Takashi Kumagai

Takashi Kumagai

Affiliation: Institute for Molecular Science (Japan)

Research Interests: Scanning probe microscopy, Nanoscale optical spectroscopy, Plasmonics, Single-molecule chemistry, Hydrogen dynamics, Molecular electronics

Title: Point-Contact Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy:Picoscale Light–Matter Interactions within Plasmonic Cavities

Abstract: Near-field Raman spectroscopy has become aversatiletool in nanoscience andnanotechnology. Recent advances in tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS), performedunder ultrahigh vacuum andlow-temperature conditions, have enabled atomic-scale Ramanimaging through precise control of sub-nanometer plasmonic fields.Thistechniquehasopened access to previously unattainable regimes of Raman scattering. In this talk, I willfocus on Raman scattering ofquantum point contacts formed by a single atom or molecule,whichserves asan intriguingplatform not only for atomic-scale chemical analysis but alsofor exploring light–matter interactions in nonequilibrium quantum systemssuch as single-molecule junctions.Point-contact TERS reveals that Raman scattering is sensitive topicoscale structural variations, providing indispensable insight intothe emerging field ofpicocavity science.