• Toward the ultimate performances of image sensors, advanced research activities are being conducted that cover a wide range of technology fields from cleanroom infrastructure, materials, process equipment, process, device, circuit, assembly, signal processing, measurement/evaluation and reliability. Following technologies have been successfully commercialized:
• A fast and accurate measurement technology of electrical characteristics for over 1 million transistors
• A wide dynamic range CMOS image sensor technology capturing images over five decade brightness ranges
• An ultra-fast CMOS image sensor technology with 10 million frames/sec

Followings are available for industry collaborators:
A. 200mm-diameter-wafer silicon device fabrication utilizing the ultra-clean facility including wafer mutual fabrication processing between device manufacturers.
B. Process technology development and various kinds of analyses.
C. Development of new image sensors.

• This group is engaged in basic and applied researches of "hydrides" for practical use in hydrogen energy system. The main subject is the exploration of advanced hydrogen storage materials which support hydrogen energy technologies such as fuel cells. Currently, we synthesize a wide variety of novel hydrides composed of lightweight metals with specific nano-structures using advanced techniques for crystal and electronic structure analyses. In addition to the hydrogen storage, we develop the wide research fields related to hydrides, such as fast lithium ionic conductors.

Besides the contributions in industrial progress through the material development for future hydrogen energy system and next-generation secondary battery, we positively provide technical assistance to organizations and companies concerned about our findings.

• We are studying MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) and related technologies, which are typically used for the input/output of information/communication devices, the safety of automobiles etc. Our representative topics include integrated sensors, piezoelectric devices, RF MEMS, micro energy devices and wafer-level packages. Our facilities are open-accessible and well equipped with a lot of tools for lithography, dry/wet etching, thin film deposition, wafer bonding, device mounting and evaluations, which can be operated by each researcher. Using these tools, a variety of MEMS are being prototyped. Also, new microfabrication tools are being developed by ourselves.

We are collaborating with many companies, from which visiting researchers are dispatched to our laboratory. We also accept companies which want to just use specific tools in our facilities. Consultation is always welcome.

When light, such as a laser, is irradiated onto matter, the dynamics of atoms and electrons within the material are driven. We have been studying these driven atomic and electronic dynamics using microscopic simulations based on quantum mechanics. Furthermore, through these simulation approaches, we are also studying the microscopic physical processes underlying light-induced phenomena.

In conventional materials science calculations, first-principles simulations based on density functional theory have been widely used to study the equilibrium properties of matter. However, such equilibrium approaches are not well suited to capturing the dynamics driven by light within materials. Our research method employs time-dependent density functional theory, which can handle material dynamics, thereby going beyond equilibrium descriptions and enabling precise analysis of nonequilibrium phenomena, nonlinear effects, and ultrafast processes driven by light.

• * First-principles calculations for optical science
• * Real-time simulations of nonequilibrium dynamics of electrons and atoms
• * Clarifying microscopic mechanisms behind macroscopic phenomena induced by light

We are developing theoretical and computational methods to accurately describe the nonlinear and nonequilibrium dynamics of atoms and electrons driven by light. We are also conducting research aimed at creating new science and technology based on light-driven phenomena. We hope that our research will contribute to the social implementation of new scientific and technological advances.