HOME >> Director's Greeting
Welcome to Nanotechnology Research Institute
Nanotechnology is a research field that develops novel, useful
materials, devices and related technologies by controlling and optimizing
nano-scale structures and compositions of materials, and thereby aims to
contribute to various industrial applications and the welfare and peace
of the human society. Its outcomes, namely, various functional and structural
materials, devices, and measuring instruments are expected to be utilized
in almost all areas of society such as information technology, electronics,
environment, energy, biological and medical applications, measurement and
standard. With the object of accomplishing such great mission of nanotechnology
in a long and flexible perspective, Nanotechnology Research Institute (NRI)
is engaged in extensive research themes such as synthesis, processing,
properties and functions of materials, device construction, measurement
technologies, theory and computer simulation. Not limited to a specific
technological field, we aim to develop broad applications of nanotechnology
on the basis of ideas, experiences, specialties, and instrumentation of
researchers and research groups.
The first step in nanotechnology research is to buildup and to control the nano-scale structures of materials. The placement of a properly selected starting material into a properly controlled environment leads to the creation of novel, unprecedented nano-structures. Then we proceed to elucidate their properties and functions with the findings fed back for the optimization of original nano-structures, and thus establishing the structure/function relationship. Persistent effort in this line can eventually realize new application fields of nanotechnology. It is important that these research activities are always backed by a clear gsense of purposeh; however, there are cases where important properties and functions are discovered by chance. In that sense, our basic policy is to perform persistent and strategic research with the best balance between systematic basic studies and the development of new applications. For research activities with this broad spectrum, it is vital to establish close alliance with universities, research institutes, and private industries, in the form of information exchange, research cooperation, and joint study, and to make the best use of them. We would highly appreciate your understanding and wish to ask for your opinion, criticism, and advice about our research activities.
Dr. Nobutsugu Minami, Director
Nanotechnology Research Institute, AIST
Central5, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565 Japan
Phone: +81-29-861-9385
Fax: +81-29-861-6309
E-mail: n.minami[at]aist.go.jp