Investigations on atoms, molecules, or materials are equivalently referred to science on electron. In particular, physical chemistry aims elucidations on those structures, properties, and reactions from the viewpoint of the behaviors of electrons. Electron is one of the elementary particles, which possesses electric charge and spin and described using wave functions in the space and spin functions as another freedom of motion. Our laboratory is carrying out many researches, through the eyes of electron spins, regarding the abovementioned research areas in physical chemistry. Through the precise eyes of electron spins one can obtain detailed information on electronic states of molecules including the wave functions and spin states, leading to true understanding of the materials from the microscopic point of view. Electron spins play important role especially in reaction intermediates such as radicals or in transition metal ions including rare earth ones. Recently many techniques called spin-label or spin-probe methods promise usefulness in physical and chemical studies. The followings are some of the recent research projects pursued by laboratory members.
As for ground state studies,
(1) Molecular structures, physicochemical properties and reactions of radicals
(2) Coordination chemistry and magnetochemistry of transition and rare-earth ions
(3) Characterizations on functional materials including polymers
(4) Reaction mechanism such as electron or proton transfers and photochemical reaction
As for excited state studies,
(1) Molecular structures and reactions of excited triplet states
(2) Absorption and excitation spectra
(3) Fluorescence and phosphorescence spectra
(4) High-resolution spectroscopy using molecular JET
As for methodological studies,
(1) ESR methodology (CW and pulsed ESR, ENDOR, spin-probe or spin-label methods)
(2)High-resolution spectroscopy
Summarizing spin chemistry research, ground singlet, doublet, or high spin states and excited singlet, doublet, or triplet states are important key words in our laboratory.
