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Funds to Promote Research - Endowed Chairs

Research Promotion Fund

This Program accepts research funds to encourage studies conducted by IIS faculty members. These funds financially support facility management and studies in the field of industrial science.

Endowed Chairs

This program allows endowed chairs to be established on the basis of funds contributed by industrial organizations to promote activities in the area of research and education of national university corporations, etc. As with other research departments, the contents of research and education conducted by endowed chairs are negotiated and decided independently by the IIS. The present established endowed chairs are those at the Nikon Chair of Optical Engineering established in 2006, the Advanced Energy Conversion Engineering in 2008, Mobility and Field Science (TAKARA TOMY) in 2009, and Energy Engineering for Low Carbon Society (TOKYO ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY) in 2010.

Nikon Chair of Optical Engineering

Sponsor	: Nikon Corporation
Duration	: November 2006 - March 2012
Objectives	: The Nikon Chair of Optical Engineering, founded by an endowment from Nikon Corporation, makes the education and nurturing of experts in the field of optics its central goal. Industrial optics, which includes digital cameras, microscopes, steppers, optical disk memory, etc., has traditionally been a strength in Japan’s competitiveness. However, in the wake of rapid developments taking place in the modern day, it is by no means easy to stay at the top. Further, even as the latest technologies in modern photonics and quantum optics are evolving at a great speed, the number of universities in Japan in which the industrial applications of optics is being taught is said to be declining. The Nikon Chair of Optical Engineering aims to solidify industry-academia ties and to contribute to the creation of future leaders in the optical industry in Japan. The course ’Advanced Optical Engineering’ including geometrical optics, imaging theory, image processing and lens design is the most important activity. The outstanding feature of this course is the practice of lens-design using laptop computers, where a professional lens designer give an instruction how to design lenses using software tools for professional use. This would be the first attempt in Japan. Besides the course, a number of special program have been carried out in 2008. The photo school was held twice with slightly different subjects. These special programs are expected to play the role to shorten the distance between academia and industry. Project Professor: KURODA, Kazuo (concurrently working with the Department of Fundamental Engineering) Project Professor: OOKI, Hiroshi

Field	Quantum Optics
	Ultrafast spin manipulation Photorefractive materials Nonlinear optics Light wave synthesis
		(KURODA Lab.)

Field	Optical Engineering
	Imaging optics Optical metrology Image processing Optical design
		(OOKI Lab.)

Polychromatic reconstruction for volume holographic memory

We propose a method of reconstructing an image from a volume hologram at a wavelength different from the recording one. Spectrally broad but spatially coherent light was used as a probe beam. Each angular spectral component of the recorded hologram could be Bragg-matched at one particular wavelength within the broadband spectrum.

KURODA Lab.

Optical system for mid-infrared pulse generation

Simulated result of the reconstructed image together with the distribution of the Bragg-matched wavelength. The input image was recorded at 532 nm and was reconstructed with the polychromatic probe beam whose center wavelength was 815 nm and spectral width (FWHM) was 40 nm.

Lectures on practical optics used in industry and hands-on training on lens design

The content of “Optical Engineering” included lectures on basic optics, covering topics from geometric optics to wave optics and the latest super-resolution technologies, as well as lectures on image technology covering topics from the structure of digital cameras to the basics of image processing and color science. Continuing from this, all students were lent laptop computers to learn about and comprehend the basics of lens design through hands-on training.

OOKI Lab.

Lecture and discussion in the class

A lecture during the 2009 course on image technology (left)
and a lab session during the 2010 course on lens design (right)

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Advanced Energy Conversion Engineering

Sponsor	: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Duration	: September 2008 - August 2013
Objectives	: Endowed Research Unit: Advanced Energy Conversion Engineering was established on September 1st, 2008, by the donation of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. to contribute to the solution of energy, economy and environmental problems effectively and in harmony. To utilize precious fossil fuels effectively, it is important to raise the efficiency as high as possible. This will also help to maintain good environmental conditions and help to prevent global warming by minimizing the production of CO₂. The Advanced Energy Conversion Engineering Unit aims at elevating thermal efficiencies to the maximum. Based on many years’ experience which Dr. Kaneko has undergone during his years in industry, effective and promising projects has been selected as R&D Projects in the following areas; 1) Ultra-high efficiency thermal power plants: Further efficiency improvement for IGCC, IGFC and advanced USC plants. 2) Utilization of wider range of coals: Gasification for brown coal, anthracite and normal bituminous coals. Innovative drying system will be developed for brown coal gasification. 3) CO₂ recovery and storage. 4) Innovative utilization of natural renewable energy. 5) ECOMARINE Project: Energy conversion of driving system for fishing boats from petroleum-fueled diesel/gasoline engines to battery-motor driven system recharged by wave, solar or wind energy.

Field	Advanced Energy Conversion Engineering
	Ultra-high efficiency thermal power plants Utilization of wider range of coals Innovative utilization of renewable energy CO₂ capture and storage	(KANEKO Lab.)

Innovative brown coal gasifi cation by efficient drying

Brown coal or lignite contains large amount of moisture, say 50 to 60%. Drying of this moisture by heating consumes a great quantity of energy and decreases thermal efficiency. By adopting effective heat recovery system during drying, heat is recovered in all ranges - sub-cooling, evaporation, and superheating, hence minimizing heat losses. After drying, efficient and economical gasification is realized making full use of unique brown coal property.

KANEKO Lab.

A sample of a semiinsulating GaN crystal

Innovative brown coal gasification by efficient drying

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Mobility and Field Science (TAKARA TOMY)

(TAKARA TOM

Sponsor	: TOMY COMPANY, LTD. Y)
Duration	: April 2009-March 2012
Objectives	: For enrichment of human activity, it is desired progressively to develop technology of monitoring/sensing/evaluation of biological information. Hereafter, field science by using quasi-static electric field which is expected for various applications is investigated through basic study and mobility application, is applied to communication technology and sensing / monitoring technology.

Field	Dynamic Systems and Control
	Abnormal condition detection of human/vehicle/infrastructure system Sustainable transportation system Contact dynamics of road-surface/tire and rail/wheel Advanced transportation systems of ITS, LRT and PMV
		(SUDA Lab.)
Field	Quasi-Electrostatic Science (QES)
	Quasi-electrostatic field communication Quasi-electrostatic field multipole device Development of "Smart Reference", self-reference device for measurement and near field communication Quasi-electrostatic field sensing by using laser excitation
		(TAKIGUCHI Lab.)

Condition monitoring and abnormal condition detection in vehicle system

Automobiles and railway vehicles are covered for monitoring system. Condition monitoring and abnormal condition detection is conducted by using sensing from vehicle/infrastructure system; road surface state estimation by using electromagnetic suspensions, modeling of dynamic tire characteristics by using tire tester, and abnormal condition detection before derailment by using railway vehicle facilities.

SUDA Lab.

Electromagnetic suspension

Electromagnetic suspension Tire testing machine

1/10 scaled vehicle model

Development of "Smart Reference" use of multipole electrodes structure

The device that acted artificially as standard potential (reference), and in a mobile environment where the earth such as bodies and human bodies was not able to be taken, it succeeded in making for trial purposes and the principle confirmation, and this was named "Smart Reference".

TAKIGUCHI Lab.

Smart Refernce (Multipole electrodes structure)

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Energy Engineering for Low Carbon Society (TOKYO ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY)

Sponsor	: TOKYO ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY
Duration	: April 2010 - March 2013
Objectives	: This research unit was established to achieve highly advanced large-scale power-source and power-supply facilities, to create technologies for constructing new systems that can cope with the ongoing introduction of new natural-energy sources and new technologies, and to establish world-leading advanced technologies by improving reliability including more reliable operation and maintenance and further improving environmental friendliness and cost efficiency.

Field	Sustainable Energy Engineering, for Low Carbon Society
	Road map for low-carbon society Ultimate high-efficiency thermal power plant Wave-activated power generation Countermeasure against unstable power output of renewable energy
		(HASHIMOTO Lab.)

Ultimate high-efficiency thermal power plant (SOFC / Gas Turbine/Steam Turbine Combined System)

Highly efficient power generation systems are required to solve modern global warming and energy issues. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) can be integrated into power generation systems that are expected to be more efficient than those in conventional power plants. The efficiency of conventional natural gas firing power plants is approximately 40%, while that of the SOFC/GT/ST-combined plant is 72%. This demonstrates how we can contribute to a low-carbon society by reducing CO₂ emission.

HASHIMOTO Lab.

TRIPLE COMBINED SYSTEM

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