Research Institute of Electrical Communication
Tohoku University

CONTENTS• Greeting from the Director ………………………1• Preface ………………………………………………2• Organization …………………………………………3• Nation-wide Cooperative Research Projects …6• Research Fields ……………………………………7• Research Division
Information Devices Division …………………9Broadband Engineering Division…………15

Human Information Systems Division ……23
Systems & Software Division ………………29• Laboratory for Nanoelectronics
and Spintronics …………………………………34• Laboratory for Brainware Systems …………40• Research Center for 21st Century
Information Technology……………………46• Flexible Information System Research Center …51• Fundamental Technology Center ……………53• Management Office for Safety and Health …54• Research Activities
Study Groups on Electrical Communication …55
Symposiums Organized by the Institute …56
Periodicals Published by the Institute ……57
• Educatonal Activities……………………………58• International Activities …………………………59• RIEC Open Day ……………………………………60• Staff …………………………………………………61

Experimental equipment for Yagi-Uda Antenna（1929）

IEEE Electrical Engineering Milestone
for Yagi-Uda AntennaIEEE Electrical Engineering Milestone
for Yagi-Uda Antenna（in Katahira Campus）

Experimental equipment for AC-bias magnetic recording（1937）

Experimental equipment for Split Anode Magnetron（1927）

Greeting from the Director

Tohoku University was founded in 1907 as Tohoku
Imperial University, and has just commemorated its
centenary anniversary last year. We are now ready for
another 100 years.The Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication (RIEC) was established in 1935 as a
research institute affiliated with Tohoku Imperial University.
At that time, within the Department of ElectricalEngineering there was a growing tendency towards
research on the application of light currents, especially thescience and technology for electrical communication. Greatefforts in these fields produced pioneering researches suchas the Yagi-Uda antenna and divided anode-typemagnetron, which were developed in the department in thelate 1920s.
In the seven decades since RIEC was established, it hascontinued to excel as the only research institute affiliatedwith a national university that addresses information
technology, with various research fields ranging from
hardware to software. In 1994, our research institutebecame one of the National Centers for Co-operative
research, addressing itheory and applications of intelligent
information science and communication theoryj .
Information science and communication technology havedeveloped rapidly and brought about great social change
including globalization of communication and physicaldistribution. All the staff members in our institute willassume leadership in creating new information
technologies that works in harmony with human nature,through national and international collaboration withresearchers in these fields.
To meet the needs and demands of a new age, our 30 or
so research groups working on basic research for
information communication with a 20 year horizon areorganized into four research divisions. Two researchfacilities with 8 research groups working on next generation
technology have been established with a 10 year horizon.
The Research Center for 21st Century Information Scienceand Technology has been established to realize the rapid
commercialization of technologies developed by theinstitute with a 5 years horizon.
Furthermore, this institute's mission is to train
researchers and engineers to internationally high standards
through close co-operation with the five departments in thefields of electrical communications at Tohoku University's
School of Engineering and the Graduate School ofInformation Sciences.
1

Director Prof. Masafumi YANO

Preface

The Research Institute of Electrical Communication (RIEC) is a unique university-run institute,which is dedicated to research on communication and information processing. It comprises four
research divisions with 23 subsections (including 4 subsections allocated for visiting
researchers), three research facilities with 12 subsections. Each of the subsections is headed
by a professor. In 1994 the Institute was designated as a National Centre for Cooperative
Research, centered on the development of ‘‘barrier-free” communication technologies.
The Information Devices Division carries out research into materials and devices forcommunication technology, whilst the Broadband Engineering Division focuses on thedevelopment of new technologies for the transmission and storage of vast quantities of data.
The Human Information Systems Division researches into intelligent information processing and
the Systems and Software Division is developing advanced system software for the new
information society.
The three research facilities are focussed on short, medium and long-term projects. The
Research Centre for 21st Century Information Technology was established in 2002 as a fiveyear collaboration between the Institute and industrial partners. The Centre aims to develop
information technology products using the advanced technologies and intellectual property
developed at the Institute. For the medium term, the Laboratory for Nanoelectronics andSpintronics, housed in newly-built facilities, is carrying out fundamental research into highspeed semiconductor devices and advanced nano/spin science. Smaller and faster electronic
devices, non-volatile memories and molecular and bio-information devices are some of the
expected fruits of this research. Meanwhile, the Laboratory for Brainware Systems is working
towards its long-term goal of the seamless fusion of real and virtual worlds at the humancomputer interface.
Since its establishment in 1935 the Institute has played an internationally leading role in thefields of microwaves, ultrasonics, magnetic recording, optical communication, acoustic
communication, semiconductor devices and information theory. The accomplishments in thesefields are the result of close cooperation with the academic departments of ElectricalEngineering, Electronic Engineering, Communication Engineering and Information Engineeringin the Faculty of Engineering. The past accomplishments of the Institute have made significant
contributions to the betterment of ordinary life by providing many of the basic technologies that
became the foundation of the prosperity of the Japanese economy. The Institute and its
members aim to continue this tradition of world-class research and innovation into the 21st
century.

2

Organization
1.Organization Chart
Information Devices Division
Director

Advisory
Council
DeputyDirector

Broadband Engineering Division

Research
Divisions
Human Information Systems Division
FacultyCouncil
Systems & Software Division

Laboratory for Nanoelectronics and Spintronics
Research
Facilities

Laboratory for Brainware Systems
Research Center for 21st Century
Information Technology
Management Office for Safety and HealthCommon Research Facilities

Flexible Information System Research Center
Fundamental Technology Center

General Affairs Group
Administration Office3

Accounting GroupNano-Photoelectronics
Quantum-Optical Information Technology
Solid State Electronics
Dielectric Nano-Devices
Materials Functionality Design
Magnetic Devices(Visitor Section)
Ultrahigh-Speed Optical Communication
Applied Quantum Optics
Wireless Info Tech
Information Storage Systems
Ultra-Broadband Signal Processing
Basic Technology for Broadband Communication(Visitor Section)
Electromagnetic Bioinformation Engineering
Advanced Acoustic Information Systems
Visual Cognition and Systems
Interdisciplinary Field for Informatics
Ubiquitous Communications System
Multimodal Computing (Visitor Section)
Software Construction
Computing Information Theory
Communication Network Systems
Information Content
Information Social Structure(Visitor Section)
Atomically Controlled Processing
Semiconductor Spintronics
Nano-Molecular Devices
Nano-Spin Memory
Real-World ComputingIntelligent Nano-Integration System
Microarchitecture
New Paradigm VLSI System
Project Planning Division
Technology Development Division:
Mobile Wireless Technology Group
Storage Technology GroupIntelligence Archive Group(Visitor Section)

Machine Shop Division
Evaluation Division
Process Division
Software Technology Division
General Affairs Section
Cooperative Research Section
Library Section
Accounting Section
Purchasing Section

4

2.Staff(2008.8.1)

Classification

Division Laboratory for Laboratory
Nanoelectronics for
and Spintronics Brainware
Systems

Professors
Associate Professors
Assistant Professors
Research Fellows
Technical Officials
Administrative Officials
Total

19
12
18
14

3
4
4
7

ResearchCenter for21st Century
Information
Technology

Administration Office
Fundamental
Technology Head General Accounting Total
Affairs
CenterOfficial Group Group

3
1

29
18
28
24
18
14
131

4
1
6
2

1
16

63

18

13

5

16

1
1

1
6
7

1
7
8

3.Land and Buildings
Site:
Total building area:
Total floor area:
Name of Buildings
Building No.1

Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
12,913m2
28,776m2
Structure
Reinforced Concrete, 4 floors

Building No.2
Reinforced Concrete, 4 floors
Laboratory for Nanoelectronics and Spintronics Steel-frame, 5 floors
Reinforced Concrete, 1 floor
Laboratory for
Brainware Systems
Reinforced Concrete(partly steel-frame), 2 floors
Steel-frame 1 floor
Light-weight steel-frame, 2 floors
Research Center for 21st Century Reinforced Concrete, 3 floors
Information Technology
Steel-frame 1 floor
Evaluation and Analysis Center Reinforced Concrete, 2 floors
Helium Sub-Center
Reinforced Concrete(partly light-weight steel-frame),1 floor
Machine Shop
Reinforced Concrete(partly light-weight steel-frame),1 floor
OthersTotal(2008.8.1)

Year of Completion Floor Area
Building-S:1962,1963
7,772m2
Building-N:1959,1960
1962,1963
7,085m2
2004
7,375m2
1967,1968,1972
525m2
1986
1,553m2
1996
598m2
1999
147m2
1930
1,343m2
2002
435m2
1981
790m2
1972
166m2
1965,1966,1978
479m2
508m2
28,776m2

4.BudgetFinancial Year

2003
2004
2005
2006
2007

(Unit:1,000Yen)

Personnel
Expenditure

Supplies
Expenditure

1,108,605
902,978
984,113
971,482
970,961

942,357
1,233,357
1,050,647
927,090813,724

Research Grant
Partnership Between
Ministry of Education,
Universities and Industry
Science and Culture
390,190
1,253,283
338,459
1,432,607
554,680
1,303,028
599,040
937,441
700,615
888,833

5

Total

3,694,435
3,907,401
3,892,468
3,435,053
3,374,133

Nation-wide Cooperative Research Projects

The Institute has a long history of fundamental contributions in many fields of engineering and science that include
the fields of semiconductor materials and devices, magnetic recording, optical communication, electromagnetic
technology, applications of ultrasonics, acoustic communication, non-linear physics and engineering, and computer
software. On the basis of this rich historical background the Institute was designated as National Center for
Cooperative Research in 1994. Accompanying Tohoku University’s transformation to “ a national university juridical
entity” in April, 2004, this institution plays a leading role on the world stage, as its researchers, both domestic andforeign, continues the task of “investigating the theory and application of universal science and technology to realize
communication, to the enrichment of humanity.”
In such background, the Institute organizes Nation-wide Cooperative Research Projects by coordinating its activities
with research workers. The main themes for Cooperative Research are selected annually by the Committee for
Cooperative Research. Then invitations for project proposals and participation are extended to university faculties andgovernment laboratories as well as industrial research groups. Each project approved by the Faculty Council of theInstitute is carried out by a team of researchers that include members of the Institute as well as outside participants.
The Advisory Council which includes members from other institutions has an advisory function to the Director in
defining the general direction of the research at the Institute and its Nation-wide Cooperative Research Projects.
The Project Judging Committee that includes members from the outside of Tohoku University has a judging function
for project proposals.The purpose of the Project Steering Committee is the proper operation of approved projects.

Faculty Council

Administrative OfficePlanning
Request for proposal

Participation
Research(Cooperative Research Section)
ProposalRequest for evaluation
Adoption

Project Judgring Committee

AdviceProject Steering Committee
6

Research organization
outside the Institute

Cooperative Research
Project Teams

Advisory Council

Research groups
inside the InstituteResearch Fields
The Research Institute of Electrical Communication (RIEC) maintains a close cooperative relationship with the Graduate
School of Engineering and the Graduate School of Information Sciences in its research and educational activities, especiallywith the Department of Electrical and Communication Engineering, the Department of Electronics, the Department ofComputer and Mathematical Science, and the Department of System Information Science. This cooperation enriches theresearch activities of RIEC as a “National Center for Cooperative Research.” The research fields of four divisions are:(1)Information Devices Division:Advanced Nano-Information Devices Utilizing Physical Phenomena(2)Broadband Engineering Division:Next Generation Systems for Ultra-Broadband Communication(3)Human Information Systems Division:Creation of Information Systems Harmonizing People and Environments(4)Systems & Software Division:Advanced System and Software for Information Society

Information Devices Division

Broadband Engineering Division

Materials Science and Device Science

Information Technology
・ Wireless Info Tech・ Technology Development Division Mobile Wireless Technology Group・ Ultrasonic Micro-Spectroscopy *・ Solid State Electronics
・ Dielectric Nano-Devices
・ Materials Functionality Design
・ Atomically Controlled Processing
・ Physical Fluctuomatics *・ Intelligent Integrated Systems *・ Acoustic Physics Engineering *・ Advanced Management of Integrated System Technology *・ Solid State Electronics *Ultrahigh-Frequency Engineering
・ Ultra-Broadband Signal Processing
・ Communication Engineering *Optical Communication／Applied Quantum Electronics

Electonic and Optical Quantum Science・ Ultrahigh-Speed Optical Communication
・ Applied Quantum Optics
・ Optical Physics Engineering *・ Light Medical Engineering *・ Synergetic Photonics *・ Neural Electronic Engineering Laboratory *・ Nano-Photoelectronics
・ Quantum-Optical Information Technology
・ Image Science and Information Display *・ Biomodeling *Information Recording ／ Material Science
Plasma Science・ Semiconductor Spintronics
・ Information Storage Systems
・ Technology Development Division Storage Technology Group・ Microelectronics *・ Electronic Physics Engineering *・ Algorithm Theory *・ Nanometer-scale Magnetic Recording *・ Magnetic Materials *・ Electromagnetic Theory *・ Magneto-Plasma-Dynamic Engineering *Visitor Section

Visitor Section

・ Magnetic Devices
・ Basic Technology for Broadband Communication

7

Human Information Systems Division

Systems & Software Division

Bioinformation

Computer Science・ Electromagnetic Bioinformation Engineering・ Electromagnetic Theory *・ Applied Power Systems Engineering *・ Software Construction
・ Computing Information Theory
・ Foundations of Software Science *・ Intelligent Systems Science *・ Network Theory *・ Advanced Monagement of Integrated System Technology *・ Liberal Education Programs *Human Information Processing
・ Advanced Acoustic Information Systems
・ Visial Cognition and Systems
・ Intelligent Communication Network *・ Electronic Control Systems *・ Advanced Information Technology *Internet Communication
・ Communication Network Systems
・ Information Contents
・ Computation Theory *・ Fundamental Engineering for Information Society *・ Information Network Systems *・ Information Technology *・ Physical Fluctuaomatics
・ Academic Information

Communication Environment
・ Ubiqutous Communication Systems
・ Electromagnetic Wave Engineering *・ Firmware Science *Bioelectronics
・ Nano-Molecular Divices
・ Basic Plasma Engineering *・ Biomedical Electronics *・ Interdisciplinary field for Informatics

VLSI System
・ Intelligent Nano-Integration System
・ New Paradigm VLSI Systems
・ Microarchitecture
・ Intelligent Electronic Circuits *・ Power Electronics *・ Computer Structures *Real World Computing
・ Real-World Computing
・ Biomedical Electromagnetics *・ System Control Engineering *Visitor Section

Visitor Section

・ Information Social Structure

・ Multimodal Computing

8*Laboratories in Graduate Schools

Materials Functionality
DesignNano-Photoelectronics

Information
Devices Division

Quantum-Optical
Information Technology

Dielectric
Solid State Electronics

Nano-Devices

9Nano-Photoelectronics
Staff:
Yoichi UEHARA, Professor
Satoshi KATANO, Assistant Professor
S. KATANO

Y. UEHARA

Research activities:
Our main interest lies in the studies of physical and chemical
phenomena that take place in nanometer-scale regions as well as theapplications of such phenomena in photo-electronic devices. We
investigate materials properties of nano-structures through their opticalresponse to local excitations that is generated by electrons from the tipof a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The physical systems understudy include adsorbed atoms and molecules on solid surfaces, metaland semiconductor nano-structures, and superconductive nanostructures.
We are also interested in developing novel probing methods for nanoscience. We are developing a STM light emission spectroscopy systemthat is capable of measuring the optical properties of nanometer scale
objects with pico-second time resolution.

Research topics:
1. Identification of individual surface adsorbates
2. Single molecule optical spectroscopy
3. STM light emission spectroscopy of normal and super conductive
nano-structures
4. Light enhancement effect in nano-scale regions
5. Creation of novel nano-structures by STM

10Integrated Surface Analysis Systemwith Low-temperature STM

Quantum-Optical Information Technology
Staff:
Keiichi EDAMATSU, Professor
Yasuyoshi MITSUMORI, Assistant Professor
Atsushi SYOUJI, Research Fellow
Takeshi KUTSUWA, Research Fellow

Hideo KOSAKA, Associate Professor
Shigehiro NAGANO, Research Fellow
Ryosuke SHIMIZU, Research Fellow
Makoto KUWAHARA, Research Fellow

T. KUTSUWA H. KOSAKA K. EDAMATSU Y. MITSUMORI S. NAGANO
R. SHIMIZU M. KUWAHARA A. SYOUJI

Research activities:
Current information processing and communication technology utilizes
macroscopic and classical physical quantities, such as voltage or
frequency of electric fields. The classical technology will reach the limitof information density and speed in the near future. The quantum
mechanical counterpart, "quantum info-communication technology", inwhich information is carried by microscopic and quantum mechanicalquantities, is expected to overcome the difficulty.
Our goal is to develop the quantum info-communication devices
utilizing quantum interaction between electrons and photons insemiconductor nanostructures, to get further understanding of their

Entangled photon generation from a semiconductor.

physics, and to apply them to practical quantum info-communication
technologies. We are particularly working toward the development of
future quantum info-communication devices utilizing entangled photon
pairs and electron spins in semiconductor nanostructures.

Quantum state transfer from photon polarization toan electron spin.

Research topics:
1. Photon-control devices with semiconductor nanostructures
2. Quantum info-communication devices utilizing photons and electron
spins
3. Quantum info-communication technology utilizing entangled states ofphotons and electrons

11Solid State Electronics
Staff:
Maki SUEMITSU, Professor
Arnold Cafe ALGUNO, Research Fellow
Sergey FILIMONOV, Visiting Professor (CIR)
A.C.ALGUNO M.SUEMITSU S.FILIMONOV

Research activities:
To realize the ubiquitous (or ambient intelligence) society, inwhich sensors and their networks are embedded in ourambience to support our daily life through a prompt warning ofvarious environmental crises, a marriage between non-Si
technologies suitable for environmental sensing and the Si
technology suitable for signal processings is indispensable. To
this goal, we investigate formation of ultrathin silicon-carbide(SiC) films on Si substrates, hoping to use them as a common
interface between the two technologies. SiC is a group-IV
compound that contains a pair of elements representative ofboth electronics (Si) and biology (C). It also bridges the gap
between Si and other II-VI or III-V compounds. It is a widegap
semiconductor that enables high-temperature operations. Highenough strength and hardness of SiC make this material
suitable for use in MEMS structures. We are developing gassensors, graphene-based ultrahigh-speed devices, LEDs,
biosensors, MEMS structures, non-volatile memories, andphotovoltaic cells based on the SiC/Si structures. What lies
behind these applications is our original technology of SiC gassource molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) using organo-silane,
which enables a high-quality, low-temperature SiC epitaxy on Si
substrates. Our research covers the surface chemistry of Sirelated surfaces, targeted to the control of nanostructureformation on Si and SiC surfaces. Fabrication of nonequilibrium Si structures such as amorphous-, microcrystalline-,and poly-Si thin films is also within our interests, and is being
intensively investigated using atmospheric-pressure plasmaenhanced chemical vapor deposition (AP-PECVD).

Research topics:
1. Surface reconstruction of Si surfaces and fabrication ofnanostructures
2. Surface chemistry during oxidation and film-deposition of Sirelated surfaces and development of nanofabrication
processes
3. Formation of SiC films on Si substrate and their applications
to ubiquitous devices
4. Formation of graphene-on-Si structure and development of
ultrahigh speed devices
5. Fabrication of non-equilibrium Si structures using AP-PECVE
and their applications to photovoltaic cells and thin-film
transistors for flexible displays.

12

SiC expands the conventional Si technology

Dielectric Nano-Devices
Staff:
Yasuo CHO, Professor
Yoshiomi HIRANAGA, Assistant Professor
Nobuhiro KIN, Assistant Professor
Yasuo WAGATSUMA, Technical Official
Kenya ISHIKAWA, Research Fellow
Nozomi ODAGAWA, Research Fellow
Shinichiro KOBAYASHI, Research Fellow

K. ISHIKAWA
Y. WAGATSUMA
Y. HIRANAGA
Y. CHO

N. ODAGAWA
N.KIN

Research activities:
Our main area of interest is evaluation and development of dielectricmaterials, including ferroelectric and piezoelectric materials and theirapplication to communication devices and ferroelectric data storage
systems.
Our measure contributions to advancement in these fields are theinvention and the development of "Scanning Nonlinear Dielectric
Microscope" (SNDM) which is the first successful purely electricalmethod for observing the ferroelectric polarization distribution without
the influence of the shielding effect by free charges and it has alreadybeen put into practical use. The resolution of the microscope has been
improved up to atomic scale-order. Therefore, it has a great potential for
realizing the ultra-high density ferroelectric recording system. Our recent
research achieved to fabricate an ultra-small domain inversion dot,
which has the diameter of 3 nm in case of single dot fabrication, andachieved the recording density of 4 Tbit/inch2 in actual information
storage, requiring an abundance of bits to be packed together.
Moreover, we have started to make a measurement and an evaluationof flash-memory device and dopant profile in semiconductor devices
using SNDM. Because SNDM can detect very small capacitancevariation, it can be a very powerful evaluation tool for various materials.
Now SNDM evolves into a new evaluation technique for insulator
material and semiconductor materials besides ferroelectric materials.

Commercially available scanning nonlinear dielectric
microscope.

S(111) 7X7 atomic structure taken by SNDM.
(a)Topography (b) Electric dipole-moment.

Research topics:
1. Development of scanning nonlinear dielectric microscope (SNDM)
with super high (atomic-scale) resolution.
2. Ultra-high density ferroelectric recording system using SNDM.
3. Development of ferroelectric functional devices for electricalcommunications using nano-domain engineering based on SNDM.
4. Evaluation of ferroelectric material and piezoelectric material using
SNDM.
5. Evaluation of flash-memory device and dopant profile insemiconductor devices using SNDM.

13

Example of a ferroelectric actual information storage(4 Tbit/inch2).

Materials Functionality Design
Staff:
Masafumi SHIRAI, Professor
Yoshio MIURA, Assistant Professor
Kazutaka ABE, Assistant Professor
K.ABE

M.SHIRAIY.MIURAResearch activities:
Various kinds of materials, such as semiconductors, dielectrics, andmagnets, are utilized for processing, communication, and storage of
massive data in the modern information-oriented society. Our research
objectives are as follows: (1) theoretical analyses of quantum
phenomena which appear in materials and nanostructures for advanced
information devices, (2) computational design of materials andnanostructures which possess new functionalities for improvement ofdevice performance, and (3) development of epoch-making materials
and functionality design procedures on the basis of large-scalecomputational simulation techniques.
Our research interest is focused on “spintronics”, an interdisciplinary

The highly spin-polarized (110) interface between a
Heusler alloy Co2FeSi and Si

research field emerging from materials science, physics, electronics,
and magnetics, where both charge and spin degrees of freedom are
exploited to realize new kinds of advanced information devices. The
main research topics are computational design of new spin-related
functionalities exhibited in the highly spin-polarized materials anddevice-structures utilized the materials. We undertake pioneeringcomputational simulations of fabrication processes of nanostructuresfabricated at surfaces and interfaces.

Research topics:
1. Computational materials design for spintronics on the basis of firstprinciples electronic structure calculations
2. Computational analysis of spin-dependent transport properties innanostructures
3. Computational simulations of atomic dynamics related to fabrication
processes of nanostructures
4. Development of multi-scale simulation procedures for spin dynamics
in nano-scale magnets

14

Electron transmittance as a function of in-plane wavenumbers for MgO-based magnetic tunnel junctions with
Heusler-alloy (Co2MnSi, Co2CrAl) electrodes for theparallel magnetization configuration

Ultrahigh-Speed
Optical Communication

Broadband
Engineering Division
Applied Quantum
OpticsWireless Info Tech

15

Information Storage
Systems

Ultra-Broadband Signal
Processing

Basic Technology for
Broadband Communication
16

Ultrahigh-Speed Optical Communication
Staff:
Masataka NAKAZAWA, Professor
Toshihiko HIROOKA, Associate Professor
Masato YOSHIDA, Assistant Professor
Keisuke KASAI, COE Fellow

T. HIROOKA M. NAKAZAWA M. YOSHIDA K.KASAI

Research activities:
With the vast growth of traffic on the Internet from simple text data tohigh quality voice, images, and real-time video, it has become
increasingly important to realize a high-capacity and high-speed
network to support the daily needs of modern communications.
Ultrahigh-speed optical communication is the key technology forbuilding such an interconnected world. This laboratory aims to achieve a
global ultrahigh-speed optical network in the 21 century by engaging in
the research of ultrashort pulse generation and transmission. The
research areas include optical solitons, high-speed mode-locked lasers,
optical signal processing, and the development of fibers with new
functions.
For soliton transmission, we have shown that with the adoption ofdispersion management in an optical fiber transmission line, thedispersion tolerance and power margin of a soliton system can begreatly increased in comparison to conventional systems. In the next
phase of this work, it is important to increase the bit rate of a single
channel to greater than 100 Gbit/s and to apply solitons to high-speed
optical signal processing.
We are also actively engaged in work on femtosecond pulse
generation and its application to ultrahigh–speed optical time divisionmultiplexed (OTDM) transmission. We have recently generated a 40
GHz-100 fs pulse train with the use of an adiabatic soliton compression
technique. We also started to develop a new transmission techniquewhich employs the optical Fourier transformation in the time domain. In
addition, we are developing a new frequency standard by stabilizing themode-locked laser so that it has a highly controlled longitudinal mode
separation. This technique is also applicable to the microwavephotonics area. Another important area of our research is in thedevelopment of photonic crystal fibers. These special fibers have many
air holes in the fiber cross-section, and they have potential applications
for new optical communication systems operating in the currently
unused 500-1000 nm band.

Experiment on ultrahigh-speed optical transmission

Research topics:
1. Ultrahigh-speed optical soliton transmission and nonlinear optics in
optical fibers
2. Terabit/s OTDM transmission using femtosecond pulse train
3. Ultrashort mode-locked lasers and their application to frequency
standard and microwave-photonics area
4. Photonic crystal fibers and optical fibers with new functionality

17

Photonic crystal fiber(Upper photo:cleaved end face of a PCF, lower
photo:enlarged cross section)

Applied Quantum Optics
Staff:
Hiroshi YASAKA, Professor
Jun-ichi SHIKATA, Associate Professor
J.SHIKATA

H.YASAKA

Research activities:
We are investigating novel, highly functional semiconductor photonic
devices, which is indispensable to realize new generation information
communication networks. We are also investigating novel, compact andwidely tunable coherent light sources based on lasers and nonlinearoptical phenomena.
We have been researching highly functional semiconductor photonic
devices and semiconductor photonic integrated circuits based on
semiconductor lasers and semiconductor optical modulators to create
novel semiconductor photonic devices, which can control intensity,
phase, frequency and polarization of optical signal freely.
We have also been studying utra-broadband coherent terahertz (THz)wave radiation to explore novel science and technology fields, the bandof which extends from ultra-violet to far-infrared region. Widely tunable,
spatially and temporally coherent THz wave is generated for the firsttime, by using optical parametric effects. THz-frequency coherent antiStokes Raman (THz-CARS) microscope has been successfully applied
for sensitive detection of THz resonances in biomolecules. Novel THz
biosensors have been developed by using local-field enhancement via
surface plasmon resonance, and successfully applied to near-field THz
imaging with sub-wavelength resolution.
Furthermore, our research interests cover ultrafast photonic devices,
opto-electronic semiconductor devices and their applications to opticalcomputing and signal processing areas.

Research topics:
1. Highly functional semiconductor photonic devices
2. New function semiconductor photonic integration circuits
3. Ultra Broadband, coherent tunable light sources using nonlinear
optics
4. Terahertz biophotonics

18

Functional semiconductor photonic devices forconstructing photonic network node

Terahertz CARS microscope and its imaging of
periodically poled lithium niobate.

Wireless Info Tech
Staff:
Kazuo TSUBOUCHI, Professor
Suguru KAMEDA, Assistant Professor
S. KAMEDA

K. TSUBOUCHI

Research activities:
Research and development are progressing toward ubiquitous
network in the 21st century's wireless information technology. The
ubiquitous network immediately provides any information for everyone
at anytime and anywhere.
For realizing the ubiquitous network, we are interested in developing
following wireless networks;(1) next-generation mobile broadband wireless access (MBWA), (2)dependable broadband wireless local area network (WLAN), and (3)ultra-broadband wireless personal area network (WPAN).
We are also actively engaged in work on following technology forbroadband, low-power consumption and small-size terminals;

Ubiquitous network using broadband and dependable
wireless technology.

(1) RF power amplifier, synthesizer and mixer devices for millimeterwave and GHz-band wireless modems, (2) GHz-band surface acoustic
wave (SAW) and film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) devices, and (3)Ultra small antennas for mobile terminals. Moreover, seamless
interconnection technology using 3-dementional system in package (3-D
SiP) has been investigated.
Currently, we are concentrating on the coherent work toward the nextgeneration "Dependable wireless next generation network (NGN)
terminal" which enables signal-demodulation of any band and any typereceived radio wave.

Seamless interconnection technology using 3dimentional system in package (3-D SiP).

Research topics:
1. Mobile broadband wireless access network
2. Broadband wireless communication system
3. Ultra high-frequency, broadband and low-power RF silicon CMOS
device4. GHz-band SAW & FBAR signal processing devices and materials
5. Seamless interconnect 3-dimentional system in package (3-D SiP)
6. Dependable wireless next generation network (NGN)19

Information Storage Systems
Staff:
Hiroaki MURAOKA, Professor
Simon J. GREAVES, Associate professor
Kenji MIURA, Assistant Professor
K. MIURA

H. MURAOKA

S. J. GREAVES

Research activities:
Our main interest lies in high-density information storage technology.
The core technology is magnetic recording with fast data transfer andlarge storage capacity, which is applied for hard disk drives, magnetic
tape storage, and flexible disk drives. Recently, multi-media informationsuch as digital movie and music that requires very large storage
capacity begins to be used in broad applications from consumer
electronics to mobile communication. This trend accelerates the areal
density increase of magnetic recording.
Recording theories, devices, and systems based on perpendicular
recording are being studied in order to attain ultra-high density
information storage. Our target is the terabit storage (1 Tbits/inch2 areal

Fig 1 Read/write measurement by using a single-polehead and a perpendicular medium.

density and beyond), in which the bit size corresponds to the area of 25
nm by 25 nm. Single-pole heads and perpendicular disks areinvestigated through read/write experiments, as shown in Fig 1, to
improve the recording performance. A computer simulation utilizing
micromagnetics is being carried out to obtain a guideline towards ultrahigh density recording. For extremely large capacity storage systems,
the RAID storage working on a network, as shown in Fig 2, is also
explored.

Research topics:
1. High areal density hard disk drives
2. Micromagnetics simulation for high density read/write theory
Fig 2 RAID system consisting of many HDDs.

3. Head/disk devices for high density magnetic storage
4. Digital signal processing for high density storage
5. RAID storage for large capacity file server

20Ultra-Broadband Signal Processing
Staff:
Taiichi OTSUJI, Professor
Wojciech KNAP, Visiting Professor
Tetsuya SUEMITSU, Associate Professor
Yahya Moubarak MEZIANI, Assistant Professor
Abdelouahad EL FATIMY, Research Fellow

MEZIANI Yahya Moubarak

KNAP Wojciech

T. SUEMITSU

T. OTSUJI

EL FATIMY Abdelouahad

Research activities:
Terahertz (sub-millimeter) coherent electromagnetic waves are
expected to diversify the potential applications of imaging,
spectroscopy, as well as communications technologies. The terahertz
band, however, is still an unexplored region in the sense that nopractical integrated device technology exists. This is because
conventional electron devices as well as photonic devices face to thesubstantial limit of operation. That is the motivation of our research.
We are developing novel, integrated electron devices and circuit
systems operating in the millimeter-wave and terahertz regions withfunctionalities of coherent, tunable signal generation and ultrabroadband signal processing. One example is a frequency-tunable
plasmon-resonant terahertz emitter/photomixer. Based on bothexperimental and theoretical investigation on plasmon resonance forheterostructure devices, we have developed a novel device structurethat can drastically improve the radiation power and frequency
tunability, which has very recently succeeded in terahertz emission ofradiation at room temperature. Another example is a uniqueelectromagnetic metamaterial circuit systems based on optoelectronic
dispersion control of low-dimensional plasmons. We are also pursuing
new materials and device structures for ultrafast transistors to breakthrough the limit on conventional transistor speed.
By making full use of those devices and circuits, we are exploring new
applications including future smart photonic network systems as well as
millimeter-wave- and terahertz-band time-resolved electromagnetic
measurement systems.

Research topics:
1. Millimeter-wave and terahertz integrated microelectronic devices andcircuits
2. Plasmon-resonant terahertz emitters/photomixers
3. Electromagnetic metamaterial circuit systems based on dispersion
control of low-dimensional plasmons
4. Ultimate ultrafast transistors
5. Application of terahertz integrated microelectronics to the futurecommunications and measurement systems.

21

Newly-proposed plasmon-resonant emitter/ photomixer
operating in the terahertz range. (Upper: crosssectional view and SEM images of the first sample
fabricated with GaAs-based heterostructure material
systems, middle: Simulated instantaneous electric field
distribution under continuous plasmon excitation at 5.1
THz, lower: FTIR-measured broadband emission
spectra in the self-oscillation mode)Basic Technology for Broadband Communication
Koji MIZUNO, Visiting Professor

Research activities:
Measurement using the millimeter- and terahertz- wave regionof the electromagnetic spectrum is the research target of this
Division. Since the wavelength of this region is larger than thatof the infrared and optical region, scattering by cloud, dust,
flame, fabrics, skin, etc. is much smaller and since photon
energy of this region is much smaller than thermal energy kTB
at the room temperature, non-invasive measurement formaterials is possible. Utilizing these characteristics this region
can be applied in the areas such as security system underdisaster such as earthquake followed by fire, fire in high-way
tunnels, and also applied in security system for detection of
weapons under clothes and in diagnostic of biomaterials
including skin disease and agricultural produces. We aredeveloping imaging systems mainly of passive mode.
The figure shows an example of their applications for
detecting liquid materials under clothes.
This laboratory is operated mainly under the support of
SCOPE, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications,Japan.

K. MIZUNO

Recognition of water (right) and alcohol (left) from 35 GHz millimeterwave images. The mm-wave source used is a home-use fluorescentlamp. (Cooperative research with Prof. H. Warashina, Sendai National
College of Technology)

Masaaki INUTAKE, Visiting Professor

Research activities:
Our main interest is to develop an air-borne synthetic aperture radar (SAR)
for the civilian applications and to exploit the system for establishing a safe
and secure community. This SAR is very useful for all-weather surveillance
and rescue in disastrous fires and smokes as shown in the right figure. The
research & development (R/D) are under progress in collaboration with
scientists and engineers from various universities and industries.

M. INUTAKE

Research topics:
R/D of a spotlight-mode SAR for the civilian applications
1. Advanced SAR with a high resolution (5-10cm) and small/light weight (30-50kg)
using Ku/Ka-band microwaves
2. Platforms such as (unmanned) aircraft suitable for the SAR
3. SAR data-processing system with flexibility and convenience
4. SAR image exploitation system which are open to any parties who contribute inestablishing the safe and secure community

22

Fires and smokes in the HANSHIN earthquakeElectromagnetic Bioinformation Engineering

Human Information
Systems Division

Advanced Acoustic
Information Systems

Visual Cognition and
Systems

Interdisciplinary Field for
Ubiquitous Communications

Informatics

System23

Electromagnetic Bioinformation Engineering
Staff:
Kazushi ISHIYAMA, Professor
Shuichiro HASHI, Assistant Professor
K. ISHIYAMAS.HASHI

Research activities:
For realizing good communication with human body, and for realizing
the properties of the human body as a information system, we have torealize the function of the human body as information in addition tocatch the signals from the human body. Our research division works on
the technology for sensing the information from the human body and forapproaching action to the human body. High-frequency carrier-typemagnetic field sensor obtains the world-highest field sensitivity in room
temperature under the works for materials, micro-fabrication techniques,controlling the magnetic properties. This sensor is studied for sensing

High frequency carrior-type thin film
magnetic ffield sensor

system for bio-information. In addition, sensors for temperature and for
hardness are studied as no contact sensing systems. As one of theapproaching system for human body, wireless actuators andmanipulators are investigated. This technology is important for a basic
study for robots working in the human body. A part of this technology isapplied for a motion system for a capsule endoscope working in thecolon tube. We are focusing to realize the communication technology
with human body and to contribute information and communication
systems and medical-welfare spheres.
A prototype for motion of capsule-endoscope

Research topics:
1. Magnetic sensing system
2. Micro magnetic actuators
3. Functional magnetic materials
4. High-frequency magnetic measuring system
5. New medical equipments using magnetic24

Advanced Acoustic Information Systems
Staff:
Yôiti SUZUKI, Professor
Shuichi SAKAMOTO, Assistant Professor
Fumitaka SAITO, Technical Official
Maori KOBAYASHI, Research Fellow

Yukio IWAYA, Associate Professor
Ryota MIYAUCHI, Assistant Professor
Makoto OTANI, Research Fellow
Wataru TERAMOTO, Research Fellow

M. KOBAYASHI F. SAITO Y. SUZUKI M.OTANIW.TERAMOTO R. MIYAUCHI Y. IWAYA S. SAKAMOTO

Research activities:
Our main interest is a study of the information processing in thehuman auditory system. We apply a psycho-acoustical approach to thestudy of fundamental characteristics of the human auditory system suchas timbre perception, loudness perception, characteristics extraction,and sound localization. Moreover, in recent years, we are also
investigating human multi-modal information processing including
hearing.
With good knowledge of the human auditory system, we are, at thesame time, aiming at the realization of a 'comfortable' soundenvironment exploiting digital signal processing techniques. Threedimensional sound image control by simulating transfer functions of

Head related transfer functions as a fuction of elevetion.
Poles and zeros change systematically with the rise of
elevetion.

sound paths from sound sources to listeners' external ears, and a soundfield simulator based on precise sound field analysis and control are two
examples. These systems are expected to provide a high-quality virtual
sound space, which is keenly required to realize in the multimedia
communication, cyberspace systems and virtual auditory display
systems. Furthermore, we have been devoting a lot of effort to thedevelopment of new algorithms of digital watermarking, safer voice overinternet protocol, and advanced digital hearing aids.

In this figure, speech intelligibility tests are performed toinvestigate the effect of asynchronization between
talking-face movement and speech sound modified byspeech-rate conversion technique.

Research topics:
1. Auditory perception process and its modeling.
2. Development of new algorithms of digital watermarking.
3. Sound localization process and transmission of spatial information.
4. Development of advanced hearing aids.
5. Measurement and estimation of environmental noises.

25

Visual Cognition and Systems
Staff:
Satoshi SHIOIRI, Professor
Ichiro KURIKI, Associate Professor
Kazumichi MATSUMIYA, Assistant Professor
Mitsuharu OGIYA, Research Fellow

M.OGIYA
I. KURIKI

K. MATSUMIYA
S. SHIOIRIResearch activities:
Human brain is one of the most adaptable systems in the world.
Understanding the brain functions is one of the most important issues
for evaluating and designing things around us to improve the quality oflife. We investigate the brain through visual functions to apply theknowledge to human engineering and image engineering. Our
approaches include psychophysics, brain activity measurements, andcomputer simulations. Our research field covers visual spatial
perception, 3D perception, color vision and visual attention. Modelingthe processes of human vision based on the findings of the strategies
that the visual system uses, we plan to propose appropriate methods forevaluation of image qualities, efficient way of image presentation andIndependent measurements of attended and fixatedpoints. An oversight and a mistake can cause aserious accident under the situation that you drive acar. For example, investigating the relationshipbetween gaze and attention can provide a new insight
into this problem.

evaluation of visual environments in general. We also investigate
dynamic selection process in vision with or without attention to realize
prediction system of human perception and action in the future.

Representation of visual information in the early stageof human visual cortex is still unknown. The
mechanisms of visual information processing will be
investigated by using behavioral studies and functional
brain-imaging studies. This study may reveal the''optimal coding method'' of the visual information forhuman brain.

Research topics:
1. Measurements of spatial and temporal characteristics of visual
attention.
2. Modeling control system of eye movements and visual attention
3. Investigation of early, middle and late vision of 3D perception.
4. Mechanisms of color information processing in human brain.

26

Interdisciplinary Field for Informatics
Staff:
Kaoru TAMADA, Professor

K.TAMADA

Research activities:
The interdisciplinary field of research combining
nanobiotechnology and information technology attracts our
exceeding interests. These studies stand on the developmentof new materials created by self-assembly of functional
molecules and nanomaterials, leading to new classes ofbiosensing devices. The plasmons, especially the combinationof surface plasmons propagating along the metal-organicinterface and local surface plasmons on metal nanoparticles is
crucial to control and manipulate localized light in nano-scale
for nano-sensing as well as transportation of opto-chemical
information in a nanospace. Our recent study demonstrates
that two dimensional giant crystals composed of silver
nanoparticles can efficiently trap and transport bulk light within
nanosheet. This flexible, transferable nanosheet is thepromising building block for various types of plasmonic devices.
Future biosensing devices require particular designs for themultiple detection of dynamic molecular information. Massive
data collected must be accumulated and analyzed
comprehensively, to be referred quickly and flexibly --- The
development of such advanced biosensing devices is highly
desired on reflection of present sensing systems, in which
nano-scaled local interactions and cooperative phenomena ofmolecules are omitted at the entrance (bio-interface).
Plasmonic devices composed of nanostructured materials withenhanced electromagnetic field will be a solution for thedetection of reaction dynamics with high spatiotemporal
resolution and sensitivity.

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy

Plasmonic nanosheet composed of Ag nanoparticles

Research topics:
1. Propagating / local surface plasmons and waveguide modes
2. Plasmonic nanosheet composed of Ag nanoparticles
3. Biosensing devices based on nanoporous materials
4. Characterization of interfaces between various nanomaterials

High density DNA microarray with Au nanoparticles

27

Ubiquitous Communications System
Staff:
Shuzo KATO, Professor
Hiroyuki NAKASE, Associate Professor

S.KATO

Research activities:
Wireless communications technologies have been an
indispensable tool for our modern society ranging from radio/TV
sets to cellular phones and wireless LANs. Unfortunately it
requires a kind of professional knowledge to make full use ofwireless communications capability at present and it may needa bit more time to become for everybody to be able to use
wireless communications systems freely/unconsciously.
Moreover, the applications such as so called Digital Home andanti-disaster wireless communications and wireless medical
services for remote diagnosis/treatment are waiting to be
exploited.
The goal of this Research Group is to realize environments inwhich customers can communicate without worrying about theway to communicate but with a single terminal and with adesignated communications mode set by the customers’ policy
such as best pricing, highest throughput and so on throughresearches on communications systems, terminals, propagation
characteristics and interference mitigation.
In this year, this Research Group will focus on the following
activities:(1) Basic technology development for higher quality wirelesscommunications.
(2) Cognitive radio: Advanced technology development for
wireless communications systems and terminals utilizing
spectrum very efficiently for one terminal to use multiple
frequency bands dynamically.
(3) Identifying applications suitable for 60 GHz wirelesscommunications. These applications include Super Digital
Home in which various electronic appliances are connectedby ultra high speed (such as 3 Gbps) millimeter wave
systems, Super Information Portal in which portableterminals with 60 GHz ultra high speed (such as 3 Gbps) I/O
and several 10 G bytes Flash memory will play an importantrole to change our business model such as DVD rental andthe concept of “portable PC”.
(4) Contributions to global standardization in technology
and/or leading global standardization (IEEE802.15.3c)) to
the success – to get our own / Japanese industry’s ideas
standardized.

Research topics:
1. Propagation characterization for specific applications
2. Enhanced modulation/demodulation, forward error correction
schemes
3. Fading and interference mitigation technologies
4. Cognitive radio (one terminal to use multiple frequency
bands dynamically)
5. Wireless system and terminal control (MAC) technologies
6. Application exploitation: Super Digital Home, Super
Information Portal, and remote wireless medical network
systems28

H.NAKASE

Computing Information
TheorySystems & Software
Division
Information
Content

Communication Network
Systems

29

SoftwareConstruction

Software Construction
Staff:
Atsushi OHORI, Professor
Isao SASANO, Assistant Professor
A. OHORI

I. SASANO

Research activities:
Today's software systems are becoming more and more complicated
due to the need of integrating various computation resources available
in the Internet. A key to control the complexity and to enhance thereliability of such a system is to develop a high-level programming
language that can directly represent various resources andautomatically detect potential inconsistencies among the components ina system.
Based on this general observation, our research aims at establishing

Register Allocation by Proof Transformation

both firm theoretical basis and implementation method for flexible yet
reliable programming languages for advanced Internet computation.
One direction toward this goal is to establish logical foundations forcompilation. We aim at establishing a proof-theoretical framework that
accounts for the entire process of compilation - including patternmatching, closure conversion, and code generation - as a series of
proof-transformations. Another research direction, which complements
to the above, is type-directed compilation method that can produce
efficient code for high-level programming languages. In addition to thosefoundational research, we are also developing a new practical ML-styleprogramming language that embodies some of our recent results suchas record polymorphism, rank1 polymorphism, and high-degree ofinteroperability with existing languages and databases.
SML# : A New Polymorphic Programming Language

Research topics:
1. Development of SML#, a new ML-style polymorphic programming
language
2. Logical foundations for compilation
3. Verification of low-level code
4. Type-directed compilation for polymorphic languages
5. Programming language design for dependable operating systems

30

Computing Information Theory
Staff:
Yoshihito TOYAMA, Professor
Takahito AOTO, Associate Professor
Kentaro KIKUCHI, Assistant Professor
Jeroen KETEMA, Research Fellow

K. KIKUCHI Y. TOYAMA T. AOTO J. KETEMA

Research activities:
Rewriting systems are mathematical formalisms which can offer both
flexible computing and effective reasoning with equations. Thus,
rewriting systems play an important role in various areas, such as
automated theorem proving, formula manipulation systems, algebraic
specifications, and functional and logic programming languages.
Our research focuses on important theoretical features of the rewriting

Proof by Equational Reasoning

paradigm, such as the Church-Rosser property, the termination
property, and the modular property. The goal of this research is toobtain a unified theory of functional-logic-algebraic systems.
Rewriting systems can provide a useful tool for programtransformations. We investigate this by developing a programtransformation system for functional programs which base theirsemantics on rewriting systems. As a theoretical framework, we pay
much attention to higher order rewriting and inductive theorem proving.
We are also interested in the design and analysis of automateddeduction systems which can offer both effective computation offunctional (or logic) programming languages and flexible reasoning of
automated theorem provers

Computation by Rewriting Systems

Research topics:
1. Rewriting theory
2. Foundations of softwares
3. Automated theorem provers

31Communication Network Systems
Staff:
Norio SHIRATORI, Professor
Takuo SUGANUMA, Associate Professor
Kazuhide KOIDE, Assistant Professor
Debasish CHAKRABORTY, Visiting Associate Professor
Hideyuki TAKAHASHI, Research Fellow

K. KOIDE D.CHAKRABORTY H. TAKAHASHI
T. SUGANUMA
N. SHIRATORI

Research activities:
Aiming towards the next generation ubiquitous stage we are pursuinga research on information and communication paradigm, called"Symbiotic computing". The purpose is to establish a method for thecomposition of flexible information and telecommunication system withthe co-existence of man and IT environment. Previously, ubiquitousenvironment was composed of two characteristics: mobility andpervasiveness. The symbiotic computing is a new paradigm ofinformation and communication, named as "Flexible computing" as thethird new axis in addition to the two axes, and is composed byintegrating all these three axes. The flexible computing is the basic of
the symbiotic computing capable of handling a wide range of problems,such as operational mistakes, traffic congestion, breakdown of nodes,
and various user requirements in a graceful manner. In the flexible
computing, these problems are regarded as "changes" in the system,
both external and internal. It absorbs these changes with its intelligence,
homeostasis, and evolution mechanism. It is a computing paradigm that
operates with stability while satisfying user and system provider'scriteria. We have been promoting both theoretical and experimental
researches based on the concept of flexible information network where
man and IT environment co-exist. Our focus also includes performance
evaluation of super-high-speed network and its efficient management.

Research topics:
1. Symbiotic computing: Theory and application
2. Symbiotic society and health-care/watch-over support
3. Symbiotic 3-D digital space
4. Measurement and analysis of super-high-speed and wide-area
networks
5. Mobile network management

32

Concept of Symbiotic Computing

Information Content
Staff:
Junji NUMAZAWA, Professor
Terumasa AOKI, Associate Professor
T. AOKI

J. NUMAZAWA

Research activities:
Information content is expected to be one of the most important
industries in 21st century in Japan as Japan does not keep enoughnatural resources. Actually Japan is now good at generating information
content in some fields such as animation, computer games etc.
However the circumstances around information content havedrastically been changing for a few years. The wide spread andrevolution of the Internet and mobile phones, upsurge of CGM(Consumer Generated Media), generalization of HDTV, population of
3D videos are the typical examples of these trends.
In our laboratory, we discuss how information content should be froma long-term’s point of view and furthermore tackle the following researchareas which we believe are especially important for information content
in the future.
Computer supported video creation technologies in order for
everyone, including not only experts but also beginners, to create anddistribute their own video content.
Video comprehension technologies by computers in order to retrieve
and reuse video content.
Creation, preservation, and distribution technologies for superpresence video content.

Fig.1 Collaborative Creation System over the Internet

Research topics:
1. Content Creation Technologies
Collaborative Movie Creation System over the Internet (Fig.1)
Automatic CG animation Creation System only by Scenario Input(Fig.2)
2. Content Archiving/Retrieval Technologies
High-performance Shot Boundary Detection Technology for Video
content (Fig. 3)
Automatic Metadata Insertion Technology for Retrieving Video Content
3. Content Distribution/Protection Technologies
Simple Broadcasting Technology over the Internet
CoFIP : Secure Content Distribution System with Tracing Function of
Illegal User
Moral Filtering Against User Uploaded Video Content
4. Next-generation Media Technologies
DFFI (Displa-free Floating Image) technology
33

Fig.2 Automatic CG Animation Creation System by
Scenario Input

Fig3 High-performance Video shot boundary Detection
SystemSemiconductor
Spintronics

Atomically Controlled
Processing

Laboratory for Nanoelectronics
and Spintronics

Nano-Molecular Devices

Nano-Spin
Memory34

Laboratory for Nanoelectronics
and Spintronics
Staff:
Director: Hideo OHNO, Professor
Ryutaro SASAKI, Technical Official
Sadao TSUCHIDA, Technical Official Toshiyasu MEGURO, Research Fellow
Yoshiro OHTOMO, Research Fellow
Y. OHTOMO T. MEGURO H. OHNO S. TSUCHIDA R. SASAKI

Research activities:
The Laboratory for Nanoelectronics and Spintronics of the Research Institute of Electrical Communication wasestablished in 2004. Its purpose is to develop and establish the science and technology of nanoelectronics andspintronics for information technology, utilizing the facilities installed in the Nanoelectronics-and-Spintronics building
having 1300 m2 of cleanroom area. The Laboratory for Nanoelectronics and Spintronics consists of four Sections:
Atomically Controlled Processing (Junichi Murota, Professor)
Semiconductor Spintronics (Hideo Ohno, Professor)
Nano-Molecular Devices (Michio Niwano, Professor)
Nano-Spin Memory (Shoji Ikeda, Associate Professor)
These Sections cooperatively carry out the research aimed at establishing nanoelectronics and spintronics, together withthe groups stationed in the Laboratory, Intelligent Nano-Integration System(Koji Nakajima, Professor) and Quantumoptical Information Technology and Ultra-Broadband Signal Processing and with the research groups of the Institute, theGraduate School of Engineering, the Graduate School of Information Science, Tohoku University, and nation-wide as
well as world-wide cooperative research projects in the field.

35

COE of International Research Collaboration in
Nanoelectronics
The aim of this program (FY2005-2009) is to build a system for international research collaboration, and establish COE
in research fields of “Fabrication and application of semiconductor 3D-nanostructures”, “Establishment and application of
spin-control technologies in semiconductors”, and “Realization and application of information processing using molecularnanostructures”.

International Symposium held in LNS, RIECInternational Workshop on New Group IV
Semiconductor Nanoelectronics (RIEC Symp.)(1st: May 27-28, 2005; 2nd: October 2-3, 2006;

3rd Int. Workshop on New Group IV
Semiconductor Nanoelectronics

3rd: November 8-9, 2007)

RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics(1st: February 8-9, 2005; 2nd: February 15-16, 2006;
3rd: October 31-November 1, 2007)

International Workshop on Nanostructure &Nanoelectronics
1st RIEC Int. Workshop on Spintronics- Spin Transfer Phenomena - Left: Albert
Fert (received 2007 Nobel Prize inPhysics); Right: Russel Cowburn(1st: November 21-22, 2007)36

Atomically Controlled Processing
Staff:
Junichi MUROTA, Professor
Masao SAKURABA, Associate Professor
Katsutoshi SUGAWARA, Research Fellow
M. SAKURABA

J. MUROTA

K.SUGAWARA

Research activities:
For highly functional semiconductor devices with ultrahigh speed andultralow power for the Si LSIs, our atomically controlled processing
technology by control of Langmuir-type adsorption and reaction in CVD(Chemical Vapor Deposition) becomes important increasingly. Utilizing
the technology, we aim to create non-equilibrium strain-controlled SiGe-C group IV semiconductors with high carrier concentration and highcarrier mobility by advancing atomically controlled heteroepitaxial
growth of Si, Ge, SiGe, SiGeC and impurity (B, P, C, N and so on) tothe extremity. Moreover, we also aim to establish a technological basis
for highly controlled nanometer-order three-dimensional structureformation. In detail, the following researches are being advanced: (1)Control of extremely high carrier concentration due to non-equilibrium
atomically controlled heteroepitaxial growth which utilizing thermal andplasma-enhanced reaction and so on at low temperatures, (2)Modulation of energy band structure and carrier mobility due tointroduction of atomically controlled strain into Si and Ge, (3) Formationof the nanometer-order three-dimensional structure with subnanometer
precision in in-plane direction by breaking the limit of lithography
technology utilizing selective CVD epitaxial growth and selective etchingwith atomic layer control.
By the above researches, highly strained nanometer-order threedimensional structures and room temperature resonant tunnelingstructures with higher performance which exceeds the limit of physicalproperties in use of existing Si, SiGe alloy and Ge materials will becreated. Simultaneously, by applying them to device fabrication,
creation of group IV semiconductor quantum-effect nanodevice
applicable to the large scale integration will be expected.

Atomically controlled processing systems for group Âsemiconductors

Atomic lattice image of a SiGe heterostructuregrown by CVD at 500℃.

Research topics:
1. Atomically controlled heteroepitaxial growth of Si-Ge-C group IV
semiconductors
2. Atomic layer doping into nanometer-order heterostructures of group
IV semiconductors
3. Three-dimensional nanometer-order fabrication of group IV
semiconductor heterostructures
4. Control of properties in three-dimensional nanometer-order group IV
semiconductor heterostructures
5. Development of advanced CVD equipment for formation of threedimensional nanometer-order group IV semiconductor
heterostructures
6. Fabrication process of Si-based nanometer-order heterostructuredevices37

Atomically controlled processing for group IV
semiconductors.

Semiconductor Spintronics
Staff:
Hideo OHNO, Professor
Maciej SAWICKI, Visiting Professor
Fumihiro MATSUKURA, Associate Professor
Keita OHTANI, Assistant Professor
Katsuya MIURA*, Research Fellow
Huadong GAN*, Research Fellow
Jun HAYAKAWA*, Research Fellow

Haruhiro HASEGAWA*, Visiting Professor
Yuzo OHNO, Associate Professor
Shoji IKEDA*, Associate Professor
Daichi CHIBA, Research Fellow
Shunichiro MATSUZAKA, Research Fellow
Jiho PARK*, Research Fellow
Hiroyuki YAMAMOTO*, Research Fellow

H.OHNO K.MIURA S.MATSUZAKA H.GAN D.CHIBA J.PARK Maciej SAWICKIY.OHNO K.OHTANI F.MATSUKURA S.IKEDA H.HASEGAWA J.HAYAKAWA
H.YAMAMOTO

Research activities:
Our research activities cover the areas of preparation,
characterization, and application of new classes of compound
semiconductors and their quantum structures for new functional highspeed devices, which can be realized by controlling the electronic andspin states in semiconductors. More specifically, our research is
focused on (1) Semiconductor Spintronics, where non-volatile spin
memory and new functionality based on the spin degree of freedom
using III-V based ferromagnetic/non-magnetic semiconductor
heterostructures are being explored, (2) THz-far infrared lasers basedon the intersubband optical transition in broken-gap semiconductor

Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE)- sputtering equipment
for the growth of III-V based ferromagnetic/nonmagnetic
semiconductor heterostructures and magnetic metal
devices.

heterostructures (InAs/GaSb), (3) the quantum transport phenomena in
two-dimensional electron gases, and (4) non-volatile spin memories
based on magnetic metal devices.
Materials of interest include such nonmagnetic semiconductor
heterostructures as GaAs/AlAs and InAs/GaSb, and III-V based
ferromagnetic semiconductors such as (Ga,Mn)As and (In,Mn)As. All
these materials are prepared by Molecular Beam Epitaxy.

Research topics:
1. Semiconductor Spintronics
a. Properties and Application of III-V Based Ferromagnetic

Scanning electron microscope images of the verticalquantum dot device and schematic cross-sectionalview of the quantum dot pillar structure.

Semiconductors and their Quantum Structures
b. Spin Memoryc. Spin Coherence in Semiconductor Nanostructures and Its
Application to Quantum Information Technology
2. Quantum Cascade Structures and Their Application to THz Optical
Devices
3. Growth and Characterization of Semiconductor Quantum NanoStructures
4. Magnetic Metal Devices and their Application to Nonvolatile Spin
Memories38

2Mb Spin-Transfer Torque RAM (SPRAM) chipdeveloped in collaboration with Hitachi.
*Nano-Spin Memory

Nano-Molecular Devices
Staff:
Michio NIWANO, Professor
Yasuo KIMURA, Assistant professor
Ken-ichi ISHIBASHI, Assistant professor
K. ISHIBASHI

M. NIWANO

Y. KIMURA

Research activities:
Tremendous progress has been seen in recent years in thedevelopment of electronic devices as tiny as a single molecule andmolecular sensor devices that can carry out the tasks of both molecular
recognition and signaling. The continuously increasing amount of data
to be stored and manipulated is strong impetus in the search formolecular electronic devices that are fabricated from various moleculeswith unusual electrical and optical properties. The use of
supramolecules such as C60, organic metals and semiconductors, andbiomolecules such as DNA will open entirely new horizons in the field of
molecular device technology. The need to manipulate large amounts ofOrganic single crystal of rubrene and a polymer organic
semiconductor FET on a transparent substrate

genetic data requires the development of new types of bio-information
devices, which may be constructed by combining molecular device
technology with biotechnology.

Apoptosis (programmed cell death) of cells and infrared
spectroscopy for the analysis of cell functions

Research topics:
1. Bioanalysys using semiconductor surfaces (surface-biotronics)
2. Development of a bio-sensing system
3. Development of flexible devices using organic semiconductors
4. Nanoscale analysis and control of surfaces and interfaces of organic
molecular devices
5. Fabrication and characterization of dye-sensitized solar cells
TiO 2 nanotubes fabricated by theelectrochemical method (application to dyesensitized solar cells)

39Real-World
ComputingLaboratory for
Brainware
Systems

New Paradigm
VLSI System

Intelligent Nano-Integration
SystemMicroarchitecture40

Laboratory for
Brainware Systems
Staff:
Director: Koji NAKAJIMA, Professor

K. NAKAJIMA

The Laboratory for Brainware Systems of the Research Institute of Electrical Communication was established in 2004.
Its purpose is to contribute to the research and development of advanced information science and technology for
Brainware systems which realize a seamless fusion of the changeable and complex real world and the cyber space.
We aim at establishing scientific and technological foundations for Real-World Computing (section), Brain Architecture(section), New Paradigm VLSI System (section), Microarchitecture (section), Cyber Robotics (planning section), and
Next-Generation Human Interface (planning section). The Laboratory for Brainware Systems consists of the above six
sections which cooperatively carry out the research. At the same time they serve as a laboratory for nation-wide
cooperative research in the field of Brainware systems.
The technology developed in the Laboratory is expected to enhance the research carried out in the four Divisions of
the Institute, and the research conducted in the Divisions, in turn, is expected to provide scientific basis for the information
technology developed in the Laboratory.

41

Real-World Computing
Staff:
Masafumi YANO, Professor
Yoshinari MAKINO, Research Associate
Kazuhiro SAKAMOTO, Research Associate
Nozomi TOMITA, Research Fellow

K. SAKAMOTO

M. YANO

Y. MAKINO N. TOMITA

Research activities:
Our main aim is to understand highly harmonic and autonomous
biological-information systems in order to propose new designingprinciples for building innovative systems. Today, state-of-the-art robots
display a high level of performance in a predictable and regulated
environment. However, they display very poor performance in realworld: an unpredictable and unregulated environment. Why? Because
the controller of today's robots can only process learned information, it
requires all the necessary information in advance, and without that it will
fail to control its own body. Therefore, when the robots encounter new
information in an unknown environment they don’t have the ability toprocess it and consequently cannot adapt to a changing environment. In
contrast, biological systems such as human beings can create
information necessary to interpret external stimuli and to control
actuators in real-time, by appropriately recognizing and judging
unpredictable changes in the real-world.
To understand how living organisms create information, we study
biological mechanisms of object recognition, speech recognition,
learning and memory, and voluntary-movement control, with various
methods such as psychophysics, neurophysiology, computational
simulation, developing robot control system.

Research topics:
1. Mechanisms of learning and memory in olfaction
2. Speaker independent speech recognition by evaluating global
spectrum shape
3. Three-dimensional visual recognition by integrating motion vision andform vision
4. Real-time control mechanisms for voluntary movements

42

Manipulandum system for arm reaching movements. By
measuring motions under various external force
conditions, control mechanisms for voluntary
movements can be clarified.

2-joint-6-muscle arm robot. By using the redundantactuators and the sensory information about the joints
and the actuators, the controller can create movements
appropriate to unpredictable environments.

Intelligent Nano-Integration System
Staff:
Koji NAKAJIMA, Professor
Shigeo SATO, Associate Professor
Yoshihiro HAYAKAWA, Assistant Professor
Takeshi ONOMI, Assistant Professor

T. ONOMI S. SATO K. NAKAJIMA Y. HAYAKAWA

Research activities:
Our research activities cover the fields of architectures of Braincomputing systems, characterization and application of artificial neuralnetworks, computer aided designs and fabrications of intelligent
integrated circuits, and exploitation of new devices for neural circuits.
We have constructed a stochastic artificial neural network with one
million synaptic units, analyzed the dynamic behaviour of neuralnetworks aiming at a time-dependent data processing, succeeded topropose a system where we are able to get off successfully from any
local minima fallen into on the way of data processing in neuralnetworks, and fabricated its prototype hardware system on the silicon
microchip by using the CMOS technology. We have also presented an
FFT and a neural system operated by using a flux quantum logic insuperconducting integrated circuits At present research is focused on

Microchip of a neural network

the large scale integration of Brain computing system and exploitationsof new neural devices proposing a neuromorphic quantum computation.

Research topics:
1. Basic architecture for integrated active Brain computers
2. Dynamic intelligent associative memory system
Microchip of a single flux-quantum circuit

3. Neuromorphic quantum computation
4. Superconducting single flux-quantum data-processor

43Microarchitecture
Staff:
Shoichi MASUI, Professor

S. MASUI

Research activities:
Ubiquitous society has been established by the deployment of various
wireless systems ICs, and it demands advances in mixed-signal (analog
and digital) design as well as higher integration through SoC (Systemon a Chip). Our research activities include architecture and circuitdesign of mixed-signal SoC applicable to sensor network system for theinvestigation of brain activities, and the mixed-signal topdown design
methodology. Since a mixed signal SoC combines RF/analog anddigital blocks to minimize cost and power consumption, scaled CMOS
technology must be used to minimize the digital block area. However,the process fluctuation and mismatch due to the scaling restrict
performance of RF/analog circuit; moreover, increase of leakage current
and soft error rate in digital circuit degrades the entire power
consumption and operation reliability.
Our approaches to solve these problems are to use digital calibration
techniques to compensate the RF/analog circuit fluctuation, and tointegrate nonvolatile ferroelectric memory for the control of digital circuit
activation. The digital calibration technique is to be expanded tosoftware-definable mixed-signal SoCs.
The planned research project will take advantage of collaborations
with semiconductor industries and EDA (Electronic Design Automation)
vendors as well as relationships with oversea universities and startup
companies.

Mixed Signal SoC Design Hexagon

Research topics:
1. Mixed signal SoC architecture and circuit design for wireless sensor
network systems

Transceiver IC for Sensor Network(Courtesy by Fujitsu Microelectronics Solutions Limited)

2. Topdown design methodology for mixed signal SoCs
3. Design and applications of software-definable mixed-signal circuits
4. Design and applications of ferroelectric memory

Vision of Collaboration

44

New Paradigm VLSI System
Staff:
Takahiro Hanyu, Professor
Masanori Natsui, Assistant Professor
Atsushi Matsumoto, Assistant Professor
T.HANYU

Research activities:
Rapid progress in recent deep submicron regime has led to thecapability to realize giga-scaled embedded systems on a chip, while thecommunication bottleneck between memory and logic modules has
increasingly become a serious problem. In addition, power dissipationand device-characteristic variation have been also the emerging
problems in the recent VLSI chip. In order to solve such the recent
VLSI problems causing performance and reliability degradation, we
focus on a “new-paradigm VLSI computing” concept that investigatesthe optimal design through all the VLSI design layers such as adevice/material design level, a circuit-architecture level, a logicsynthesis level, a system-architecture level, and an application-oriented
algorithm level. The use of “logic-in-memory VLSI architecture,” wherestorage elements are distributed over a logic-circuit plane, makes global
wires reduced greatly.

To implement a logic-in-memory VLSI

compactly, we utilize multi-functional and nonvolatile devices such as
ferroelectric devices, TMR (MTJ) devices and phase-change devices.
We are also focusing on other challenging research subjects concerningwith a new-paradigm VLSI computing system.

Preliminary researchsubjects in our laboratory are listed below:

Research topics:
1. Logic-in-memory VLSI architecture and its applications
2. Self-controllable VLSI processor and its applications
3. Information-communication super chips based on new-paradigm
VLSI architecture
4. Device-model-based new-paradigm VLSI computing architecture
5. Asynchronous-control protocol and its circuit realization for highperformance communication VLSI45

M.NATSUI

A.MATSUMOTO

Project Planning Division
Technology Development
Division
Mobile Wireless Technology
Group

Research Center for21st Century Information
Technology
Technology Development
Division
Storage Technology Group46

Research Center for 21st Century
Information Technology (IT-21 Center)
Director: Kazuo TSUBOUCHI, Professor
Katsumi SAGAE, Technical Official

Project Planning Division

K. TSUBOUCHI

Makoto FURUNISHI, Professor

Technology Development Division
Development of CMOS wireless LAN by 3D Sip
Project Leader : Kazuo TSUBOUCHI, Professor
Tadashi TAKAGI, Professor
Makoto IWATA, Visiting Professor

Development of Super high-speed mass storage
HDD systems
Project Leader : Hiroaki MURAOKA, Professor
IT-21 Center

Hajime AOI, Visiting Professor
Takehito SHIMATSU, Associate Professor
Kiyoshi YAMAKAWA, Visiting Associate Professor

The purpose of the IT-21 center is development of practicaltechnologies for IT based on the advanced technologies of RIEC
with the partnership among Industry, Government and University.
The term of development is limited less than 5 years. The projects
are planed on matching with both basic technologies in the
University and application in the Industry. Combination of thetechnologies of the University and Industry makes practicaltechnologies with availability for the commercial products. The
center actively accelerates to obtain the intellectual properties
generated from the development of practical technology to theIndustry.

47

K. SAGAE

Project Planning Division
Staff:
Makoto FURUNISHI, Professor
We are participating in establishing R&D strategy not only for the
Research Center for 21st Century Information Technology (IT-21
Center) but also for the Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication (RIEC).
1. Plan for R&D
Our goal is to participate in and contribute to national
projects based on the government s science andtechnology policy. We play as a liaison office to theresearch team that was established in the President
Office for collecting information on grant schemes, etc..
Succeeding the IT projects implemented since 2002FY
sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports,
Science and Technology (MEXT), we launched in
2007FY a project, Development of super high-speed
mass storage HDD systems headed by Prof. Muraoka
under the MEXT s scheme of Research and Development
for Next-Generation Information Technology , as well asa project, Development of CMOS Wireless LAN by 3D
SiP headed by Prof. Tsubouchi, under the scheme of
the Core Research for Evolutional Science andTechnology sponsored by the Japan Science andTechnology Agency.
We also held a seminar last year on the social
necessity of making an academic roadmap, inviting a
director of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry(METI).

M. FURUNISHI

partnerships.
Aiming to realize collaborative researches, we also
coordinate and promote technology exchanges withresearch organizations with which RIEC has concluded
comprehensive co-operation agreements.
We have contributed to the IEEE standard committee,
and our outcome will be integrated to the next generation
wire-less LAN standard. We plan to have a program withwhich we widely utilize our internationally standardized
outcome.
3. Plan for Publications
Working with the RIEC Flexible Information ResearchCenter, we are providing patent information that RIEC
researchers hold on our Web sites. We are compiling theresults of R&D under the IT Project that ended 2007FY
and publishing a brochure on the activities of the IT-21
center. We also present a demonstration on theChildren s Day in the MEXT building in Kasumigaseki.

Final Report on IT Project
Seminar on Academic Road Map

2. Plan for Co-operation with Industries
Besides presenting our idea about the application of
the intellectual property rights, we introduced a model
cooperation framework in which Development of superhigh-speed mass storage HDD systems is carried out
with business enterprises on the basis of equalChildren s Day in Kasumigaseki

48Technology Development Division
Mobile Wireless Technology Group
Staff:
Tadashi TAKAGI, Professor
Makoto IWATA, Visiting Professor
T. TAKAGI

M. IWATA

Research activities:
Mobile wireless communication technology is one of the significant
communication technologies that supports the IT society, connectedwith the high-speed backbone network using optical fiber. Evolution of
the mobile wireless communication technology in Japan is
indispensable to keep the leadership in this technology area in theworld.
With the partnership of Japanese major mobile wirelessmanufacturers and Japanese Type I carrier, the mobile wireless

324Mbit/s 5GHzBand
WLAN terminal

Ultra small sized SiP
millimetor wave wirelessterminal for
uncompressed HDTV

technology group of IT-21 center has been developing ultra high speed
wireless communication technology and an ultra small wireless terminalby using 3D system-chip and using high density packaging for next
generation mobile wireless communication. As a result, so far, (1)324Mbit/s, 5GHz band wireless LAN terminal, (2) ultra small sized SiP
millimeter wave wireless terminal for uncompressed HDTV transmission
have been successfully developed, and (3) seamless handovertechnology for wide area broadband mobile wireless access (MBWA)
and seamless roaming technology between MBWA and wireless LAN
have been successfully demonstrated by field tests.
From 2007, the mobile wireless technology group will make aprogress toward development of advanced practical technologies for
new concept Wireless-NGN (Universal Radio) which integrates all
wireless systems. In addition, our group has a will for contributing to theindustry in Sendai area such as build up venture companies based on
the developed practical technologies.

Research topics:
1. Broadband wireless communication technologies for Wireless-NGN
2. High-speed and high frequency mixed signal Si system chip for
Universal Radio

49

MBWA field test (Base station)

Technology Development Division
Storage Technology Group
Staff:
Kazuhisa FUJIMOTO, Professor
Takehito SHIMATSU, Associate Professor
Hiromasa TAKAHASHI, Research Fellow
Hideki SAGA, Research Fellow
Yuichi OSAWA, Research Fellow

Hajime AOI, Visiting Professor
Kiyoshi YAMAKAWA, Visiting Associate Professor
Masaki YAMADA, Research Fellow
Hirotoshi AKAIKE, Research Fellow
Hiroyasu KATAOKA, Research Fellow

H.SAGA
H.TAKAHASHI M.YAMADA H.KATAOKA
K.YAMAKAWA
T.SHIMATSU K.FUJIMOTO H.AOI

H.AKAIKEY.OSAWA

Research activities:
High density and high data-rate hard disk drive (HDD) information
storage technologies are core technologies for IT infrastructure. In
Japanese universities, only the Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication (RIEC) has maintained a comprehensive progress of
research into information storage technology, including materials,
devices and theory.
In March 2007, the IT21 cooperative research project between
industry, academia and government was successfully finished. An ultrahigh small perpendicular magnetic recording prototype HDD and basic
technologies for densities of 0.5 to 1 Tbits/inch2 were developed during
the project.

MFM images of a CoPt/Ru patterned films (One offundamental technologies to realize densities of over 2
Tbits/in2.

A new project ;Development of super high-speed mass storage HDD
systems started in August 2007 under the collaborations between RIEC
including IT21 storage technology group, major Japanese HDD
manufacturers and other laboratories researching related technologies
within Tohoku University.
The goals of this project are to develop the perpendicular recording
technologies required for higher than 2 Tbits/inch2 recording density
and, based on these technologies, to develop the system architecture
for realizing large capacity, high performance and low power
consumption storage systems.

Research topics:
1. Development of fundamental technologies for the recording densities
over 2 Tb/inch2; high sensitivity sensors, high recording resolution
SPT writers and high-density media including patterned media.
2. Development of a system architecture for high performance and low
power consumption storage systems.

50

2-dimension data allocation method with an accessprediction

Fundamental Technology Center

Flexible Information System
Research Center
Fundamental Technology Center
Flexible Information System
Research Center51

Flexible Information System Research Center

Staff:
Director: Yôiti SUZUKI, Professor
Yoshihito TOYAMA, Professor*
Gen KITAGATA, Associate Professor
Kazuto SASAI, Research Fellow

Tetsuo KINOSHITA, Professor*
Satoshi YAIRI, Assistant Professor
S. YAIRI

G. KITAGATA Y. SUZUKI K.SASAI

Research activities:
The present information systems such as computers are inflexible
systems, because their purpose is predefined and they provide only the
fixed procedures and functions. On the other hand the flexible
information system can perform the flexible information processing
adapted to the human intention and situation of its environment.
Our goal is to investigate principles of the flexible information
processing through the theories and experiments, and establish theirsystem construction methodology. Moreover, we also study the flexible
distributed systems for advanced organization, utilization,
administration, operation and putting out scientific information. Throughpractical applications of above results to the real network in RIEC, we
confirm effectiveness of our methods.

Network room

Research topics:
1. Information collection, organization, dispatching, utilization andresearch support environment.
2. Advanced maintenance, management and operation of network.
3. Relation between technology and ethics.
4. Perceptual information processing of living bodies and intelligent UIand OA.

Flexible Global Network

52

Fundamental Technology Center

Staff:
Director: Michio NIWANO, Professor
Nobuyuki SATO, Assistant Professor
Yasuo WAGATSUMA, Technical Official
Koichi SHOJI, Technical Official
Takeshi YAMASHITA, Technical Official
Maho ABE, Technical Official
Munetomo SUGAWARA, Technical Official
Ryuji YONEZAWA, Technical Official

Choichi TAKYU, Technical Official
Shigeto AGATSUMA, Technical Official
Tamotsu SUENAGA, Technical Official
Kenji SAWADA, Technical Official
Hiroshi WATANABE, Technical Official
Yuji KONNO, Technical Official

The fundamental technology center will use its advanced specialist
knowledge and technology to provide close technical support for inhouse research. The university views the development of cutting-edge
research and technology as one of its major roles in contributing tosociety, and needs to sustain and develop its existing system for
cultivating and transmitting advanced knowledge and technology inorder to carry out this role. Based on this philosophy, the center will
establish and support four research divisions: machine shop, evaluation,
process, and software technology.
In addition to developing and manufacturing research devices in
response to requests from all research fields and experimental facilities
and developing advanced machining technology, the machine shop
division will provide machining instruction to students and faculty
members. The evaluation division will be a joint-use facility for both inhouse researchers and researchers in the fields of electrical andinformation systems in the engineering research department, internal
research, joint project research. It will be responsible for themeasurement, evaluation and analysis of electric and electronicmaterials, electronic devices and systems, the maintenance and control
of common measuring devices and equipment, and the supply of liquid
nitrogen and liquid helium. The process division is responsible for the
manufacture and processing of all types of electronic materials anddevices, and the development and manufacture of the testing
equipment necessary for this. It will also provide research support to all
research fields by maintaining and controlling common processing
devices and clean rooms. The software technology division will
maintain, control and operate the networks, both in-house and for
associated research facilities. Furthermore, it will provide a service forgathering, organizing and using academic information, to support all
research fields and aid in the publication of their results.
Each division, through organic cooperation with all other divisions, will
provide research support and technical and safety instruction to
students and faculty members.

53

S.SATO H.WATANABE R.YONEZAWA S.SUGAWARA C.TAKYU Y.AGATSUMA Y.KONNO T.YAMASHITA
S.AGATSUMA K.SHOJI
M.NIWANO T.SUENAGA K.SAWADA M.ABE

High vacuum chamber for sputtering

Apparatus for Rutherford backscattering
spectroscopy (RBS)Management Office for Safety and Health
Staff:
Manager: Michio NIWANO, Professor
Deputy Manager: Yoichi UEHARA, Professor
Nobuyuki SATO, Assistant Professor
Takeshi YAMASHITA, Technical Staff

Research activities:
The Management Office for Safety and Health is an organization withthe objective of maintaining the health and safety of staff and students
working at the institute. The use of chemicals, high-pressure gas andradiation in research activities at the institute entails many risks. The
Management Office for Safety and Health provides support for safety
and health management in facilities such as research laboratories,
experimental facilities, and machine shops through various activities toensure that research activities within the institute are conducted safely
and smoothly.
With respect to safety and health management, the Safety and HealthCommittee, comprising the Director, staff at the institute and industrial
physicians, discusses various matters related to safety and health andthe maintenance of the safety and health management system at theinstitute, and submits recommendations to the Director and FacultyCouncil. The Director and Faculty Council then finalize guidelines asadvised by the contents of these recommendations. The guidelines arethen implemented into actual safety and health management operations
at each of the facilities such as research laboratories.
Under collaboration with these organizations, the Management Officefor Safety and Health takes charge of practices related to safety andhealth, and operates to ensure safety and convenience in research
activities at the institute.

Safety and health seminar

Activity contents:
1. Inspection of and assistance in improving the safety and healthmanagement system and working environment within the institute.
2. Investigation of laws related to safety and health and collection of
information regarding safety and health management.
3. Provision of advice and information to safety and health personnel ineach department.
4. Implementation of various types of safety education targeted at staff
and students.
5. Liaison and coordination with the supervisory authority and otherdepartments on campus.

54

High-pressure gas seminar

Research Activities
Study Groups on Electrical Communication

Study Groups on Electrical Communication are organized to solve scientific and technological problems andto promote research and development through the collaboration of the Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication, Depts. of Electrical Eng., Electrical Communications, Electronic Eng., Information Eng., andrelated scientists and engineers inside and outside Tohoku University. The Study Groups on ElectricalCommunication consist of 14 Sub-Groups as listed, to deal with specific subjects. Each Sub-Group holds
workshops and the abstracts of the workshops are published annually in The Record of Electrical andCommunication Engineering Conversazione Tohoku University.
Many scientists and engineers not only from universities but also from government laboratories andindustries attend the workshops, present papers, and discuss issues very actively. We are pleased to provide
information on these activities upon request. Please contact the General Chairman or each Sub-Group
Chairman for general information or more specific questions.

Title of Sub-GroupElectromagnetic and Optical Waves Engineering

New Paradigm Computing

Acoustic Engineering

Ultrasonic Electronics

Sendai "Plasma Forum"

Integration of Brain Functions

Sendai Seminar on EMC

Mathematical Physics and its Application

Computer Science

to Information Sciences

Systems Control

Biocybernetics and Bioinformatics

Information-biotronics

Nanoelectronics and Spintronics

Spinics

The 7th International Symposium

55

Symposiums Organized by the InstituteThis Symposium is planned to exchange relevant information on current important topics concerning
Electrical Eng., Electrical Communications, Electronic Eng., and Information Eng. Many related researchers
inside and outside Tohoku University participate the Symposium and stimulate discussion.
Past Symposium
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37

Title
Quantum Electronics of Light Waves and Micro Waves
Magnetic Recording
Ultra-High Frequency Acoustelectronics
Artificial IntelligenceThin Film Electronics
Crystal Growth
1968 Sendai Symposium on Acoustelectronics
Current Status and Future Trends of Superconductivity
Speech Information Processing
Surface Acoustic Wave Technology
Liquid Crystals • Their Molecular Orientations and Application to Display Devices
Computer Network
The Memorial Symposium on the 40th Anniversary of the Foundation of RIEC
Application of Amorphous Ferromagnetic Materials
Stoichiometry of Compound Crystals
Submillimeter Waves
Solid State Chemical Sensors
Graph Theory and Algorithms
Perpendicular Magnetic Recording
Approach to Optical Computer
Plasma Non-Linear Phenomena - Basic Problems for Fusion Plasmas
New Computer Architecture
Guided Wave Technology and Its Application at Mid-Infrared
Physics and Applications of Tunnelling Phenomena
Biomagnetics and Bioelectronics
Ultrasonic Electronics - New Applications of Piezoelectricity
Boundaries between Light and Electromagnetic Wave
Issues and Realization of Pattern Recognition and Understanding
Discrete Algorithms
Perspective for New Computing Paradigm
Current Status and Future Prospects of System Control
Future Prospects of Electron Beam Devices
Discharge and EMC
Statistical Physics and Information Science
Photo-and Plasma-Excited Processes on Surfaces
Nano Spinics and Power Electronics
Potential Formation and Related Nonlinear Phenomena in Plasmas
New Trend in Ultrasonic Measurements
Toward the Realization of the High-Definition Multi-Media Communication

Date
Feb. 6- 8, 1964
Feb.14-15, 1964
Feb.11-12, 1965
Mar. 8- 9, 1966
Jan.26-27, 1967
Dec.19-20, 1967
Aug.19-20, 1968
Jan.22-24, 1970
Feb.24-26, 1971
May.25-26, 1972
Dec.13-14, 1974
Mar.17-18, 1975
Sep.25-26, 1975
Mar.10-11, 1977
Nov.24-25, 1977
Nov.16-17, 1978
Feb. 1- 2, 1980
Oct.24-25, 1980
Mar.11-12, 1982
Mar.10-11, 1983
Mar. 8- 9, 1984
Jul.25-26, 1985
Mar.13-14, 1986
Mar.12-14, 1987
Feb.26-27, 1988
Feb. 2- 3, 1989
Feb. 1- 2, 1990
Feb.28-Mar.1, 1991
Oct.17-18, 1991
Feb. 4- 5, 1993
Mar. 3- 4, 1993
Nov. 1- 2, 1993
Dec.20-21, 1994
Mar.22-23, 1995
Nov.30-Dec.1, 1995
Feb.15-16, 1996
Sep.17-19, 1996
Feb. 3- 4, 1997
Nov. 4- 6, 1997

International Symposium organized by the Institute
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26

Title
Intrinsic Josephson Effect and THz Plasma Oscillation in High Tc Superconductors

Design and Architecture of Information Processing Systems Based on The Brain Information Principle
Novel Techniques and Applications of Millimeter-Waves
The International Joint Conference on Silicon Epitaxy and Heterostructures
International Workshop on Photonic and Electromagnetic Crystal Structures
Physics and Application Spin Related Phenomena in Semiconductors
Rewriting in Proof and Computation
Nonlinear Theory and its Applications
New Paradigm VLSI Computing
Ultra High Density Spinic Storage System
3rd International Workshop on New Group IV (Si-Ge-C) Semiconductors

3rd International Workshop on High Frequency Micromagnetic Devices and Materials (MMDM3)
4th International Conference on Silicon Epitaxy and Heterostructures (ICSI-4)
1st International WorkShop on New Group IV Semiconductor Nanoelectronics

GSIS International Symposium on Information Sciences of New Era: Brain, Mind and Society
The 1st RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics -Spin Transfer Phenomena-

4th International Workshopn on High Frequency Micromagnetic Devices and Materials (MMDM4)
4th International Conference on Physics and Applications of Spin-Related Phenomena in Semiconductors (PASPS-IV)
2nd International Workshop on New Group IV Semiconductor Nanoelectronics
2nd RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics
Japan-China Joint Conference on acoustics, JCA2007
International Conference on Discovery Science / International Conference on Algorithmic Learning Theory
The 3rd RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics
3rd International Workshop on New Group IV Semiconductor Nanoelectronics
International Workshop on Nanostructures & Nanoelectronics
The 18th International Symposium on Algorithms and Computation(ISAAC2007)

56

Date
Feb.23-25, 1997
Mar.16-18, 1998
Dec.14-16, 1998
Sep.13-17, 1999
Mar.8-10, 2000
Sep.13-15, 2000
Oct.25-27, 2001
Oct.28-Nov.1, 2001
Dec.12-14, 2002
Oct.23-24, 2003
Oct.12-13, 2004
Apr.11-12, 2005
May.23-26, 2005
May.27-28, 2005
Sep.26-27, 2005
Feb.8-9, 2006
May 8,2006
Aug.15-18,2006
Oct.2-3,2006
Feb.15-16,2007
Jun.4-6,2007
Oct.1-4,2007
Oct. 31-Nov.1,2007
Nov.8-9,2007
Nov.21-22,2007
Dec.17-19,2007

Periodicals Published by the Institute

The Institute publishes the following two periodicals to inform readers on recent research results of theInstitute.
1. The Record of Electrical and Communication Engineering Conversazione Tohoku University
This journal aims at providing an opportunity to publish research results of the Institute as well as theresult of the Departments of Electrical Engineering, Communication Engineering, Electronics Engineering,and Information Engineering of the Faculty of Engineering. Since the journal also aims at publishing
general research activities of the Institute and of the Departments such as records of the final lectures ofretiring professors, records of the Institute Symposium, and reviews.
The name of the Journal ‘Conversazione’ is attributable to the ‘Tuesday Conversazione’ at the
Department of Electrical Engineering, which had been held once a week on Tuesday since around 1920.
Minutes of the meetings had been distributed to researchers outside of the University via various routes
and therefore some of them had been referred to as ‘Records of Tuesday Electrical Engineering
Conversazione Tôhoku University’ with the result that they came to be treated as official publications.
Though the meeting was once interrupted by World War Two, it was restarted in 1947. In 1952, thepublication of the records was succeeded by the Institute and the records have been published asperiodicals, two times a year recently, since No. 1 Vol. 21 was published in July, 1952.
2. The Annual Report of Research Activity at the Research Institute of Electrical Communication,
Tohoku University
Published annually since 1995. This report details the activities of each research division and researchfacility. Also included are reports on nation-wide co-operative research projects, international symposium
and seminars organized by members of RIEC, and the reports and evaluation on the RIEC advisory board
members.

57

Educational Activities

The Institute is keeping close contact with the fiveDepartments in the Faculty of Engineering, i.e. theDepartments of Electrical Engineering, Communication
Engineering, Electronics Engineering, and Information
Engineering, not only in research activities but also in
educational activities. For example, all the membersof the faculties of the Institute also hold positions withthe faculties of the four Departments and give lectures
there. Moreover, undergraduate and graduate school
students related to the Departments belong to thelaboratories of the Institute for their theses. In 2007,
there are 55 under-graduate students, 138 masters
course students, and 63 doctors course students
belonged to the Institute.

Presentation scene at a workshop

Other than the students, Institute’s research
students, Research Fellow of JSPS, and JSPS
Postdoctral Foreign Researchers also engage in
research activities in cooperation with the staff of theInstitute.

Seminar scene at a laboratory

Marathon relay race

Weed out-the-garden-and-Drink-beer-there Meeting58

International Activities
Many of the staff in RIEC contribute to the development of technology and science in the world by serving
as editors of referees of international journals or by chairing or programming international conferences. In
some fields in electronics, electrical communications, or information engineering RIEC serves as a Center of
Excellence(COE), which attracts many visiting researchers and students from all over the world every year.
Several academic exchange programs with foreign colleges or institutes are in operation.

International academic exchange
programs:
The Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences (Poland)
The Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University (Thailand)
Harbin Institute of Technology (China)
The James Frank Institute, The University of Chicago (U.S.A.)
Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London (U.K.)
Scientific Research Department, Shenzhen University (China)
Institute of Information and Communication Technology, SungKyun-Kwan University (Korea)
Institute of Materials Science, Faculty of Applied Physics,
University of Twente (Netherlands)
The Institute of Radioengineering and Electronics Russian
Academy of Sciences (Russia)
Department of Electronics Science and Engineering, Universityof Naujing (China)
School of Computer and Communication Engineering, Taegu
University (Korea)
Reesarch Center of Condensed Materials and Nanosciences,
National Center for Scientific Research (France)
IHP-Innovations for High Performance microelectronics (Germany)
Institute of Semiconductors Chinese Academy of Sciences (China)

International journals in which a staff in
RIEC participates as an editor:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

Acoustical Science and Technology
Applied Acoustics
IEICE Electronics Express
International Journal of Communication Systems
International Journal of Infrared and Millimeter Waves
Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, The Institute of Pureand Applied Physics
Journal of Communication and Networks
Journal of Higher-Order and Symbolic Computation
Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials
Optical Fiber Technology
Optics Communications
Semiconductor Science and Technology, Institute ofPhysics
Solid State Communications
Superlattices and Microstructures,Elsevier
Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science and Technology,
American Institute of Physics

International conferences programmed by astaff in RIEC:
1. 15th International Conference on Molecular Beam
Epitaxy(MBE2008)
2. 2008 International Conference on Solid State Devices andMaterials(SSDM)

59

3. 29th International Conference on the Physics of
Semiconductors(ICPS2008)
4. 3rd International SiGe, Ge, and Related Compounds:
Materials, Processing, and Devices Symposium
5. 4th International SiGe Technology and Device
Meeting(ISTDM2008)
6. 4th International Workshop on New Group IV
Semiconductor Nanoelectronics
7. 53rd Annual Conference on Magnetism and Magnetic
Materials(MMM2008)
8. 5th International Conference on Physics and Applicationsof Spin-Related Phenomena in Semiconductors(PASPS)
9. 8th International Conference on Physics of Light-Matter
Coupling in Nanostructures
10. ACM SIGPLAN International Symposium on Principles
and Practice of Declarative Programming (PPDP'2007)
11. ACM SIGPLAN Workshop on ML,2007
12. Asia-Pacific Conference on Vision
13. Device Research Conference
14. European Conference on Optical Communication(ECOC)
15. Gordon Research Conferences, Magnetic Nanostructures
16. IEEE Computer Society Technical Committee on MultipleValued Logic
17. IEEE Nanotechnology Materials and Devices
Conference2008(NMDC)
18. International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, andTerahertz Waves
19. International Symposium on Nonlinear Theory and its
Applications (NOLTA)
20. International Workshop on INformatics(IWIN2008)
21. Joint European Magnetic Symposium(JEMS08)
22. Joint MMM/Intermag Conference 2010
23. Pacific Rim Meeting on Electrochemical and Solid-State
Science(PRIME)
24. SPIE Photonics West
25. The 2nd International Symposium on Mobiligence in Awaji
26. The 3rd RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics
Solid-State Quantum Information Technology
27. The 5th International Symposium on Surface Science andNanotechnology(ISSS-5)
28. The 8th Perpendicular Magnetic Recording Conference(PMRC2007)
29. The eighth International Conference on Excitonic
Processes (EXCON'08)
30. The International Conference on Advanced Information
Networking and Applications(AINA2009)
31. The International Conference on Ubiquitous Intelligence
and Computing (UIC2008)
32. The Japan-China Joint Conference on Acoustics(JCA2007)
33. The Magnetic Recording Conference 2008(TMRC2008)
34. Topical Workshop on Heterostructure Microelectronics

RIEC Open Day

The Research Institute of Electrical Communication holds
an open day every year in order to present our research andeducational activities to the public, university staff, students
and alumni and to representatives from the industrial sector.
In 2007, all the research laboratories, research centers andmachine shops of RIEC exhibited various types ofdemonstration focused on their respective research field andactivities.
Demonstration experiments were organized for groundbreaking accomplishments of the RIEC, such as Magnetron
tube, Yagi-Uda antenna, and Steel recorder. Experiments ofrecent research were also conducted such as ultra –highspeed data transmission using photonic fiber, learning next
generation language SML#, counting quantum and photon,and probing brain phenomena by vision. Workshops relating
to the creation of simple anime movies, the development of asolar battery from a hibiscus plant, the fabrication of a piezo
speaker, and the building of a germanium radio, were
presented.
The present and future television broadcasting
technologies of the NHK science &Technical ResearchLaboratories were exhibited along with the Advance Wiresscommunication system of the National Institute ofCommunication Technologies.
We sincerely hope for your participation in our open day.
We will be holding the open day 2008 on Saturday Oct.4 andSunday Oct.5. Simple and easy explanations of our researchlabs are also available on the Internet. This site is accessible
to everyone at any time. Please feel free to access our virtual
open day at:
http//www.riec.tohoku.ac.jp/kokukai/index.html(Available in Japanese only)

60

Staff (as of 1st August 2008)
Director:Masafumi YANO,
Professor■ Research Divisions
Information Devices Devision• Nano-photoelectronics
Yoichi UEHARA, Professor
Tatsuo UCHIDA, Professor*
Tetsuya MIYASHITA, Associate Professor*
Satoshi KATANO, Assistant Professor• Quantum-optical
Information Technology
Keiichi EDAMATSU, Professor
Mitsuyuki NAKAO, Professor*
Hideo KOSAKA, Associate Professor
Norihiro KATAYAMA, Associate Professor*
Yasuyoshi MITSUMORI, Assistant Professor
Shigehiro NAGANO, Research fellow
Atsushi SYOUJI, Research Fellow
Ryosuke SHIMIZU, Research Fellow
Takeshi KUTSUWA, Research Fellow
Makoto KUWAHARA, Research Fellow• Solid State Electronics
Maki SUEMITSU, Professor
Takashi ITO, Professor*
Koji KOTANI, Associate Professor*
Arnold Cafe ALGUNO, Research Fellow
Sergey FILIMONOV, Visiting Lecturer• Dielectric Nano-Devices
Yasuo CHO, Professor
Sinichiro UMEMURA, Professor*
Yoshiomi HIRANAGA, Assistant Professor
Nobuhiro KIN, Assistant Professor
Yasuo WAGATSUMA, Technical Official
Kenya ISHIKAWA, Research Fellow
Shinichiro KOBAYASHI, Research Fellow
Nozomi ODAGAWA, Research Fellow• Plasma Electronics• Materials Functionality
DesignMasafumi SHIRAI, Professor
Kazuyuki TANAKA, Professor*
Yoshio MIURA, Assistant Professor
Kazutaka ABE, Assistant Professor• Magnetic Devices（Visitor Section））
Masahide SASAKI, Visiting Professor
Koichiro HONDA, Visiting Professor

Broadband Engineering Division• Ultrahigh-speed OpticalCommunication
Masataka NAKAZAWA, Professor
Hirohito YAMADA, Professor*
Yuji MATSUURA, Professor*
Toshihiko HIROOKA, Associate Professor
Yasuo OHDERA, Associate Professor*
Masato YOSHIDA, Assistant Professor
Keisuke KASAI, Research Fellow• Applied Quantum Optics
Hiroshi YASAKA, Professor
Hiroyuki YOKOYAMA Professor*
Jun-ichi SHIKATA, Associate Professor
Takashi WATANABE, Associate Professor*• Wireless Info Tech
Kazuo TSUBOUCHI, Professor
Jun-ichi KUSHIBIKI, Professor*
Hiroyuki ODAGAWA, Associate Professor*
Suguru KAMEDA, Assistant Professor• Information Storage
Systems
Hiroaki MURAOKA, Professor
Takao NISHIZEKI, Professor*
Simon J. GREAVES, Associate Professor
Xiao ZHOU, Associate Professor*
Kenji MIURA, Assistant Professor

Satoru IIZUKA, Associate Professor*
Akira ANDO, Associate Professor*

61• Ultra-Broadband Signal
Processing
Taiichi OTSUJI, Professor
Fumiyuki ADACHI, Professor*
Tetsuya SUEMITSU, Associate Professor
Eisuke KUDO, Associate Professor*
Yahya Moubarak MEZIANI, Assistant Professor
Abdelouahad EL FATIMY, Research Fellow• Basic Technology for
Broadband Communication（Visitor Section））
Koji MIZUNO, Visiting Professor
Masaaki INUTAKE, Visiting Professor
Akira YASUDA, Visiting Professor
Noriharu SUEMATSU, Visiting Professor
Wojciech KNAP, Visiting Professor

Human Information Systems Division• Electromagnetic
Bioinformation Engineering
Kazushi ISHIYAMA, Professor
Masahiro YAMAGUCHI, Professor*
Kotaro HAMASHIMA, Professor*
Satoru TSUDA, Associate Professor*
Yasushi ENDO, Associate Professor*
Shuichiro HASHI, Assitant Professor• Advanced Acoustic
Information Systems
Yôiti SUZUKI, Professor
Shozo MAKINO, Professor*
Hiroshi KANAI, Professor*
Yukio IWAYA, Associate Professor
Akinori ITO, Associate Professor*
Hideyuki HASEGAWA, Associate Professor*
Shuichi SAKAMOTO, Assistant Professor
Ryota MIYAUCHI, Assistant Professor
Fumitaka SAITO, Technical Official
Maori KOBAYASHI, Research Fellow
Makoto OTANI, Research Fellow
Wataru TERAMOTO, Research Fellow

• Visual Cognition and
Systems
Satoshi SHIOIRI, Professor
Makoto YOSHIZAWA, Professor*
Ichiro KURIKI, Associate Professor
Kazumichi MATSUMIYA, Assistant Professor
Mitsuharu OGIYA, Research Fellow• Interdisciplinary Field forInformatics
Kaoru TAMADA, Professor• Ubiquitous Communications
SystemShuzo KATO, Professor
Kunio SAWAYA, Professor*
Susumu HORIGUCHI, Professor*
Hiroyuki NAKASE, Associate Professor
Qiang CHEN, Associate Professor*
Xiaohong JIANG, Associate Professor*• Multimodal Computing（Visitor Section））
Susumu KAWAKAMI, Visiting Professor
Tatsuya HIRAHARA, Visiting Professor
Ryouichi NISHIMURA, Visiting Associate Professor

Systems & Software Division• Software Construction
Atsushi OHORI, Professor
Naoki KOBAYASHI, Professor*
Eijiro SUMII, Associate Professor*
Isao SASANO, Assistant Professor
Katsuhiro UENO, Research Fellow• Computing Information
TheoryYoshihito TOYAMA, Professor
Hiroki SHIZUYA, Professor*
Ayumi,SHINOHARA, Professor*
Hirotomo,ASO, Professor*
Takahito AOTO, Associate Professor
Shinichiro OMACHI, Associate Professor*
Masao SAKAI, Lecturer*
Kentaro KIKUCHI, Assistant Professor
Jeroen KETEMA, Research Fellow• Communication Network
Systems
Norio SHIRATORI, Professor
Yoshiaki NEMOTO, Professor*
Hiroumi SAITO, Professor*
Hideaki SONE, Professor*
Takuo SUGANUMA, Associate Professor
Debasish CHAKRABORTY, Visiting Associate Professor
Takaaki MIZUKI, Associate Professor*
Yuji IZUMI, Lecturer*
Kazuhide KOIDE, Assistant Professor
Hideyuki TAKAHASHI, Research Fellow• Information Contents
Junji NUMAZAWA, Professor
Nei KATO, Professor*
Tetsuo KINOSHITA, Professor*
Terumasa AOKI, Associate Professor
Toru ABE, Associate Professor*• Information Social Structure（Visitor Section））
Hiroshi MATSUOKA, Visiting Professor

Research Facilities
Laboratory for Nanoelectronics
and Spintronics
Director : Hideo OHNO, Professor
Ryutaro SASAKI, Technical Official
Sadao TSUCHIDA, Technical Official
Toshiyasu MEGURO, Research Fellow
Yoshiro OTOMO, Research Fellow• Atomically Controlled
Processing
Junichi MUROTA, Professor
Michitaka KAMEYAMA, Professor*
Shigetoshi SUGAWA, Professor*
Masao SAKURABA, Associate Professor
Masanori HARIYAMA, Associate Professor*
Katsutoshi SUGAWARA, Research Fellow• Semiconductor
Spintronics
Hideo OHNO, Professor
Migaku TAKAHASHI, Professor*

62

Masashi SAHASHI, Professor*
Maciej SAWICKI, Visiting Professor
Yuzo OHNO, Associate Professor
Fumihiro MATSUKURA, Associate Professor
Masakiyo TSUNODA, Associate Professor*
Masaaki DOI, Associate Professor*
Shin SAITO, Associate Professor*
Keita OHTANI, Assistant Professor
Daichi CHIBA, Research Fellow
Shunichiro MATSUZAKA, Research Fellow• Nano-Molecular Devices
Michio NIWANO, Professor
Rikizo HATAKEYAMA, Professor*
Tatsuo YOSHINOBU, Professor*
Toshiro KANEKO, Associate Professor*
Yasuo KIMURA, Assistant Professor
Ken-ichi ISHIBASHI, Assistant Professor
Nobuyuki SATO, Assistant Professor• Nano-Spin Memory
Haruhiro HASEGAWA, Visiting Professor
Mitsumasa KOYANAGI, Professor*
Yasuo ANDO, Professor*
Tetsuo ENDOH, Professor*
Tetsu TANAKA, Professor*
Shoji IKEDA, Associate Professor
Mikihiko OOGANE, Assistant Professor*
Huadong GAN, Research Fellow
Jiho PARK, Research Fellow
Katsuya MIURA, Research Fellow
Jun HAYAKAWA, Research Fellow
Hiroyuki YAMAMOTO, Research Fellow

Laboratory for Brainware Systems
Director : Koji NAKAJIMA, Professor• Real-World Computing
Masafumi YANO, Professor
Junji TADA, Designated Professor
Hidetoshi MATSUKI, Professor*
Akio ISHIGURO, Professor*
Fumihiro SATO, Associate Professor*
Yoshinari MAKINO, Assistant Professor
Kazuhiro SAKAMOTO, Assistant Professor
Nozomi TOMITA, Research Fellow

• Intelligent NanoIntegration System
Koji NAKAJIMA, Professor
Masayuki KAWAMATA, Professor*
Shigeo SATO, Associate Professor
Masahide ABE, Associate Professor*
Yoshihiro HAYAKAWA, Assistant Professor
Takeshi ONOMI, Assistant Professor• Microarchitecture
Shoichi MASUI, Professor• New Paradigm VLSI
SystemTakahiro HANYU, Professor
Osamu ICHINOKURA, Professor*
Takafumi AOKI, Professor*
Kenji NAKAMURA, Associate Professor*
Atsushi MATSUMOTO, Assistant Professor
Masanori NATSUI, Assistant Professor

Research Center for 21st Century
Information Technology
Director : Kazuo TSUBOUCHI, Professor
Katsumi SAGAE, Technical Official• Project Planning Division
Makoto FURUNISHI, Professor• Technology Development
Division▲ Mobile Wireless Technology Group
Tadashi TAKAGI, Professor
Makoto IWATA, Visiting Professor▲ Storage Technology Group
Kazuhisa FUJIMOTO, Professor
Hajime AOI, Visiting Professor
Yoshihisa NAKAMURA, Visiting Professor
Koki TAKANASHI, Professor*
Osamu KITAKAMI, Professor*
Takehito SHIMATSU, Associate Professor
Satoshi OKAMOTO, Associate Professor*
Kiyoshi YAMAKAWA, Visiting Associate Professor
Nobuaki KIKUCHI, Assistant Professor*

Management Office for
Safety and HealthManager : Michio NIWANO, Professor
Deputy Manager : Yoichi UEHARA, Professor
Nobuyuki SATO, Assistant Professor■ Common Research
Facility• Flexible Information
System Research Center
Director : Yôiti SUZUKI, Professor
Yoshihito TOYAMA, Professor*
Tetsuo KINOSHITA, Professor*
Gen KITAGATA, Associate Professor
Satoshi YAIRI, Assistant Professor
Kazuto SASAI, Research Fellow■ Fundamental Technology
CenterDirector : Michio NIWANO, Professor
Choichi TAKYU, Technical Official• Machine Shop Division
Choichi TAKYU, Technical Official
Koichi SHOJI, Technical Official
Tamotsu SUENAGA, Technical Official
Takeshi YAMASHITA, Technical Official
Kenji SAWADA, Technical Official
Hiroshi WATANABE, Technical Official
Munetomo SUGAWARA, Technical Official
Ryuji YONEZAWA, Technical Official• Evaluation Division
Choichi TAKYU, Technical Official
Shigeto AGATSUMA, Technical Official
Maho ABE, Technical Official
Yuji KONNO, Technical Official
Sadao TSUCHIDA, Technical Official• Process Division
Yasuo WAGATSUMA, Technical Official
Katsumi SAGAE, Technical Official
Ryutaro SASAKI, Technical Official
Toshiyasu MEGURO, Research Fellow
Yoshio OTOMO, Research Fellow

63• Software Technology
Division
Fumitaka SAITO, Technical Official*Joint Appointment

▼▼Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University 2008/2009

Research Institute of Electrical Communication
2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577, JAPAN TEL（022）217-5420 FAX（022）217-5426
http://www.riec.tohoku.ac.jp/

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