Nanotechnology, Materials and Manufacturing

[ Overview ]

Merging with the Digital Manufacturing Research Center in 2010, we started as a new organization in order to leverage AIST's comprehensive capabilities in the field of manufacturing technologies. Green innovation is expected to create new business spheres such as energy efficiency businesses and maintenance/customer services for manufacturing plants, in addition to those close to people's lives such as solar power generation and next-generation vehicles. To contribute to the creation of these businesses, we are developing fundamental technologies for components, machines, and systems which realize low-cost, high-efficiency, and low-environmental-burden manufacturing technologies; enhancing design support and maintenance technologies; and developing and disseminating “monozukuri support tools” to transfer the engineering and skills in monozukuri processes to successors.

[ Overview ]

We are engaged in the research and development of materials and components to facilitate the sustainable development of society using limited natural resources and energy sources. In this work we are focusing on R&D of (1) technologies (rare metal substitute materials technologies, technologies to reduce rare metal consumption) to address the supply of some rare metals (tungsten, platinum, dysprosium, etc.), which will be difficult to secure in the near future due to rapidly increasing demand in developing countries and an oligopoly for the rare metal resources, in order to ensure the sustainable development of industry; (2) lightweight metals to reduce vehicle weight for improved fuel economy (technologies for highperformance magnesium alloys); and (3) energy-efficient building components (light-controlling glass, advanced wood-based materials, humidity-controlling walls, etc.), which will be effective in reducing CO₂ emissions in the transportation and commercial/residential sectors.

[ Overview ]

Nanotechnology refers to technologies to control atoms and molecules in the nanometer-scale world in order to create new functions. To predict the behavior of materials in this invisible world, design them, and create systems out of them, it is necessary to develop materials, processes, and measurement technologies, and to combine and integrate individual technologies such as theoretical analysis and computational simulation. The Nanotechnology Research Institute and the Research Institute for Computational Science have been merged into the Nanosystem Research Institute to achieve these goals. We are working to realize closer collaboration among leading-edge technologies that have been developed up to now, and developing new technologies required by society.

[ Overview ]

We are focusing on nanotube structures as typical nanostructures expected to lead to new industries, and the creation of applications, primarily for carbon and organic nanotubes developed by AIST, by adding high functionality to them. Our goal is to contribute to the fostering of new industries in Japan through these efforts. We are also developing measurement and analysis techniques for nanostructures, including nanotube materials, offering the highest levels of performance, and aim to be a world-leading research center covering all aspects of nanotube materials.

[ Overview ]

We are engaged in R&D of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) and of ubiquitous microsystems for a low-carbon, safe, and secure society. We are creating an environment for leading-edge MEMS R&D and test-fabrication in collaboration with industry, and developing an open research center for MEMS as well as for the fostering of human resources. In addition, we are implementing the Integrated Research and Development of Microsystems research project (project leader: Masayoshi Esashi, Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University), one of 30 designated research topics in the Funding Program for World-Leading Innovative R&D on Science and Technology.

[ Overview ]

Diamond is a “super-material” that has the highest values of dielectric breakdown, thermal conductivity, optical transmission, elastic constant, hardness, electrochemical potential window, and chemical stability amongst all materials, as well as excellent electron emission characteristics, carrier mobility, and X-ray transmissivity. Many applications are available by combining these properties. A diamond power semiconductor device will have high voltage, low loss, high power, and high speed operation characteristics, and is expected to be the ultimate device. We are conducting research and development of both diamond wafers and devices for the realization of this technology. Our purpose is to develop a next generation, cooling system free, energy - saving power device made only of carbon, thereby contributing to the development of industry, reduction of CO₂ emissions, and solution of natural resource problems.