Development of Soft Magnetic Materials and Magnet Consisting of Complete Rare-Earth Free Elements Both with Ultimately-High-Efficient Types Contributing to Energy- and Resource-Saving by Precise Controlling their Nanostructures

Features

Features and Originalities
Research activities include high functionalization and attachment of additional values to the soft magnetic materials of iron-group based metallic glasses, nanocrystalline and amorphous alloys and magnets, both from non-equilibrium alloys with useful properties that have not been achieved by conventional crystalline alloys. Recent successful results contain newly-developed nanocrystalline soft magnetic alloys with high saturation magnetic flux density of 1.8 Tesla or higher and low core loss of ~1/3 to that of the Silicon steels and fabrication of rare-earth free L10-FeNi magnets.

Possible Academic/Industrial Collaborations
The target materials possess high potential as industrial materials owing to Fe-based alloy with low material costs accompanied by rare-earth-free nature and to producibility in an air environment. Expectations are contributions to energy-saving, saving mineral resources and reducing carbon dioxide emissions through collaborations with companies dealing with materials and applications.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Design and Fabrication of Micro-Optical Devices Based on Optics, Especially Optical MEMS and Sensors

Features

On the basis of optical engineering, optical technologies for sensing mechanical motion, spectroscopic properties, and other physical/chemical characteristics are investigated. Moreover, using semiconductor micro/nano-fabrication technology, integrated micro-optical sensors, micro/nano optical systems, optical micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) are studied. Micro laser scanner for display, deformable mirror for telescope, optical displacement encoder, and fluorescent analysis system are the examples of research topics.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Optical design, Optical industries, Industries relating to semiconductor micro fabrication and MEMS, optical telecommunications, etc.

Photo-Functional Advanced Materials for Nanofabrication by Nanoimprint Lithography

Features

Nakagawa group has dedicated to pursue scientific principles for molecular control of interface function occurring at polymer/other material interfaces and to put them into practice in nanoimprint lithography promising as a next generation nanofabrication tool. We are developing advanced photo-functional materials such as sticking molecular layers for "fix by light", UV-curable resins and antisticking molecular layers for "preparation by light", fluorescent resist materials for "inspection by light", and hybrid optical materials "available to light" and new research tools such as mechanical measurement systems to evaluate release property of UV-curable resins.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Our research aims at creating new devices to control photon, electron, and magnetism.

R&D in Semiconductor Materials and their Device Applications Bringing System Evolutions

Features

1. Development of Distributed Feedback (DFB) Laser Diodes (LD) widely used in optical communications systems realizing a highly information-based society. This LD increases the transmission capacity by 25,000 times per fiber which means the bit rate of 10Tb/s.

2. Nitride semiconductors famous for blue light emitting diodes.
(a) Proposal of InGaAlN system considering device applications in 1989
(b) Success in growth of single crystalline InGaN by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) in 1989
(c) Prediction of band-gap energy (Eg) of InN much smaller than the values reported in 1980s and its 　 experimental confirmation in 2002
(d) Observation of photoluminescence from InGaN in 1991
(e) Prediction of phase separation in InGaAlN in 1997

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

DFB-LD: Fabrication of periodic structure with submicron scale, Epitaxial growth of semiconductor films on the substrate with fine structures, LD fabrication process, device evaluation, and device simulation

Nitride Semiconductors: MOVPE growth, N-polar growth, Evaluation of semiconductor materials, Fabrication of light-emitting devices, solar cells, and high-power transistors

Creation of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Materials and their Application

Features

Organicl compounds, such as liquid-crsytals, polymers, etc., can be hybridized with inorganic materials in atomic level, in particuar, with nanoparticles. Both of high effeciency of processing ease for the former and high possibilities of physical properties for the latter can be attained through the complete solution of trade-off characteristics. For example, this atomic-level hybridization technique makes inorganic nanoparticles active for the response like a liquid crystal. By using this method, we expect we can conduct effective collaborative research in medical fields.

Advanced Technology on Flexible Liquid Crystal Displays

Features

Flexible liquid crystal displays using thin plastic film substrates instead of glass substrates contained in current liquid crystal displays, are bendable, thin, lightweight, and do not crack, and generate new usage styles and human interfaces due to their excellent storability and portability. We have been researching the basic technologies for large-screen and high-quality flexible displays using functional organic materials including liquid crystal and polymer, so that anyone can enjoy fertile information services.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

We hope to conduct collaborative research with a willing company in industry, for development and practical application of the advanced flexible display technologies.