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TIA’s results - practical application and commercialization -
TIA boasts world-leading facilities and equipment, outstanding researchers and engineers, and distinguished technological expertise and intellectual property. TIA’s long-term activities performed using these resources have led to diverse and visible results, such as mass production and commercialization, the development of products for practical use, and the laying of the foundation of venture companies, in addition to research outputs compiled as research papers, patents, and know-how.
Practical application of NanoBridge-FPGA devices
Ultra-Low-Voltage Device Project for Low-Carbon Society（FY2010 ～ 2014）
Development of One Million LUT Atom Switch FPGA（FY2016 ～ 2018）
cross section
NanoBridge-FPGA chip
The NanoBridge-FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) has remarkably high radiation tolerance and power efficiency compared with conventional FPGAs based on static random-access memory (SRAM). Following the discovery of the principle of the NanoBridge-FPGA, which is called atom switch, and its fundamental research in NIMS, NEC and AIST have developed devices and circuits based on the principle. Their verification in and integration into large-scale LSI and reliability studies have been conducted in the AIST Super cleanroom (SCR), the TIA nanoelectronics platform, while considering 300-mm wafer-based commercialization. After the conduct of these studies, the resulting technology reached practical application. NEC will verify the practicality and reliability of the device aboard satellites and compile practical results. NEC will also expand the device’s application for communication and IoT equipment in which low power performance is important.
- Leaflet pdf：Low-power FPGA based on NanoBridge® technology(2017.10)
- The Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstoration-1 was successfully launched on January 18, 2019, one of which missions is on-orbit verification of NB-FPGA (see JAXA site).
Practical application of optical I/O cores
Integrated Photonics-Electronics Convergence System Technology (FY2013 ～ 2021）
The Photonics Electronics Technology Research Association (PETRA) developed the world’s smallest, fingertip-size optical transceivers (optical I/O cores), based on fundamental photonics-electronics integration technology nurtured in TIA-SCR. To commercialize the optical I/O cores, PETRA established the AIO Core Co., Ltd. in April 2017. The AIO Core Co., Ltd. provides optical interconnect solutions through state-of-the-art silicon photonics. Based on the technologies accumulated at PETRA, the AIO Core completed multimode fiber transmission capability for 50 m or farther distance on a 5-mm square chip at temperature ranging from -40 °C to 85 °C.
Development of an innovative fabrication process technology
(Minimal fab)（FY2012 ～ 2014）
Minimal fab is a super-compact production system for semiconductors, targeting low-volume and high-variety markets. The AIST devised the concept, enabled its fundamental development, and in cooperation with about 150 companies, brought it into practical use. Minimal fab does not require a clean room because it is equipped with a locally clean transfer system. It has chemical solutions and can operate only by supply of electric power (AC 100 V), compressed air, and nitrogen. Power consumption is only 250 W per tool on average. The user interface (UI) for all tools is standardized, and dedicated operators are not required. Although a conventional prototype fabrication line performs only about
two processes per day, Minimal fab can perform 20.30 processes per day, owing to the sophisticated and standardized UI and rapid 15-second vacuum loading time. Minimal fab has high development efficiency and has already been used for development of CMOS and MEMS sensors. Minimal fab tools are now commercially available.
Commercialization of MEMS sensors
MEMS foundry
Micro-nano open innovation center (MNOIC)
1.5mm×1.5mm MEMS sensor chip
Touchence Corporation's ultra-thin 3-axis force sensor is a MEMS sensor developed using MEMS foundry with the support of Micro Nano Open Innovation Center (MNOIC). The sensor with the size of 11 mm square × 2 mm thickness equips with a 1.5 mm × 1.5 mm MEMS chip, and can measure three-axis force and shear force simultaneously with one sensor.
CNT mass production plant and practical application of SGCNT
CNT mass production demonstration plant project
Innovative carbon nanotube composite materials project for a low-carbon society（FY2014 ～ 2016）
AIST and the Zeon Corporation jointly promoted the development of a fundamental mass production technique based on the super-growth (SG) method. The SG method is an innovative carbon nanotube synthesis method developed by Dr. Kenji Hata and AIST colleagues in 2004. A mass production demonstration plant was built and operated as a project under the FY 2009 supplementary budget of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). Based on the results and techniques, the world’s first mass production plant for SGCNTs, which are high-grade CNTs obtained via the SG method, was built and is currently operating at Zeon Corporation’s Tokuyama Plant. The Zeon Corporation provides SGCNTs and promotes the commercialization of products that maximize SGCNT features, thereby bringing various materials, such as high-performance thermal interface materials (TIMs), into practical use.
In October 2018, San Arrow Co., Ltd bigan selling O-rings developed at TACC (the Team of Application for Carbon Nanotubes Composites), the joint research team from Nippon Zeon, San Arrow, and AIST. The products are not only usable under high temperature and high pressure environment (continuous use temperature: about 230 ° C) compared to conventional fluoro rubber O-rings, but also reduce management cost due to reduction of replacement frequency. They are expected to be used as metal seal substitutes.
 Thermal interface materials (TIMs) using CNTs |
 O-rings by CNT-rubber composites |
Mass production plant for SiC power device in operation
Tsukuba Power-Electronics Constellations (TPEC) (founded in April 2012)
Fuji Electric’s SiC device plant
in operation (2013)
Six-inch wafer (left) and
SiC trench gate MOSFET (right)
Since April 2012, AIST has operated the Tsukuba Power-Electronics Constellations (TPEC) as a new industry-funded consortium, to promote open innovation in power electronics. Fuji Electric Co., Ltd., which is among the first and principal members of TPEC, developed the component technology necessary for the practical application of SiC power devices in TPEC. Fuji Electric also evaluated a practical device production using a mass-production line for prototypes at AIST Tsukuba West. Based on these results, Fuji Electric built 6-inch wafer process lines for the production of SiC power devices at Matsumoto Factory in Nagano Prefecture. This factory is the company’s production base for power semiconductors and produces some of the most advanced SiC power devices.
Functional assays of 3,000 algal strains and development of new markets in the age of self-medication (Kakehashi project in FY 2016)
Acceleration of functional assays of 3,000 microalgal strains and non-edible biomass and development of new markets (Kakehashi project in FY 2017)
Mass production method for carotenoids
(Japanese Patent Application
No. 2016-566380)
Seven-colored next-generation chlorella
(Japanese Patent Application
No. 2016-566380, Method for mass
production of carotenoids)
In March 2018, the Algal Bio Co., Ltd., a university-based venture business located in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, was established for R&D on algal biomass. Algal Bio’s establishment aimed to expand and propagate the application of algae and microalgae. Specifically, it aims to put functional components (carotenoids, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids) produced by microalgae into practical use, based on research results from two separate projects of JST-CREST and JST-START. These projects were performed at the Laboratory of Plant Life Science of the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, the University of Tokyo. In the TIA Kakehashi program, functional assays of microalgae were performed cooperatively by many researchers of member organizations. Based on the findings, an additional objective, that is “the development of a new market for functional biomass,” was included in the business plan. The company will also provide health care products, which are necessary in this age of self-medication.
- 2019.05.15