Masafumi Fukuto
Program Manager, Complex Scattering Program, National Synchrotron Light Source II

Brookhaven National Laboratory
National Synchrotron Light Source II
Bldg. 744
P.O. Box 5000
Upton, NY 11973-5000
(631) 344-5256
fukuto@bnl.gov
Masa serves as the Program Manager for the Complex Scattering Program, which operates a suite of scattering beamlines at National Synchrotron Light Source II. The Complex Scattering Program’s mission is to develop cutting-edge x-ray scattering techniques to advance scientific understanding of the spatiotemporal behavior of complex soft, hard, and bio materials to drive transformative discoveries by optimizing material synthesis and processing conditions as well as material behavior under extreme conditions for applications that impact the national health, energy and environmental security. The beamlines in the Complex Scattering Program are: 4-ID Integrated In situ and Resonant Hard X-ray Studies (ISR); 10-ID Inelastic X-ray Scattering (IXS); 11-ID Coherent Hard X-ray Scattering (CHX); 11-BM Complex Materials Scattering (CMS); and 12-ID Soft Matter Interfaces (SMI).
Research | Education | Appointments | Publications
Research Activities
Masa has been using x-ray scattering to study interfacial phenomena in a variety of soft matter systems. These studies include in situ x-ray measurements of capillary-wave fluctuations at liquid interfaces, short-range order and inhomogeneities in Langmuir films, critical Casimir forces in binary wetting films, interfacial and confinement effects on liquid crystals, phase behavior and structures of lipid membranes, and interfacial self-assembly of biomolecular and inorganic nano-objects, such as proteins, viruses, and nanoparticles. He is also working with collaborators on the development and application of autonomous experimentation methods for synchrotron beamline experiments.
Education
- Ph.D. 2001: Physics, Harvard University
- M.A. 1997: Physics, Harvard University
- B.S. 1994: Physics, Mathematics, University of Oregon
Professional Appointments
2014-Present: Physicist, NSLS-II, BNL
2022-Present: Program Manager, Complex Scattering Program, NSLS-II, BNL
2021-2022: Interim Program Manager, Complex Scattering Program, NSLS-II, BNL
2014-2022: Lead Scientist for Complex Materials Scattering (CMS) Beamline, NSLS-II, BNL
2010-2014: Physicist, Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department (CMPMSD), BNL
2007-2010: Associate Physicist, CMPMSD, BNL
2005-2007: Assistant Physicist, CMPMSD, BNL
2004-2005: Postdoctoral Research Associate, National Synchrotron Light Source, BNL
2001-2003: Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard University
Selected Publications
- Noack MM, Zwart PH, Ushizima DM, et al (2021) Gaussian processes for autonomous data acquisition at large-scale synchrotron and neutron facilities. Nature Reviews Physics 3:685–697. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42254-021-00345-y
- Noack MM, Doerk GS, Li R, et al (2020) Autonomous materials discovery driven by Gaussian process regression with inhomogeneous measurement noise and anisotropic kernels. Scientific Reports 10:. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-74394-1
- Noack MM, Yager KG, Fukuto M, et al (2019) A Kriging-Based Approach to Autonomous Experimentation with Applications to X-Ray Scattering. Scientific Reports 9:. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-48114-3
- Fukuto M, Ocko BM, Bonthuis DJ, et al (2016) Nanoscale Structure of the Oil-Water Interface. Physical Review Letters 117:. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.117.256102
- Fukuto M, Yang L, Nykypanchuk D, Kuzmenko I (2016) Transmission X-ray scattering as a probe for complex liquid-surface structures. Journal of Synchrotron Radiation 23:519–531. https://doi.org/10.1107/s1600577515023103
- Srivastava S, Nykypanchuk D, Fukuto M, Gang O (2014) Tunable Nanoparticle Arrays at Charged Interfaces. ACS Nano 8:9857–9866. https://doi.org/10.1021/nn5042416
- Srivastava S, Nykypanchuk D, Fukuto M, et al (2014) Two-Dimensional DNA-Programmable Assembly of Nanoparticles at Liquid Interfaces. Journal of the American Chemical Society 136:8323–8332. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja501749b
- Fukuto M, Nguyen QL, Vasilyev O, et al (2013) Crystallization, structural diversity and anisotropy effects in 2D arrays of icosahedral viruses. Soft Matter 9:9633. https://doi.org/10.1039/c3sm51853a
- Kewalramani S, Wang S, Lin Y, et al (2011) Systematic approach to electrostatically induced 2D crystallization of nanoparticles at liquid interfaces. Soft Matter 7:939–945. https://doi.org/10.1039/c0sm00956c
- Fukuto M, Wang S, Lohr MA, et al (2010) Effects of surface ligand density on lipid-monolayer-mediated 2D assembly of proteins. Soft Matter 6:1513. https://doi.org/10.1039/b917139h
- Kewalramani S, Hlaing H, Ocko BM, et al (2009) Effects of Divalent Cations on Phase Behavior and Structure of a Zwitterionic Phospholipid (DMPC) Monolayer at the Air−Water Interface. The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 1:489–495. https://doi.org/10.1021/jz9002873
- Fukuto M, Gang O, Alvine KJ, et al (2008) Wetting of liquid-crystal surfaces and induced smectic layering at a nematic-liquid interface: An x-ray reflectivity study. Physical Review E 77:. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.77.031607
- Fukuto M, Gang O, Alvine KJ, Pershan PS (2006) Capillary wave fluctuations and intrinsic widths of coupled fluid-fluid interfaces: An x-ray scattering study of a wetting film on bulk liquid. Physical Review E 74:. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.74.031607
- Yang L, Fukuto M (2005) Modulated phase of phospholipids with a two-dimensional square lattice. Physical Review E 72:. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.72.010901
- Fukuto M, Yano YF, Pershan PS (2005) Critical Casimir Effect in Three-Dimensional Ising Systems: Measurements on Binary Wetting Films. Physical Review Letters 94:. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.94.135702

Brookhaven National Laboratory
National Synchrotron Light Source II
Bldg. 744
P.O. Box 5000
Upton, NY 11973-5000
(631) 344-5256
fukuto@bnl.gov