Relevant Departments

Device LABO
Network Research Institute

• 

  Processing equipments in the clean room

  

  Photo-lithography equipments in the clean room with yellow lights

  

  Kobe Clean Room

  

  Facilities to fabricate nano-devices in the Kobe clean room

• Advanced ICT Device LABO

  [ Background & Policy ]

  Further development and increased sophistication of information and communication technology (ICT) is required to allow all people and things to be connected to networks, to freely utilize a large amount of content, and to lead a safe life based on access to a diverse range of information, as well as to achieve a world of abundance based on progress of sophisticated informatization. In particular, advanced and sophisticated systems are required to achieve such a world, and it is crucial to conduct research and development on areas that form the 吐oundation・of these systems, such as state-of-the-art optical device technologies, high-frequency millimeter wave and terahertz wave technologies, convergence photonic and high-frequency technologies, and creation of new materials. Selection and concentration of topics have progressed with research and development supported by society, particularly by industry, while funding for cutting-edge research and development of challenging devices has decreased. This is primarily because funding of such research is usually based on a medium to long-term perspective and involves high risk, leading to uncertainty regarding future technological development capabilities. Against such a background, the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) is a research organization for information and communication technology that displays a high degree of neutrality and support for the public interest. NICT considers it important to improve the framework for promoting research and development by widely promoting the newly established Advanced ICT Device Laboratory while maintaining strong collaboration with industry and academia.
  We would like the Laboratory to evolve into an open research base where members of industry, academia, and the government can collaborate on research that advances the information and communications fields. In order to ensure that both domestic and international researchers can fully utilize this base, we will devise ways to continually improve maintenance and operation of the facilities and equipment on a daily basis. In order to improve access to this research and development environment, the facilities will be available to individuals outside NICT who can conduct research at NICT primarily under a joint research framework.

  [ Outline of the Laboratory ]

  Teams of experienced engineers and relevant internal research groups at NICT coordinate with each other to appropriately manage the facility so that users can enjoy a stable and safe work environment that meets standard requirements. Research and development at NICT encompasses the entire spectrum of ICT technologies, featuring the promotion of research on fundamental device technologies with an emphasis on the development of sophisticated information and communication systems at the Advanced ICT Device Laboratory.

  Advanced ICT Device Laboratory, Kobe Branch

  Construction of the Clean Room at Kobe City, a new facility for promoting research and development that is operated as a unit of the integrated Clean Room facility at NICT headquarters, was completed in July 2015 and full-scale operation commenced in April 2016. The facility has class 1000 film-forming chambers, nanofabrication chambers, and class 1000 exposure chambers. It will be used to develop next-generation information and communication technologies, including a variety of devices required to create superconducting materials and organic nanomaterials as well as to evaluate the characteristics of thin films and devices. More specifically, the laboratory has a load-lock type vacuum film-forming device that is capable of fabricating devices with multiple layer structures, an atomic layer deposition device that can control film thickness at the atomic scale, an electron beam lithography system that can draw using a minimum line width of tens of nanometers, a reactive ion etcher that performs etching on the nanometer scale, and an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etcher. The facility also has other devices that have been uniquely customized by researchers to perform specific functions. We aim to operate a world class facility that can be fully utilized to develop breakthroughs in information and communication technology.

• 

  Promoting quantum technology platform by Industry-academia-government collaboration

• Quantum ICT Collaboration Center

  The Quantum ICT Collaboration Center was established in April 2021 with the aim of advancing R & D in the areas of quantum security convergence and satellite quantum communications, as well as leading the construction of a quantum technology platform that integrates quantum computing, quantum communications and cryptography, and quantum measurement and sensing.　In cooperation with related research groups within the NICT, we will actively collaborate with other quantum innovation centers, universities, companies, and public organizations in Japan and overseas, and work on everything from basic research to technology verification, open innovation, and human resource development.
  In January 2020, Integrated Innovation Strategy Promotion Council of Japan formulated Quantum Technology Innovation Strategy. This strategy aims to create a quantum innovation hub in Japan that will bring together excellent researchers and engineers from Japan and abroad, attract active investment from companies, and build an organic collaboration and cooperation system between universities and companies.
  NICT has also been selected as the Quantum Security Innovation Hub, one of the eight quantum innovation hubs in Japan. The Quantum ICT Collaboration Center will serve as the core organization of the hub in NICT.

  
  Website >

• 

  PANDA tower and container installed at the Advanced ICT Research Institute

• PANDA, Remote Sensing Laboratory ,
  Radio Propagation Research Center
  (Radio Research Institute)

  The Remote Sensing Laboratory of the Radio Research Institute develops remote sensing technologies, and promotes R&D to improve the accuracy of predicting sudden atmospheric phenomena. In 2014, the Phased Array weather radar and Doppler lidar Network DAta system (PANDA) was installed on a 20-m tower in the site of the Advanced ICT Research Institute. PANDA has been developed to predict sudden torrential rain by using data fusion technology with multiple remote sensing sensors.

  
  Website >

• 

  Time measurement system

• Kobe substation for Japan Standard Time system, Space-Time Standards Laboratory
  Electromagnetic Standards Research Center
  (Radio Research Institute)

  NICT generates national frequency standards and Japan Standard Time (JST), and also disseminates them throughout Japan. While the ensemble of atomic clocks as a basis of the reference time scale for JST is operated exclusively at NICT headquarters in Tokyo, we now operate the atomic clocks also in Kobe to enhance the capability, reliability and disaster resilience of JST system. We also operate them for the study of clock ensemble system using the clocks in Tokyo, Kobe and two radio-clock stations.

  
  Website >

• 

  Small Optical Ground Station

• Free-Space Optical Communication System, Space Communication Systems Laboratory,
  Wireless Networks Research Center
  (Network Research Institute)

  A small ground station was designed to perform free-space optical communications with an aircraft using near-infrared laser beams. The main part of the ground station is shown on the left of the picture, comprising the gimbal for tracking the target and the optical equipment for transmitting and receiving the laser beams. This system can track a mobile terminal installed onboard an airplane or a helicopter and can perform high-speed optical communications with data rates up to 40 Gbps.

  
  Website >