara, Mataga, Laser Chemistry, 1983, 1, 357

1985
Pimentel Report“Laser, SOR, and Computer will create the next chemistry”

My initial trial was to improve time-resolution of electronic
absorption spectroscopy of solution.
Nanosecond, picosecond, and femtosecond
The second trial was to develop time-resolved reflection
spectroscopy for films and powders.
Diffuse, specular, and total internal reflection
Still I felt that we were following Porter’s way
The third trial was to develop time-resolved spectroscopy underconfocal microscope.
Picosecond, femtosecond
Then shifted to transient grating spectroscopy, near field
fluorescence microscopy, single nanoparticle spectroscopy, andso on.
In parallel we have been exploring molecular phenomena utilizing
femtosecond laser.

1991

1990

1994

1993

1999

1993

Books Edited and Written by Masuhara et al.

2003

2005

2004

2004

2006

1999

2007

2009

Books Edited and Writtenby Masuhara et al.

2003

2009

Femtosecond absorption and imaging study on laser ablation
dynamics of dye thin films, proving
Photo-mechanical ablation mechanism
Femtosecond laser-induced crystallization of molecules in solution
Femtosecond manipulation of living cells by indirect irradiation
Laser trapping dynamics of nanoparticles by femtosecond laser pulses

This accounts explained
what I talked today.

Trapping dynamics of nanoparticles by femtosecond laser pulses
are summarized in this review

Science Progress,“Optical Trapping of Nanoparticles by Ultrashort LaserPulses”

A. USMAN

W.-Y. CHIANG

H. MASUHARA

1968
Prof. Mataga said to Masuhara that
all light sources would be replaced by lasers in future, sonew chemistry would be opened by lasers.
I understood that my Ph. D would be given when I would
demonstrate something new as photochemistry.
Practically I set up and measured nanosecond
absorption spectroscopy of CT complex for the first time,
which received much attention. But I knew it justfollowed Porter’s way and was far from exploratory
research.

2013
Now I think that laser has given, is giving, and will give
us enough exploratory chemical research.