Members' Profiles

Nano Device and System Research, Inc.
1. Endeavors in MEMS Technology
Nano Device and System Research, Inc. (NanodeS) isa venture company that was founded on April 2, 2001 todevelop commercially viable applications for MEMS. We
are also planning on trying our hand at nanodevices, which
are expected to be a critical technology in the 21stcentury. Susumu Sugiyama, the CEO of the company, hasbeen conducting close collaborative research with
Ritsumeikan University, while holding a concurrent post at
the university as a professor specializing in MEMS.
Ritsumeikan University possesses a synchrotron forirradiating soft X-rays to perform nanolithography. Bymaking good use of this technology, we can develop
devices with nanostructures.

Nano Device and System Research, Inc.
Yoshikazu Tobinaga, COO
evaluates its electrical properties when an electrical bias isapplied.

2. Existing Technology
MEMS can be broadly categorized as sensors that takein signals from the environment and the like, andactuators for drive systems. Currently, development ofsensors has advanced more rapidly, as they can be givenfunctionality with a simple structure. NanodeS has also
focused its development on sensors, specificallyaccelerometers, biosensors, and pressure sensors.
(1) Developing Applications for Existing MEMS
We have primarily been developing applications
centered on MEMS researched at Ritsumeikan University.
We are now nearing completion of a six-axis
accelerometer and are currently seeking a partner forcollaborative research aimed at commercializing theaccelerometer. A feature of this accelerometer is its ability
to perform rotational sensing, making it suitable for use ina fluid sensor or a robot arm that performs complex
movements. We are striving to capture the subtle
movement of humans.

The 6-axis accelerometer developed at Ritsumeikan University(2) Developing Nanodevices
Through X-ray lithography performed with asynchrotron, we can achieve nanoprecision machining.
With this technology, NanodeS is currently trying todevelop a nanogap biosensor. This is a new biochip sensor
that captures a single strand of DNA in the nanogap andThe synchrotron at Ritsumeikan University
has a peak wavelength of 1.5 nm

3. Future Endeavors
Optical devices are devices that use nanostructures asfunctions for direct expression. For example, thewavelengths of visible light fall within a range from 800 nm
to 400 nm, the former extreme being the color red and thelatter corresponding to blue or violet. If we can control thewavelengths at a precision of about 20 nm units, it is likelythat we can use the optical properties to implement
functions. In a simple example, a 500-nm hole is formed ina plate and a white light is directed on the hole. Since only
light having a wavelength smaller than the diameter of thehole can pass through, the hole will appear to be colored.
Microstructures are capable of coloring without pigments.
In fact the colors on a butterfly's wings appear to form
patterns by exactly the same method. Hence, by studying
nanostructures that already exist in nature, I believe we
can discover still unknown nano phenomena and use thatknowledge to develop applications for nanotechnology.

MICROMACHINE No. 53
MICROMACHINE is published quarterly by Micromachine Center (MMC) to promote the international exchange ofinformation related to micromachines, R&D and other technical topics, and is circulated free of change. Please send
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