Colorful TiO2 Particle
https://www.t-technoarch.co.jp/data/anken_en/T19-849.pdf

Transition metal compounds are known to exhibit a wide variety of colors. Until now, it has been possible to color white titanium oxide by doping with transition metal ions, but it is difficult to avoid biotoxicity derived from transition metals.

• In the present invention, titanium oxide inorganic pigments that do not contain transition metals and have various colors such as white, yellow, red, gray, green, purple, black, and skin color have been realized.

New applications of titanium oxide pigments are expected in the cosmetics field, where biotoxicity is an issue.

• Conventional X-ray imaging methods that rely on X-ray attenuation cannot generate clear contrast in the observation of low-density materials such as polymers consisting of low-Z elements. However, the sensitivity to the materials can be improved drastically by X-ray phase imaging that detects X-ray refraction caused by the materials. X-ray Talbot or Talbot-Lau interferometry consisting of X-ray transmission gratings is now constructed in laboratories for X-ray phase imaging. X-ray phase tomography is also realized, enabling high-sensitive three-dimensional observation.
• X-ray phase imaging can be utilized for X-ray non-destructive testing of industrial products and baggage that cannot be checked conventionally.

We aim at appending a phase-contrast mode to micro-CT apparatuses and developing screening apparatuses in production lines.

• Electronic products can be operated not only by semiconductors but also by metal interconnections attached to the semiconductors. Required properties for the metal interconnections are ohmic contact, diffusion barrier property, adhesion with semiconductors, and low resistivity, corrosion resistance, process reliability. Our group has committed ourselves to develop new metals and processes to meet the needs of wide-ranged device producers with consideration of cost performance. Topics of our research include (1) Cu alloys to self-form a diffusion barrier layer in multilayer interconnection of Si devices, (2) Cu alloys to form a reaction-doping layer in IGZO oxide semiconductors, (3) Nb alloys to achieve mechanical and thermal reliability with good ohmic property for SiC power devices, (4) Cu alloys for transparent conductive oxide such as ITO, (5) screen-printable Cu paste lines for solar cells, etc..

Our research efforts are targeted at metallization and interconnections for advanced LSI, flat panel displays, touch panels, power modules, solar cells, and other electronic devices. Collaborators include material producers, equipment vendors, and device producers in the entire value chain of electronic products.

• Microstructure represents various kinds of heterogeneities in the metallic materials, i.e., grains, component phase, lattice defects and chemical inhomogeneity such as impurity/alloying elements. It can be modified through control of phase transformation/precipitation and deformation/recrystallization by adjusting compositions of materials and/or through processing routes (heat treatment, deformation). Such expertise in micro/nanostructure control is very important in production of current materials from viewpoints of energy saving and recycling in structural materials such as steels and titanium alloys.
• We attempt to apply more advanced control of micro/nanostructures, such as atomic structures of crystalline interfaces, chemistory in an atomic scale (e.g., segregation) and so on. Fundamentals of microstructure formation (thermodynamics, kinetics, crystallography) are examined both theoretically and experimentally to clarify key factors for microstructure control. Another important aspect in our research is the improvement of mechanical property by microstructure manipulation.

Possibilities to establish new functions (e.g., superplasticity, shape memory/superelasticity) as well as superior mechanical properties (e.g., ultrahigh strength with high toughness/ductility) is also explored.

Colorful TiO2 Particle
https://www.t-technoarch.co.jp/data/anken_en/T19-849.pdf

Transition metal compounds are known to exhibit a wide variety of colors. Until now, it has been possible to color white titanium oxide by doping with transition metal ions, but it is difficult to avoid biotoxicity derived from transition metals.

• In the present invention, titanium oxide inorganic pigments that do not contain transition metals and have various colors such as white, yellow, red, gray, green, purple, black, and skin color have been realized.

New applications of titanium oxide pigments are expected in the cosmetics field, where biotoxicity is an issue.

• Our lab develops accurate nanometer scale characterization methods of crystal structures by convergent-beam electron diffraction (<strong>CBED</strong>) and electronic structures by electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) and soft-X-ray emission spectroscopy (<strong>SXES</strong>) for evaluating new functional materials. For performing crystal structure studies, we developed a new Ω-filter electron microscope and a refinement soft-ware, which can perform not only atom positions but also electrostatic potential and charge distributions. For electronic structure studies, a high-resolution EELS microscope and SXES instruments were developed.

Collaborated research of Local structures (symmetry, polarity, lattice defects) by CBED and electronic structures (bandgap, dielectric property and chemical state) by EELS and SXES on semiconductors, metals and dielectric materials are acceptable. Instructions of those analysis methods are also acceptable.

We aim to give high thermal conductivity to glass, which is known as a material that does not conduct heat well, and to apply it to new fields.

If mixed with a high thermal conductive material, glass can be a good conductor of heat. However, all the advantages of glass, such as transparency and freedom of molding, are lost. In this research, we succeeded in developing a transparent glass with high thermal conductivity that retains its glassiness by adopting the strategies of high thermal conductivity MgO deposition and refractive index matching.

• Transparent
• Free molding
• Thermal conductivity ~ 3 W/(m K) [300% of that of window glass]

Heat dissipation management using glass [heat dissipating glass substrates, lenses, fibers, etc.]

• Plasma sterilization has been developed as an alternative sterilization method due to its chemical activity, operation at low temperature and atmospheric pressure, low power consumption, low cost and safety. We have studied a mechanism of chemical species generation and transport in a plasma flow and, the sterilization efficacy and mechanism for several plasma sources at atmospheric pressure, such as a microwave plasma flow, a dielectric barrier discharge in a tube and a water vapor plasma flow. We already clarified that the damages of outer membrane and destructions of the cytoplasmic membrane of Escherichia coli by exposure to the microwave plasma flow. Fig. 1 shows the effect of plasma exposure on the E. coli. When the E. coli was exposed to the plasma, the height of the E. coli decreased and the potassium leakage of cytoplasmic material increased. For sterilization in a tube, we also clarified that an induced flow in the narrow tube by DBD transports chemical species and sterilize the whole inside surface of a tube as shown in Fig. 2. We hope to conduct collaborative research with a willing company for a practical application of this technology in industry.

• Highly-sensitive NMR technique has been developed by manipulation polarization of nuclear spins via control of transport characteristics in GaAs and InSb quantum structures. This highly-sensitive NMR can be applied to two-dimensional and nanostructures. Furthermore, ideal gate controllability has been demonstrated in InSb quantum structures with Al2 O3 dielectrics. More importantly, the concept of generalized coherence time was introduced, where noise characteristics felt by nuclear spins can be measured including their frequency dependence. This concept will bring about a change in all nuclear-spin related measurements.

Next generation InSb devices based on good gate controllability. Various nuclear-spin based measurements and NMR utilizing the concept of generalized coherence time. Highly-sensitive NMR is now important for fundamental physics studies. In the future, it will contribute to quantum information processing.