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Masafumi Fukuto

Projects:

• Thin wetting films on solid, liquid, and liquid crystal surfaces
• Capillary wave fluctuations at fluid/fluid interfaces
• Langmuir monolayers of "nano" molecules on water

Education:

• Ph.D. (physics), Harvard University, 2001
• A.M. (physics), Harvard University, 1997
• B.S. (physics, mathematics), University of Oregon, 1994

Research/Teaching Experience:

• Postdoctoral Fellow (Harvard University, June 2001 - December 2003).
  Advisor: Prof. Peter S. Pershan, Department of Physics and Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences
  Projects: X-ray scattering studies of thin wetting films.
  • Observed critical Casimir forces in thin binary wetting films adsorbed on a Si surface.
  • Observed critical adsorption of surface-induced smectic layers at the interface between a nematic liquid crystal and a liquid wetting layer.
  • Characterized thickness-dependent correlations between capillary-wave fluctuations at the liquid/liquid and liquid/vapor interface.

• Research Assistant (Harvard University, Sept. 1994 - May 2001).
  Advisor: Prof. Peter S. Pershan, Department of Physics and Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences
  Projects: Synchrotron x-ray scattering studies of Langmuir monolayers on water.
  • Studied monolayers of C₆₀ derivatives, gold nanoparticles, and helical polypeptides.
  • Observed liquid-like 2D structure factor from amorphous solid phases of Langmuir monolayers.
  • Characterized structural changes across compression-induced monolayer/bilayer transitions.
  • Characterized lateral homogeneity of liquid surfaces using off-specular diffuse scattering.

• Teaching Fellow (Harvard University, Physics Department, Spring 1995).
  

• Undergraduate Research (University of Oregon, June 1992 - July 1994).
  Advisor: Prof. David C. Johnson, Department of Chemistry and Materials Science Institute
  Projects: Solid state reactions in Nb-Se binary thin films using superlattice reactants
  • Studied effects of layer thicknesses and composition on reaction mechanism, especially competition between interdiffusion and formation of stable intermetallic compounds.
  • Studied energetics of Nb₅Se₄ formation from amorphous intermediate.
  Techniques used: DSC, TGA, low-angle and high-angle x-ray diffaction.

Other Information:

• Publications
• My Calendar

Safety Related Links:

• DEAS/Physics Safety Committee
• Harvard Department of Environmental Health and Safety
• Materials Safety Data Sheets(MSDS)

Current Address:

Masafumi Fukuto
Department of Physics, Bldg. 510B
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Upton, NY 11973-5000
Tel: (631) 344-5256
Fax: (631) 344-2739

e-mail: fukuto@bnl.gov