Profile

Yuta Michimura (道村唯太)
Born in Yokohama, Japan, in August 1987. PhD in Science.
Map of countries and regions I have visited.
My CV in pdf (as of May 2021).

Education

  • June 2015
    • Doctor of Science in Physics (University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan)
    • Ph.D. Thesis: Tests of Lorentz Invariance with an Optical Ring Cavity (Thesis)
  • March 2012
    • Master of Science in Physics (University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan)
    • Master Thesis: Search for Anisotropy in the One-Way Speed of Light Using an Optical Ring Cavity
  • March 2010
    • Bachelor of Science in Physics (University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan)
    • Theme: BBM experiment for the interferometer module of DECIGO Pathfinder

Professional Experience

  • November 2020 – present
    • JST PRESTO Researcher
    • Area “Creating state-of-the-art science by innovative optics and photonics”
    • Research project: New dark matter search with high precision polarization measurements
  • July 2014 – present
    • Assistant Professor at Department of Physics, University of Tokyo
  • April 2013 – June 2014
    • JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (DC2)
    • Research project: Research on radiation pressure induced instability in the LCGT optical cavities (13J10386)

Visiting Research

  • June 2018 – August 2018
    • European Gravitational Observatory
  • June 2014
    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • January 2014 – March 2014, April 2011 – May 2011
    • LIGO Hanford Observatory January
  • February 2013 – March 2013, May 2012 – July 2012, September 2010 – November 2010
    • California Institute of Technology
  • March 2011 – April 2011
    • Kyoto University

Awards

  • May 2016
  • March 2016
    • 10th Young Scientist Award of the Physical Society of Japan
    • For: Tests of Lorentz Invariance with an Optical Ring Cavity

Grants

Principal Investigator

  • November 2020 – March 2025
  • November 2020 – March 2024
  • November 2019 – November 2020
    • The Sumitomo Foundation 2019 Grant for Basic Science Research Projects
    • Research project: Search for axion dark matter with an optical ring cavity (Grant No. 190069)
    • Total budget: 3,600,000 JPY
  • June 2018 – March 2021
    • JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory), Principal Investigator
    • Research project: Test of macroscopic quantum mechanics with optically levitated mirrors (18K18763)
    • Total budget: 6,370,000 JPY
  • April 2018 – March 2022
    • JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B), Principal Investigator
    • Research project: Comprehensive Search for Anisotropy in the Speed of Light using an Optical Ring Cavity (18H01224)
    • Total budget: 17,420,000 JPY (planned)
  • April 2015 – March 2018
    • JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A), Principal Investigator
    • Research project: Search for Lorentz Violation using an Optical Ring Cavity (15H05445)
    • Total budget: 24,310,000 JPY
    • Achievement: Developed a compact and continuous turntable with wireless signal extraction, and monolithic optical cavity integrated with input optics for the first time. With these components, we searched for Lorentz violation for just one week and succeeded in reaching the world best precision.
  • April 2015 – March 2018
    • JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research, Principal Investigator
    • Research project: Realization of Macroscopic Entanglement with Optically Levitated Mirrors (15K13542)
    • Total budget: 3,770,000 JPY
    • Achievement: Proposed a new method to optically levitate a mirror with two optical cavities linearly aligned, and showed reaching the standard quantum limit is feasible with this method. We also worked on the proof of principle experiment with a torsion pendulum.
  • April 2023 – March 2015
    • Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Research Fellow
    • Research project: Research on radiation pressure induced instability in the LCGT optical cavities (13J10386)
    • Total budget: 2,000,000 JPY
    • Achevement: Designed the layout and radius of curvatures of the mirrors of the main interferometer of KAGRA based on alignment sensing and control. Designed mirror actuators and optics for alignment sensing and control.

Co-investigator

  • April 2021 – March 2024
    • JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A), Co-investigator
    • Research project: Innovative Quantum Noise reduction strategies for GW detectors (21H04476、PI: Matteo Leonardi)
    • Total budget: 800,000 JPY (planned)
  • August 2020 – March 2025
    • JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S), Co-investigator
    • Research project: Inclusive study on gravitational-wave astrophysics (20H05639, PI: Jun’ichi Yokoyama)
    • Total budget: 500,000 JPY (planned)
  • November 2018 – March 2028
    • MEXT Q-LEAP Program Quantum Metrology & Sensing Co-investigator
    • Research project: Establishment of earthquake early alert method using high sensitivity gravity gradient sensors (JPMXS0118070351, PI: Masaki Ando)
  • October 2018 – March 2024
    • JST CREST “Creation of an innovative quantum technology platform base on the advanced control of quantum states” ANR-JST Joint Proposal, Lead Joint Researcher
    • Research project: Manipulation of an optomechanically coupled oscillator using a quantum filter (JPMJCR1873, Research Directors: Kentaro Somiya, Antoine Heidmann)
    • Total budget: 19,300,000 JPY (until October 2020; Research Participant from November 2020 since PRESTO research started)

Others

Committees

  • December 2020 – present
    • DECIGO Steering Committee Member
  • October 2020 – present
    • LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Joint Editorial Board Member
  • July 2020 – present
    • RIKEN iTHEMS Dark Matter Working Group Member (Website)
  • November 2019
    • JSAP Quantum Electronics Workshop “Space Quantum Electronics” Organizer (Website)
  • August 2019 – present
    • KAGRA Committee for Publication Control Member
  • June 2019 – present
    • JAXA Advisory Committee for Space Engineering Formation Flying Working Group Member
  • June 2019
    • “The 6th KAGRA International Workshop” Scientific Organizing Committee Member (Website)
  • December 2018 – present
    • KAGRA Future Planning Committee Member
  • June 2016 – present
    • KAGRA Main Interferometer (MIF) Group Chief
  • February 2016 – August 2019
    • KAGRA Scientific Congress Board Member
  • June 2016
    • “The First International Meeting on KAGRA” Scientific Organizing Committee Member (Website)
  • March 2015 – present
    • Gravitational wave research exchange meeting Organizer
  • November 2014 – May 2016
    • KAGRA Main Interferometer (MIF) Group Sub-Chief

Programs and scholarships

  • June – August 2018
    • Young Researchers International Deployment Program, University of Tokyo
  • June – March 2013, May – July 2012, September – November 2010
    • Institutional Program for Young Researcher Overseas Visits, University of Tokyo
  • May – July 2012, September – November 2010
    • LIGO Visitors Program, California Institute of Technology
  • June 2012
    • JASSO Repayment Exemption for Students with Excellent Grades (Full Exemption)
  • March 2012 – June 2014
    • Advanced Leading Graduate Course for Photon Science, University of Tokyo
    • Research project: Research on quantum radiation pressure fluctuation using torsion pendulum laser interferometer

Memberships

  • Physical Society of Japan (from June 2009)
  • Cosmic Ray Researchers Congress (from September 2015)
  • KAGRA Collaboration (from around 2011)
  • LISA Consortium (from October 2018)