To those looking for a graduate school

Our group conducts theoretical research on the quantum physics of light at Yokohama National University. If you are looking for a place to pursue a Master's or Doctoral degree (pre-doctoral or doctoral program), please read the following and consider conducting research with us.

Theoretical physics can be studied anytime, anywhere, by anyone. We gather at the university 2-3 times a week for seminars and the like, but you can proceed with your research at your own pace, and it is perfectly fine to conduct your research from home.

As of April 2025, we have one 1st-year doctoral student, three 2nd-year master's students, four 1st-year master's students, and four 4th-year undergraduate students enrolled.

For the atmosphere of the laboratory, please see the note on this account, which is summarized below.

Regarding the Master's program, even if you are currently enrolled at another university, if your grades in your third year of undergraduate studies are excellent, you can take the graduate school entrance exam in the form of a special selection.

Regarding the Doctoral program, you can receive financial support of 180,000 yen/month or more with a high probability from the university and other sources. Furthermore, in the form of employment as a research assistant, we provide an additional 10,000 to 100,000 yen/month in financial support.

For both programs, there is a special selection system for working professionals. For some Master's programs, there is also a special selection system for women.

The details of each will be explained towards the end of this page.

Visits and questions, etc.

For questions via email, please contact bamba-motoaki-pc@ynu.ac.jp. First, I would like to talk via Zoom or similar. When you come for an actual visit, please come to Yokohama National University General Research Building W703 (please contact us in advance).

Research Content

We are conducting research centered on a phenomenon called "superradiant phase transition" that occurs due to the interaction between light and matter. Please watch the following videos to see what kind of research it is (a total of over 30 minutes).

If you would like to read it as an article, please see this academist Journal article.

In addition, the videos and explanations on this page will also be helpful.

What kind of laboratory is it?

Using theoretical physics methods, we aim to discover and elucidate unexplored phenomena that arise from the interaction between light and matter.

We will provide you with an iPad Air and a laptop for your research. We use Python for numerical calculations. We use AWS (Amazon Web Services) for large-scale calculations. We also use electromagnetic field simulation software for resonator design.

Since it is theoretical research, you can proceed with your research at your own pace. It is fine to conduct your research from home.

We hold seminars and reading groups (book reading) 1-2 times a week each. In principle, they are held in person, but if there are people who cannot make it, we will hold them in a hybrid format. Please see the note on this account for the state of the seminars, etc.

In the spring semester when you first enter the Master's program, I would like you to participate in a reading group (book reading) on the following textbook on cavity quantum electrodynamics together with the 4th-year undergraduate students. This is the basic knowledge necessary to proceed with your research. If possible, it is desirable to acquire this before entering graduate school (similar textbooks are also fine). If necessary, it is possible to hold a voluntary reading group online before enrollment.

Aside from seminars and group reading sessions, the style involves forming groups of 2-3 students with juniors and seniors working on similar research, and studying and conducting research individually while discussing progress with the supervisor about once a week. The supervisor will provide advice as needed, but please be proactive: seniors should teach juniors what they don't understand, and juniors should ask seniors for help when they are stuck.

Research Themes

You are welcome to set your own research themes for your master's or doctoral thesis. Even if the field is slightly different, I will do my best to provide advice.

If you don't have any specific ideas for a research theme you want to pursue, I will have you read master's theses, graduation theses, or research grant applications related to the research currently being conducted in this group, or have you listen to research presentations, so that you can set a research theme yourself as much as possible. If you are not used to thinking about these things, we will think about them together.

Below are the research themes currently being pursued in this group.

• Quantum computersand otherstabilizationConstruction of innovative frameworks for

• Exploration ofnew energy conversion phenomenasuch as generating laser light directly from thermal energy

• SpaceH2O maser occurring inreproduction on Earth

• Elucidation of the mechanism of phenomena wherechemical reaction rates changejust by placing them in a resonator (without irradiating light)

• Verification ofrelativistic correctionsto the interaction Hamiltonian between spin ensembles and electromagnetic fields

• Analysis of various joint experiments with experimental groups in the United States and elsewhere

• Machine learningDevelopment of spectral analysis methods using (deep learning/Bayesian estimation)

• Quantum algorithms and protocolsDevising

Educational Policy

Our policy is to cultivate the ability to independently solve the challenges you face and to nurture individuals who are needed by society.

I instruct students to always think about the background and motivation (why are you doing this research?). You will cultivate problem-solving skills by repeating the cycle of investigating literature, building a model (hypothesis), and verifying the hypothesis through manual or numerical calculations (using Python, etc.) in response to challenges.

Career Paths After Graduation

Internships become active from the first year of the master's program, but your seniors have successfully balanced them with their research activities.

Typical career paths include technical development positions at domestic and international manufacturers, various industries requiring programming or data processing/analysis skills, IT consulting, technical consulting, and think tanks.

Regarding career paths after obtaining a master's degree, whether your research was theoretical or experimental is rarely questioned during job hunting.

We also support those pursuing a doctoral degree. We hold online study sessions on student support policies and careers and support science communication activities such as experimental workshops for parents and children.

While your expertise will be relevant to your career path after obtaining a doctoral degree, research in physical engineering is closely linked to industry, allowing you to build a career with better compensation than those with only a master's degree. Recently, there have also been an increasing number of cases where graduates excel in fields different from their original specialization during their student years.

For those who wish to start a business, I will support you by introducing you to various contacts. Those who wish to continue research in academia are also welcome.

Admissions Information, Financial Support, and Employment

For the master's program, even if you are currently enrolled at another university, if your academic performance in your third year of undergraduate studies is excellent, you can take the graduate school entrance exam through special selection.

For the doctoral program, you can receive financial support of 180,000 yen/month or more with a high probability from the university and other sources. Furthermore, in the form of employment as a research assistant, we provide additional financial support of several tens of thousands to 100,000 yen/month.

For both programs, there is a special selection system for working professionals. For some master's programs, there is also a special selection system for women.

Master's (Pre-doctoral) Program

Please consider applying to Yokohama National University Graduate School (Graduate School of Engineering Science or Graduate School of Advanced Practical Studies).

If your academic ranking at the end of your third year in your undergraduate department is within the top 1/3, or if 1/2 or more of your total earned credits are graded 80 points or higher, you can take the entrance exam for the pre-doctoral program through special selection. For details, please see the application guidelines (Graduate School of Engineering Science / Graduate School of Advanced Practical Studies).

Both the Graduate School of Engineering Science and the Graduate School of Advanced Practical Studies have special selection systems for working professionals. The Graduate School of Advanced Practical Studies also has a special selection system for women.

The Graduate School of Engineering Science and the Graduate School of Advanced Practical Studies have different educational philosophies, objectives, and curricula. You will belong to the Physical Engineering Education Field in the Graduate School of Engineering Science, and to Integrated Electronics and Social Deployment in the Graduate School of Advanced Practical Studies. In either case, Motoaki Baba can provide research supervision.

Exemption systems for admission and tuition fees are in place. Scholarship systems such as the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) are also available. For details, please see here. There are graduate students in this group who are actually receiving scholarships from private foundations, and I can provide advice on how to obtain them.

Doctoral (Post-doctoral) Program

Please consider applying to the Yokohama National University Graduate School of Engineering Science. You will belong to the Physical Engineering Education Field. For the doctoral program, there are sufficient openings, and no special preparation is required for admission.

At Yokohama National University, through SPRING (Support for Pioneering Research Initiated by the Next Generation), the majority of doctoral students receive financial support of 180,000 yen/month. Of course, you can also apply for the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (200,000 yen/month). For details, please see here.

In addition to these, this group provides financial support of several tens of thousands to 100,000 yen/month. This is in the form of employment as a research assistant. We provide support that overlaps with SPRING, JSPS Research Fellowships, etc.

Exemption systems for admission and tuition fees are in place. Scholarship systems such as the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) are also available. For details, please see here.

Special Selection for Working Professionals

We will confirm your ability and motivation for research after enrollment through an interview (oral examination) (there is no written examination). For details, please see the application guidelines below.

• Graduate School of Engineering Science Master's (Pre-doctoral) Program Application Guidelines

• Graduate School of Advanced Practical Studies Application Guidelines

• Graduate School of Engineering Science Doctoral (Post-doctoral) Program Application Guidelines

For the doctoral (post-doctoral) program, please also see the following page. Regarding the financial support for the doctoral program mentioned above (SPRING: Support for Pioneering Research Initiated by the Next Generation), you are eligible to apply provided you meet conditions such as not receiving an annual salary or compensation of 2.4 million yen or more from companies or other sources while enrolled. Please feel free to ask for details. We will provide our group's own financial support whenever possible.

Study Abroad from Overseas

Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program aside, there are many scholarship programs for international students available in Japan. Please also see the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) page. For the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship, please basically consider Embassy Recommendation. University Recommendation requires a very strong connection with the university or faculty you belonged to during your undergraduate studies.

See English or Chinese page.

Postdoctoral Researchers

If you have already obtained a doctoral degree or expect to obtain one in the near future, it is possible to hire you as a postdoctoral researcher. While funding availability varies from time to time, please feel free to contact us. We will also support you in securing appropriate fellowships, such as the JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (PD).

Inquiries

For questions or appointments via email, please contact bamba-motoaki-pc@ynu.ac.jp.