News

  • 2023-10-28 (Papers)
    • We demonstrated an ehancement of an optical spring using a non-linear optical effect for the first time. The optical spring used for the signal amplification in wade range of applications, including gravitational wave detectors and experiments to probe quantum of nature of mechanical oscillators. Our technique can be applied to improve various optical precision measurements. The joint paper was selected as Editors' Suggestion in Physical Review Letters. The paper was also featured in Physics Magazine, and was press released. Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 143602 (2024) Physics 17, s40 (2024)
  • 2024-04-01 (Papers)
  • 2024-04-01 (CV)
  • 2024-03-05 (Papers)
    • We have placed upper limits to gauge boson dark matter using KAGRA data from 2020. By measuring the distance between KAGRA's sapphire mirrors and fused silica mirrors, gauge boson dark matter can be searched with better sensitivity than LIGO and Virgo, once the designed sensitivity is achieved. Our study has demonstrated the feasibility of using auxiliary length channels of gravitational-wave detectors like KAGRA for astrophysical observations. I have chaired the paper writing team, and Jun'ya Kume wrote the most part of this LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA collaboration paer authored by 1800 researchers. The paper was posted on arXiv.arXiv:2403.03004
  • 2024-02-28 (Papers)
    • We have estabilished a method to characterize birefringence inhomogeneity of large mirrors used for KAGRA and future gravitational wave detectors. To show the effectiveness of our method, we have reconstructed birefringence maps for KAGRA sapphire mirrors, and confirmed that in-situ birefringence measurements using KAGRA interferometer matches well with our expectation. arXiv:2402.18006
  • 2024-01-29 (Papers)
    • We have formulated the noise coupling mechanism from birefringence fluctuations of mirrors used for laser interferometric gravitational wave detectors. Mirrors made from crystalline materials are considered to be promising for reducing thermal noises in future detectors. We have pointed out that not only the static birefringence of the crystal, but also its fluctuations need to be small enough to realize the future projects, and summarized the requirements. The first author paper was selected as Editors' Suggestion in Physical Review D. Phys. Rev. D 109, 022009 (2024)
  • 2023-12-16 (JapaneseConferences)
    • I gave a report for the experiment to search for axion dark matter with an optical ring cavity at the final research evaluation meeting of PRESTO "Innovative optics and photonics" at JST Tokyo Headquarters Annex. Slides are here.
  • 2023-12-01 (InternationalConferences)
    • I gave an invited talk on the DANCE project to search for axion dark matter with an optical ring cavity at International workshop on "Double Beta Decay and Underground Science" held at Hilton Waikoloa Village. My presentation was in a joint session with the 2023 Fall Meeting of the Division of Nuclear Physics of the American Physical Society and Physical Society of Japan. Slides are here.
  • 2023-11-27 (Papers)
    • We have formulated a method to correctly take into account the stochastic effects on observation of ultralight dark matter. Our formulation can be used for arbitrary measurement time, and is a generic method which can be applied to both scalar fields like axions and vector fields like dark photons with velocity-dependent signals. The joint paper was published in Physical Review D. Phys. Rev. D 108, 092010 (2023)
  • 2023-11-26 (InternationalConferences)
    • I gave an invited talk on the status of KAGRA and its key roles in multi-messenger astronomy at Joint RIKEN/N3AS Workshop on Multi-Messenger Astrophysics held at Hilton Waikoloa Village. The workshop was held within the 2023 Fall Meeting of the Division of Nuclear Physics of the American Physical Society and Physical Society of Japan. Slides are here (login required).
  • 2023-11-14 (InternationalConferences)
    • I gave a talk on our idea to exponentially enhance the amount of gravity-induced quantum entanglement using unstable optically-levitated mirrors at the 5th QFilter Workshop held at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology. Slides are here.
  • 2023-11-11 (JapaneseConferences)
    • I gave a talk to present the status of the experiment to search for axion dark matter with an optical ring cavity at the area meeting of PRESTO "Innovative optics and photonics" at Lake Biwa. Slides are here.
  • 2023-10-10 (Papers)
    • Our paper reporting the first results from DANCE to search for axion dark matter using an optical ring cavity was published in Physical Review D. This is the first demonstration of polarization-based axion dark matter search with an optical cavity under no magnetic field. Phys. Rev. D 108, 072005 (2023)
  • 2023-09-22 (Documents)
    • A science magazine "Kagaku" from Iwanami Shoten features dark matter in October 2023 issue. The articles in this issue were written by researchers in the Transformative Research Areas (A) "What is dark matter? - Comprehensive study of the huge discovery space in dark matter." I wrote an article "Laser interferometer searches for dark matter waves."
  • 2023-09-20 (Documents)
  • 2023-09-12 (InternationalConferences)
    • I gave a talk on the noise from birefringence fluctuations of mirrors at LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA collaboration meeting September 2023 held at Toyama International Conference Center. Slides are here (login required).
  • 2023-09-07 (InternationalConferences)
    • I gave an online talk on searches for noise from quantization of space-time and axion dark matter with LIGO at the workshop "Brainstorming new ideas for the km-scale facilities" held at Birmingham. Slides are here (login required).
  • 2023-08-28 (Papers)
    • We have found that the use of unstable inverted oscillators can dramatically accerelate the generation of gravity-incuded quantum entanglement. To test the quantum nature of gravity by measuring the entanglement between gravitationally coupled oscillators, it is necessary to make the coherence time larger than the entanglement generation time. Unstable inverted oscillators can meet this requirement most easily, and our idea opens up new possibilities for experimental tests, including experiments using optically levitated mirrors. The joint paper was posted on arXiv. arXiv:2308.14552
  • 2023-07-19 (InternationalConferences)
    • I gave an online talk on ultralight dark matter searches with laser interferometry at Amaldi 15. Slides are here.
  • 2023-05-21 (JapaneseConferences)
    • I gave a talk to present the status of the experiment to search for axion dark matter with an optical ring cavity at the area meeting of PRESTO "Innovative optics and photonics" in Sapporo. I was finally able to attend the are meeting in person. Slides are here.
  • 2023-05-18 (Seminars)
    • I gave an inited seminar talk on future prospects of gravitational wave detector developments at the U-lab of Nagoya University. Slides are here.
  • 2023-04-25 (Seminars)
    • I gave an invited seminar talk on ultralight dark matter searches with laser interferometry for Copernicus Webinar and Colloquium Series. Slides are here.
  • 2023-03-30 (Links)
  • 2023-03-09 (InternationalConferences)
    • I made a talk reporting the current status of the B01 group to search for dark matter using laser interferometers at Transformative Research Area "Dark Matter" FY2022 Symposium held at Kavli IPMU. It was my first in-person talk in three years! Slides are here.
  • 2023-03-07 (Papers)
    • We have posted our paper on arXiv, reporting the first results from DANCE to search for axion dark matter using an optical ring cavity. This is the first demonstration of polarization-based axion dark matter search with an optical cavity under no magnetic field. arXiv:2303.03594
  • 2023-02-03 (Papers)
    • A paper reviewing various experimental activities on mesoscopic quantum optomechanics within our French-Japanese QFilter project is published in AVS Quantum Science. AVS Quantum Sci. 5, 014403 (2023)
  • 2022-11-04 (Documents)
  • 2022-12-16 (JapaneseConferences)
    • I gave an online talk to present the status of the experiment to search for axion dark matter with an optical ring cavity at the area meeting of PRESTO "Innovative optics and photonics." Slides are here.
  • 2022-10-26 (Documents)
    • Our new approaches for dark matter search using laser interferomtry was focused in the December 2022 issue of Japanese science magazine "Newton".
  • 2022-09-27 (InternationalConferences)
    • I gave an online talk on the status of the experiment to demonstrate optical levitation of a mirror at the 4th QFilter Workshop held in Lyon, France. Slides are here.
  • 2022-07-18 (Papers)
    • We have found and experimentally demonstrated that the angular trapping of a tiny suspended mirror in a linear cavity is possible without additional active feedback control when the cavity geometry is carefully designed. This method solves radiation pressure induced angular instability issues in optomechanical experiments using tiny mirrors. The joint paper was published in Physical Review A. Phys. Rev. A 106, 013514 (2022)
  • 2022-05-27 (JapaneseConferences)
    • I gave an online talk to present the status of the experiment to search for axion dark matter with an optical ring cavity at the area meeting of PRESTO "Innovative optics and photonics."Slides are here.
  • 2022-04-01 (CV)
    • I moved to California Institute of Technology as a Research Scientist at LIGO Laboratory.
  • 2022-03-19 (Papers)
    • Our research on axion dark matter search using gravitational wave detector KAGRA was featured in a newspaper article by Nikkei.
  • 2022-03-17 (Seminars)
    • I gave an invited online seminar on Dark matter Axion search with riNg Cavity Experiment DANCE at Cosmology Seminar hosted by Arizona State University. Slides are here.
  • 2022-02-22 (JapaneseConferences)
    • I gave an online invited talk on dark matter searches using gravitational wave detectors at the workshop "Gravitational Waves and Particle Physics" held at Osaka City University. Slides are here.
  • 2022-02-21 (Papers)