Activities of the Micromachine Center

Activities of the Micromachine Center in FY 2008
Overview

encouraging industrial exchange and vitalization (e.g., informalgatherings on advanced micro/nano technologies),
implementing MEMS training programs to develop personnel
knowledgeable in MEMS development, and encouraging
information exchange among businesses in MEMS and otherindustries (e.g., the MEMS Mall launched October 1, 2008).

The Micromachine Center (MMC) is actively engaged intechnical development projects commissioned by thegovernment and the New Energy and Industrial Technology
Development Organization (NEDO) in an effort to establish
core technologies for micromachines, Micro Electro Mechanical
Systems (MEMS), and other micro/nano-related fields. At thesame time, in order to promote widespread use andindustrialization of these core technologies, the MMC
aggressively pursues activities to improve the environment for
micro/nano technologies. These activities include policy
recommendations, industrial exchange and vitalization,
investigative research, activities to promote standardization andto encourage dissemination and publicity projects designed topromote industrial development in micro/nano fields and tocontribute to the international community.
The following is an outline of the projects that the MMC
conducted in 2008.

3. Investigative Research and Data Collection
and Provision
We also investigated new issues on micro/nano technologies
that arise when merging nanotechnology with technologies inother fields.
The MMC is also collecting information and documents
related to micro/nano technologies from universities, industrial
circles, public organizations, and other sources in Japan andoverseas, which documentation will be consolidated with
documentation from surveys conducted at the MMC. We
periodically issue the Micro/Nano Index, an informational
publication including abstracts of technical documents andmaterials. The collection of technical documents and materials
has been organized and stored in the MMC archives, where they
have been made available for browsing and searching.

1. National / NEDO Projects(1) Highly Integrated and Complex MEMS Manufacturing
Technology Development Project (The Fine MEMS Project)
2008 marked the final year of the Highly Integrated,
Complex MEMS Production Technology Development Project,more commonly referred to as the Fine MEMS Project, which
was a three-year undertaking initiated in 2006. This project
concluded after having achieved its original goals satisfactorily.
The Fine MEMS Project ultimately succeeded in compiling aknowledge database with more than 1,500 items of content,
which will be made available on the Internet in a Wiki format.
Research findings for the fine MEMS integrated design platform
were stored in a Web-based system dubbed an equivalent circuit
generator, which has built-in functions for linking equivalentcircuit models for MEMS and the like and for outputting theelectrical and mechanical properties of the models.

4. Standardization Activities
In 2008 we demonstrated initiative on the international stageby promoting standardization in the micromachines and MEMS
fields. These activities included examining standard certification
criteria for proposing international standards, following up on a
proposal of standards for fatigue testing of thin film materials,
conducting an investigative study on overseas standards, andpursuing the adoption of a tensile test method for thin film
material as a JIS.

5. Dissemination and Publicity Activities
In 2008 the MMC continued to provide informationinternally and externally through its Web site, publish anddistribute newsletters, hold exhibitions, and otherwise
disseminate information on micromachines and MEMS toeducate the public and publicize the MMC’s activities. This year
also featured the 19th Exhibition Micromachine/MEMS, a threeday event held at Tokyo Big Sight from July 30 to August 1,
2008 as part of Micro/Nano 2008. Over these three days, theexhibition received a total of 14,075 visitors, which was nearly a
12% increase over the previous year (12,424) and a record highfor the event.

(2) The Project to Develop Next-generation Device
Manufacturing Technologies that Fuse Different Fields(The BEANS Project)(Commissioned by METI)The BEANS Laboratory was newly established as acentralized research framework for the Project to Develop
Next-Generation Device Manufacturing Technologies that UseDifferent Fields (commonly referred to as the BEANS Project)initiated on July 1, 2008. The BEANS Laboratory has worked tointroduce project management driven by the private sector, tocoordinate R&D activities for the inaugural year, and to installresearch equipment. In 2008, seventeen companies, elevenuniversities, and two research centers participated in theBEANS project.
(3) Promotion and Dissemination of MemsONE
In an independent project, the MMC has been working with
the MEMS Industry Forum to aggressively promote anddisseminate the MemsONE software, which was the product ofresearch and development in the MEMS Open Network
Engineering System of Design Tools project. We also worked
with the software vendor to update the software, which is thebasis of our dissemination activities. Hence, Version 1.1
produced at the end of the project was improved and enhanced
and released as the more complete Version 2.0, which has more
powerful functions and greater stability.

19th Exhibition Micromachine/MEMS

2. MEMS Industry Forum Projects (for Policy
Recommendations and Industrial Exchangeand Vitalization)
The MEMS Industry Forum (MIF) was established in April
2006 as a special project committee with the goal of supporting
the further development of MEMS industries. Membership in
the MIF increases each year, spurring more and more activity.
In 2008 the MIF continued to promote activities centered on its
MEMS-related member companies in collaboration withaffiliated academies, regional centers, and overseas institutions,
including various activities for proposing policies to thegovernment and related agencies (e.g, encouraging theexchange of ideas between MIF members and the governmentand related agencies at MIF promotion committees),

MEMS Industry Forum (May 2008)5