I am studying the physics of plasmas in high temperature and high density (high energy density) states.Plasma is the most ubiquitous state of matter in the Universe. Plasma, also called ionized gas, is a state in which atoms are ionized at temperatures above about 10,000 degrees Celsius. It is said that more than 99% of atoms in the universe is in the plasma state, which is responsible for the formation of large-scale natural structures such as galaxies and stars.<\/p>\n

One way to generate plasmas on Earth is to use lasers to heat matters. By using high power lasers, we can create a state of matter with an energy density comparable to that near the center of the sun in a very short period of time (approximately picoseconds). The material that receives the energy of the laser light is ionized quickly, and a large number of energetic charged particles start to move collectively. My research interest is to theoretically elucidate the energy conversion and transport physics in the laser-produced high energy density plasma to answer what kind of flow and collective structure appear, and how we can utilize them for applications. In particular, I am studying how the macroscopic structures are generated from the microscopic motions of individual particles (Figure 1).<\/p>\n

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(Figure 1) Large-scale plasma phenomena produced by the collective motion of charged particles<\/p><\/div>\n
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How and why did you choose this research theme?<\/strong><\/p>\n
Through the plasma physics research, I would like to contribute to the understanding of collective phenomena in nature. In high energy density plasmas produced by high power lasers, energetic charged particles in non-equilibrium states induce exotic collective phenomena that can only be seen in the Universe. This is why I choose this research theme.<\/p>\n
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What are some of the results of your research?<\/strong><\/p>\n
In my recent research, I am investigating the long time scale behavior of non-thermal electrons in high density plasmas. When a solid or other high-density material is irradiated with intense laser light, the material becomes plasma, and at the same time, electrons are accelerated by the laser light to relativistic energies. It has been found that these electrons generate strong electromagnetic fields that tend to confine the electrons to a specific region. This leads to a concentration of energy in the plasma, and results an efficient particle acceleration and plasma heating which are beneficial to applications such as x-ray and ion sources for diagnostics of dense materials, medical applications, and nuclear fusion. There is a possibility that similar phenomena are occurring in plasmas in nature.<\/p>\n
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What do you find difficult or challenging about your research?<\/strong><\/p>\n
Plasma is a complex system in which a large number of charged particles interact with each other while creating electric and magnetic fields; it is often difficult to capture the overall phenomenon by simply following the particle motion one by one, and conversely, it is often impossible to clarify the mechanism of a phenomenon by simply looking at the whole system.<\/p>\n
To reveal the physics of such complex phenomena, there are multiple theory and simulation methods to analyze the phenomena in different scales. For example, one method is to analyze only averaged quantities of a group of particles (average velocity, density, etc.). However, in non-equilibrium conditions, it might be important to look at the distribution of particles that is hidden in the averaged quantities. Researchers discuss what is the appropriate way to see the physics, and derive equations that adequately describe the plasma conditions and phenomena being studied (photo on the right)<\/p>\n
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Notes on theories related to plasma physics study.<\/p><\/div>\n
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What do you find rewarding, fun, or interesting about your research?<\/strong><\/p>\n
I find it fun and interesting when equations derived using mathematics represent certain physical phenomena. Physics equations not only explain the results of experiments or observations, but also provide a perspective for future experiments.<\/p>\n
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Do you have any research, goals, or dreams that you would like to pursue in the future?<\/strong><\/p>\n
My dream is to contribute to the understanding of collective phenomena in nature through the plasma research. I would like to contribute to a theoretical basis that connects microscopic particle motion and macroscopic structure formation.<\/p>\n
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Do you have a message for younger students who want to become researchers?<\/strong><\/p>\n
When I was a child, I was not good at science subjects, but as I learn physics in university, I found physics interesting because it changes the way I look at familiar things in daily life (light, temperature, etc.). The more familiar things are often more complex and less understood. Researcher is a fascinating job, giving scientific interpretations to mysteries in nature and sometimes creating new physical concepts.<\/p>\n
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