Observing Molecules Using Magnets and Electromagnetic Waves

If you open a chemistry textbook, you will most likely find beautiful illustrations of molecules. However, because molecules are extremely small, individual molecules cannot be seen with the naked eye. That is why electromagnetic waves are normally used to see the molecules.
We particularly place matter inside a strong magnet and bombard it with electromagnetic waves to observe molecules. This is the same principle as that of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnostic systems found in hospitals. In the case of MRI systems, human beings are placed inside a large magnet, and electromagnetic waves are used to obtain signals that are converted into images. In our case, instead of humans, we place the matter that we would like to study inside a magnet in order to carry out observation. At our laboratory, we are developing new methods that will enable easier and faster observation at a higher degree of precision. We are also studying the shapes and movement of the molecules of actual matter.