Alumni Association
Dr. Francesco Papoff (University of Strathclyde)
25 April 2014
JSPS Joint Research Project
Project title: “Optical-field structure analysis and dynamics of nanophotonic materials.”
Japanese scientific lead: Prof. Hiromi Okamoto, Institute of Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences
UK Counterpart: Dr. Francesco Papoff, Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde
Project Duration: April 2012 to March 2014
Description of project
In this project we aim to characterize experimentally and theoretically the optical response of non spherical gold nanoparticles to near field probes. This is a very interesting subject with applications ranging from sensors to optical antennae smaller than the light 's wavelength. In the first phase of this project, we have been considering the response of these particles to light with only one color (monochromatic light). Building on this, we are now studying the response of these particles in time to pulses of incident light, in which the light is not monochromatic.
Departments and institutions involved
This project is a collaboration between the Department of Physics of the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK, the Institute for Molecular Science, Okazaki, Japan, and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.
How collaboration started
Prof Okamoto and Dr Papoff met in 2010 at the conference PIERS10 in Boston, USA. They started an informal collaboration and Prof Okamoto visited Strathclyde twice in 2010 and 2011.
Amount of money awarded
In 2012 Prof Okamoto and Dr Papoff received 4,500,000 JPY from the JSPS Bilateral Program for Joint Research Projects.
How the matching funds were sourced from your side and how it was used
In 2012 Dr Papoff, Dr Hourahine and Prof Okamoto received £12,000 from the RSL Research Exchange Programme, which has been used to support visits to Japan. In 2013 Dr Papoff received £ 3,242 from the EPSRC Global Engagements fund of the University of Strathclyde.
How participants are benefitting from the scheme
This collaboration has been essential to our understanding of nanoparticles. The group in Strathclyde has developed the theory and the Group in Okazaki the experiments, neither group would not have been able to progress as far as it did without the input from the other group.
The collaborative developments since the project started and plans for the future
We have written a joint paper and another one is forthcoming. We are considering further collaboration in the investigation of multiple particles and of optically active particles.
Further applications to JSPS for funding or plans for this
We are actively looking at funding opportunities provided by the JSPS and by other funding bodies. Dr Papoff is now an alumnus of the JSPS and may take advantage of JSPS funding dedicated to alumni.
