Research Interests

Our research targets are development of novel physical and chemical measurement techniques capable of investigating phenomena at the nanometer-scale world, and understanding unified knowledge which connects the nanometer-scale world with the macroscopic one in the nature. Additionally, we aim to architecht and fabricate microscopic structures by referencing the functional structures in the nature such as bio-molecules. In this target, we start to build up the basic technology for creating advanced artificial devices, and apply them to electric and medical industries.

Research Subjects

• Development of microscopy techniques for probing local solvation structures, and studying dynamics of liquid-molecules at solid/liquid interfaces
• Development of microscopy techniques with the atomic resolution (Scanning Probe Microscopy: SPM), and studying bio-molecule structures, dynamics and the relationship with surrounding solvent molecules in vivo
• Development of nondestructive tomography techniques and studying bio-molecule structures, dynamics and relationship with the surrounding solvent molecules in vivo
• Development of microscopy techniques for probing the local carrier distribution in semiconducting materials and studying the dynamics of photocatalysts and LSI semiconductor devices.
• Development of novel nano-scale structure manufacturing technique

Selected Publications

◆K. Kimura, K. Kobayashi, H. Yamada, K. Usuda, K. Matsushige, Noncontact-mode scanning capacitance force microscopy towards quantitative tow-dimensional carrier profiling on semiconductor devices, Applied Physics Letter, 2007, vol. 90, 083101.

◆K. Kimura, K. Kobayashi, H. Yamada, K. Matsushige, Improving sensitivity in electrostatic force detection utilizing cantilever with tailored resonance modes, Applied Physics Letter, 2007, vol. 90, 053113.

◆K. Kimura, K. Kobayashi, H. Yamada, K. Usuda, K. Matsushige, Two-dimensional carrier profiling on operating Si-MOSFET by scanning capacitance microscopy, Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, 2006, vol. 24, p. 1371-1376.

◆K. Kimura, K. Kobayashi, H. Yamada, K. Usuda, K. Matsushige, Two-dimensional carrier profiling on operating Si-MOSFET by scanning capacitance microscopy , Proceedings of the 8th International Workshop on the Fabrication, Characterization and Modeling of Ultra Shallow Junctions in Semiconductors, 2005, p. 127-133.

◆K. Kimura, K. Kobayashi, H. Yamada, K. Usuda, K. Matsushige,　Scanning capacitance force microscopy imaging of metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors, Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, 2005, vol. 23, p. 1454-1458.