Associate Professor Masato Kuwahara of Institute of Materials and Systems for Sustainability(IMaSS) was awarded the "Kazato Prize" by the Kazato Research Foundation, which promotes research on electron microscopy and contributes to the advancement of science.
| Award date | 2022/03/05 |
|---|---|
| Award |
The 15th Kazato Prize FY 2021 |
| Winner | Makoto Kuwahara (Associate Professor) |
| Research topics |
Development of time-resolved transmission electron microscope using a pulsed electron source with high spin-polarization |
| Related HP | https://www.kazato.org/ |
The 15th Kazato Prize Reasons for selection (3rd fiscal year of Reiwa, FY 2021)
== Reasons for selection ==
Nagoya University, Institute for Materials and Systems for Sustainability.
Dr.Makoto Kuwahara (Associate Professor)
Study theme; Development of time-resolved transmission electron microscope using a pulsed electron source with high spin-polarization
Dr. Makoto Kuwahara has been involved in the development of spin-polarized pulse electron sources ever since his student days. Recently he has been engaged in the development of a new spin- polarized pulse electron source for electron microscopy. The use of the new electron source developed for transmission electron microscopes (TEMs) and further practical research can lead to new possibilities opening up for TEMs.The electron source for TEMs has been developed mainly to improve their brightness and coherence. On the other hand, Dr. Kuwahara has been developing a new spin-polarized pulse electron source for TEMs, improving its performance, and exploring its potential. He made good use of his experience in Professor Nakanishi’s Group at Nagoya University, where he was involved in developing a polarized electron source device using a semiconductor photocathode with a Negative Electron Affinity surface and evaluating its performance. In 2012, he reported that he used this electron source for a TEM; in 2014, he reported that the brightness reached 3.8x107A/cm2-sr@30kV at 82% polarization. In 2021, he showed that the interference using the coherence pulse electron beam has spin-dependence. Thus, he improved the fundamental properties of the spin-polarized electron beam and demonstrated its potential for TEM, and also developed its application to materials research by time-resolved electron diffraction using its pulsed nature.
As mentioned above, Dr. Kuwahara's original research has been highly evaluated both in Japan and abroad, and he has been carrying out numerous research projects. His development of an electron source for TEM with spin polarization, pulsing, and coherence is highly recognized in terms of new possibilities opening up for TEM.
For these achievements, we are pleased to award him the Kazato Prize.
(English translation by S. Ikuta and J. C. Oaters)
