Department of Informatics, Faculty of Information Science and Electrical Engineering
Department of Information Science and Technology, Graduate School of Information Science and Electrical Engineering
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, School of Engineering
Our laboratory conducts research at the interface between information and physics. Although information theory and physics may appear to address very different subjects, they are in fact deeply interconnected. We focus particularly on the relationship between quantum information theory and nonequilibrium statistical physics, combining the conceptual frameworks and mathematical techniques of both fields to analyze a wide range of phenomena.
Our primary interests lie in two broad questions: the fundamental limits inherent in physical processes, such as thermodynamic transformations, measurement processes, and computation; and the extent to which quantum effects can modify or overcome these limits. Because these themes span both foundational and applied aspects of physics, our group actively explores both directions.
On the foundational side, we investigate topics such as universal constraints on quantum dynamics arising from symmetry. On the applied side, we study quantum-mechanical mechanisms for realizing heat engines that surpass classical power bounds while approaching Carnot efficiency. Through these efforts, our laboratory aims to deepen the theoretical understanding of quantum-enhanced physical processes and to contribute to future quantum technologies.

Assoc.Prof. Hiroyasu Tajima