1st NSF-MEXT Joint Symposium (Jan. 21-24, 2003)

1st NSF - MEXT Joint Symposium
“Japan-US Symposium on Tools and Metrology for Nanotechnology”

• Expectations to the Cooperation between Japan and U.S.
• US government Nanotechnology Policy
• More Information

Expectations to the Cooperation between Japan and U.S.

In 2002, MEXT and NSF (National Science Foundation) agreed to hold joint symposia to discuss and exchange information on nanotechnology among researchers in Japan and U.S. for 5 years.

The 1st joint symposium between Japan and U.S., “Tools and Metrology for Nanotechnology”, was held at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY on Jan. 21-24, 2003. The head of Japanese delegates was Prof. H. Tokumoto, Hokkaido University and that of U.S. was Prof. S. Tiwari, CNF (Cornell Nanofabrication Facility). Despite of the cold weather with the temperature of 30 degrees C below at night and 10 degrees C below daytime, 37 participants from U.S. and 23 from Japan had vigorous presentations and discussions about the latest research and development. On the 24th, the final day of the symposium, they toured 5 facilities, CNF, CCMR (Cornell Center for Materials Research), CHESS (Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source), CNS (Center for Nanoscale Systems in Information Technology) and NBTC (NanoBioTechnology Center).

At the opening of the conference, Prof. Fuchs, Dean of Engineering, Cornell University and Prof. Silcox, Vice Provost for Physical Science and Engineering who is well known in electron microscopy gave the welcome speeches. After that, Mr. Maruyama, Deputy Director-General, MEXT spoke on the basic policy, budget and priority research on nanotechnology in Japan, and Dr. Gulari, Acting Assistant Director for Engineering, NSF spoke on the outline of National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), budget, the latest research and development, and future policy. Additionally, Dr. Khosla, Program Manager, NSF and Ms. Okamura, MEXT gave opening addresses with expectation of this symposium, and Dr. Noda, Deputy Director of Nanotechnology Researchers Network Center of Japan spoke on Nanotechnology Researchers Network Project.

There were a total of 35 presentations (18 presentations from U.S. and 17 from Japan), on SPM, NSOM, beam technologies using electron-beam and laser, materials research on carbon nanotube, resist membrane, and semiconductor, and assembly technologies like MEMS/NEMS and building blocks. It was also introduced that the latest research methods and results such as measurement and standardization of the nanoparticle size.

There were participants from the facilities of Cornell Univ. and Stanford Univ. that are members of NNUN (National Nanofabrication Users Network) as well as from NSF (6 participants including Dr. Gulari) with great interests in this symposium. The NNIN (National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network) will supersede the NNUN next year. NNIN is expected to consist of 10 facilities, that is twice as many of the current members. Cornell Univ. and Stanford Univ. are considered to take a leading part and expect Japan to further cooperation toward NNIN.

U.S. Government Nanotechnology Policy

Prof. Gulari, Acting Assistant Director for Engineering, NSF explained the outline of National Nanotechnology Initiative including the important research area and the policy of 2003.
The federal budget for FY2002 includes 604 million USD (720 billion JPY) for nanotechnology research and development, one third of it for NSF. The allocation for each area of FY2002 budget is; 14% for biosystems, 45% for nano structures, 20% for devices and systems, 6% for environmental processes, 9% for modeling and 6% for nanoscale manufacturing. The main areas that NNI had achieved by FY2001 are molecular devices, mass-production of nanotube and DDS (drug delivery systems). In particular, the developments of converging technologies including biology have been outstanding and will be also regarded as important in FY2003.

At this point, an increase in the nanotechnology research and development budget for FY2003 has been requested but the federal budget for it has not been fixed yet. And it is newly added as important subjects as the efficient manufacturing process of nano materials, innovative technology to detect and protect against chemically and biologically hazardous materials and radioactive materials including explosives, tools, and standardization of measurements. In addition, education is another important subject. Educational systems and international exchange such as a summer school for young researchers were introduced in this symposium. US participants were highly interested in the educational system and human resource development of Japan in nanotechnology. Japanese participant introduced how to use Internet electron microscopy in education, which attracted the US participants.