Electronics and Manufacturing

Enhancing industrial competitiveness through innovative technologies that lead varying manufacturing

We are contributing to enhancing industrial competitiveness by developing advanced electronic and optical device technologies that enable both performance enhancement and significant energy savings of IT equipment, and innovative manufacturing technologies that enable energy savings, resource savings, and low cost. Moreover, we are building a highly efficient production system by combining innovative manufacturing technologies and sensing technologies based on the advanced devices.
By advancing cyber-physical systems that integrate data collection in the real world, digital technologies in cyberspace, and interventions in physical space, we build efficient industrial production systems and contribute to solving social issues as well as strengthening industrial competitiveness.

New Research Results

New Technology Developed for Stable Magnetic Data Writing Using Voltage-Driven Switching

Researchers at AIST have developed a technology called the “voltage-induced static magnetization reversal method,” as a new method for writing magnetic data. This method enables voltage-driven MRAM (Magnetoresistive RAM) with higher capacity, and the researchers have successfully observed its operation experimentally.
Non-volatile memory retains data even when the power is turned off, resulting in zero standby power consumption. It is expected to contribute significantly to energy savings in information devices. Among these, MRAM, which controls the spin state of electrons, is particularly well-suited for integration into processing chips. It is a type of non-volatile memory that offers extremely fast read/write speeds and excellent robustness against environmental factors such as radiation and temperature. However, current MRAM requires a large amount of current to stably control information, and the resulting increase in power consumption during writing has been a major challenge. On the other hand, while voltage-driven MRAMs currently under development allow for low-power writing, voltage-based writing requires the generation of high-precision, high-speed voltage pulses, and has faced the problem of write errors occurring due to even slight variations in the write voltage. Additionally, because the optimal write voltage pulse width varies for each device due to variations in device characteristics, achieving stable operation and higher capacity in voltage-driven MRAMs has been difficult using conventional writing methods.
Researchers at AIST have developed a technology that uses an “artificial antiferromagnet”, a sandwich structure consisting of a non-magnetic thin film sandwiched between two layers of ferromagnetic thin films, to control the preferred magnetization orientation of the ferromagnetic layer (the direction of the N and S poles, which correspond to the digital states 0 and 1) by applying a voltage. The team also demonstrated that magnetic information can be written in both directions depending on the polarity of the applied voltage. Furthermore, they also showed that writing remains stable even when the pulse width of the writing voltage changes. Since this technology enables stable, controllable data writing with low power consumption, it is expected to be applied to future high-capacity non-volatile magnetic memory.

Conceptual diagram of the voltage-based magnetic data writing technology developed by the research team

Development of multi-stage dimming blinds enabling quick and easy operation

Researchers at AIST have developed multi-stage dimming blinds that are easy to process, install, and implement. These blinds utilize a unique nano-structured polarizing sheet.
Blinds and curtains control the amount of natural light entering through windows to adapt to daily rhythms and lifestyles. In recent years, dimmable glass using liquid crystals has taken part of this role, but its implementation is limited because it requires a power source for control.
The newly developed dimming blind allows multi-stage adjustment of light transmittance, which was previously limited to an ON/OFF setting, simply by sliding two layered sheets a few millimeters. This enables one-handed, effortless adjustment to a comfortable brightness level when sunlight feels too glaring. The sheets can be mass-produced using nanoimprint technology with specially designed polarization patterns. Since no power source is required to control light transmittance and it can also modulate near-infrared and infrared light, it is expected to be used for adjusting heat-shielding effects, which is a need in residential settings. Furthermore, future applications are anticipated in a wider range of fields, such as use in sensor peripheral components.

Overview of the Developed Multi-Stage Dimming Blinds

Research Unit

Open Innovation Laboratory

Since FY 2016, as a part of the “Open Innovation Arena concept” promoted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), AIST has created the concept of “open innovation laboratories” (OILs), collaborative research bases located on university campuses, and has been engaged in their provision. We are planning to establish more than ten OILs by FY 2020.

AIST will merge the basic research carried out at universities, etc. with AISTʼs goal-oriented basic research and applied technology development, and will promote bridging research and evelopment and industry by the establishment of OILs.

Cooperative Research Laboratories

In order to conduct research and development more closely related to strategies of companies, we have established collaborative research laboratories, bearing partner company names.

Partner companies provide their researchers and funding, and AIST provides research resources, such as its researchers, research facilities, and intellectual property. The loaned researchers of companies and AIST researchers jointly conduct research and development.

By setting up cooperative research laboratories, we will accelerate the commercialization of our goal-oriented basic research and application research with partner companies.