Research
Home > Research > OKADA/YAMAKADO laboratory
OKADA/YAMAKADO laboratory
Research fields/Keywords:synthesis of conjugated compounds, organic crystals, nanostructures, control of molecular arrangement and orientation, solid-state polymerization, photonic and electronic functional materials
- Location:Building No. 2, 1st floor, rooms 106 and 110 to 113 and 3rd floor, room 307
- Laboratory Website:https://okada-lab.yz.yamagata-u.ac.jp/
- Laboratory Introduction:PDF(2.3MB)
Professor Shuji OKADA
Associate Professor Ryohei YAMAKADO
The main objectives of our laboratory are the invention of 1) high-performance functional optical materials (nonlinear optical materials) for various applications such as optical switching and frequency conversion of laser light, and 2) functional conductive materials. To this end, we focus on molecular design and synthesis of conjugated compounds, synthesis of conjugated polymers using solid-state polymerization, realizing high functionality using molecular arrangement and orientation control etc. Using various techniques (single crystal formation, polymerization, nanostructure formation etc.), we convert the synthesized compounds into usable materials and characterize their structure, and optical and electrical properties.
Examples include,
1. Synthesis and the physical properties of polarized aromatic compounds
To achieve electrooptic (EO) polymers for use as optical switching essential for optical information processing, we synthesize novel dyes with highly polarized structures. By investigating their orientation under electric fields, we consider various techniques to render the induced orientation permanent. We also synthesize ionic aromatic crystalline dyes that can be used in high efficiency generation of terahertz waves through frequency conversion of laser light. Terahertz waves are currently not in wide practical use. In addition, we are investigating the possibility of using these ionic materials for organic photovoltaics.
2. Alignment of conjugated polymers and characterization of their physical properties
Non-covalent interactions, such as dipole-dipole interaction between polar molecules, play important role to construct the assemblies of molecules. We synthesize appropriately designed conjugated polymers to control the assembled structures, and prepare novel organic electronics materials.
3. Synthesizing polymers by solid-state polymerization and characterizing their structure and physical properties
Solid-state polymerization is unique in that the reaction proceeds inside a crystal. We synthesize novel conjugated polymers by solid-state polymerization of conjugated acetylene compounds, which are stimulated thermally or photochemically. Such compounds are obtained by direct linking of various conjugated substituents. We also investigate the optical and electrical characteristics of the synthesized conjugated polymers.
4. Preparation of nanostructures and characterization of their physical properties
We fabricate nanostructures of size less than 1 μm using various conjugated compounds and elucidate their structures. In parallel, we clarify the nature of the very interesting optical and electrical characteristics exhibited by conjugated nanostructures. Further, by permanently fixing the orientation of the nanostructures, we aim to produce useful materials.
The purpose of the “research development proposal” is the acquisition of the experimental skills necessary to synthesize the relevant compounds and the fundamental knowledge necessary to characterize the structure and physical properties.
