UK-Japan Nanotechnology Symposium was held under the support of Nanotechnology Researchers Network Center of Japan, MEXT and Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Priority Areas “Physics of Quantum Nanoelectronics and Application to Novel Devices” (supervised by Prof. N. Miura and Prof. Y. Arakawa) of MEXT in order to further promote UK-Japan research collaboration and researchers exchange program in nanotechnology.
There were two sessions at the symposium. In oral sessions, four researchers from UK and three researchers from Japan talked about nano physics, nano information technology devices and nanobiology. In a poster session, ten young Japanese researchers on the UK-JAPAN researchers exchange program supported by the MEXT/NANONET fund presented posters and three collaborative researches between universities in England and Japan were also presented. About 100 people participated the symposium and both of the sessions were filled with discussions on the topics.
The nano physics session started with the opening remarks by Prof. Miura, The University of Tokyo, Prof. Sakaki, The University of Tokyo, and Mr. Sato, MEXT. Prof. Eaves, University of Nottingham, gave a speech entitled “The Fragmented Band Structure of Dilute Nitride Semiconductors: Physics and Prospects”. In his talk, how magnetotunnelling spectroscopy can be used to probe directly the unusual band structure properties of Ga(AsN) and possibility of band structure engineering applications of dilute nitrides for novel devices were addressed. Next, Prof. Ando, Tokyo Institute of Technology, gave a speech entitled “Carbon Nanotube Photo-Physics” and talked about his resent progress in electric and optical properties of carbon nanotubes. Then, Dr. Williams, Hitachi Cambridge Laboratory, talked about the possibility of usable structures for quantum computation and cryptography under the title of “Solid-State Structures for Quantum Information Processing”. He also talked about how semiconductor quantum dots are suitable for optically driven quantum computers and interface devices for quantum communication and for that purpose, single photon sources have been created. The devices can be driven optically and electrically at high repetition rates. At the end of the session, Prof. Skolnick, University of Sheffield, talked about quantum dots under the title of “Self Assembled Quantum Dots: Atoms in the Solid State”. Quantum dots are frequently referred to as model atomic systems in a solid state. In his talk, he addressed the results to what degrees such a description works taking into several important properties: relaxation phenomena, spin effects, interaction with a continuum of states and laser properties. He also addressed self-assembled dots exhibit many properties which atom-like systems have but there are some important exceptions in excited states of the system and at high temperatures.
In the nano information technology devices and nanobiology session, Prof. Arakawa, The University of Tokyo, talked about recent progress in manipulation of electrons and photons in the quantum dots and photonic crystal for future quantum information devices under the title of “Manipulation of Electrons and Photons in Quantum Dots and Photonic Crystal for Nanophotonic Devices”. Prof. Chamberlain, University of Durham, gave a speech entitled “Between Radio and the Light Bulb: Terahertz Activities in Europe for Biology, Healthcare and Other Applications”. As a member of TeraNova, he mentioned that the Terahertz Gap between optics and electronics is coming to closure. He also mentioned the activities that will be undertaken in the TeraNova Integrated Project program to develop optical, opto-electronic and photonic functional components operating in this under-exploited region of the electromagnetic spectrum between millimeter wave and the infrared regions. Using these components, systems will be assembled for application, bio-analytics, safety and security, healthcare, and the monitoring of high technology industrial processes. The TeraNova program builds upon recent, highly successful European-led collaborations and involves large and small industries throughout Europe.
Dr. Harada, The Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, gave a speech entitled “Studies on Biomolecules Using Single Molecule Imaging Techniques”. She was able to observe individual behaviors of biomolecules in real time using an optical microscope by attaching a small tag such as a single fluorescent dye molecule to biomolecules, or a tag that is huge compared to the size of a biomolecules. Huge tags such as micrometer-sized plastic beads also allow the manipulation of individual molecules with optical or magnetic tweezers. Using these techniques, she was also able to observe individual behaviors of RNA polymerase and Nerve growth factor (NGF)-receptor complexes on the membrane of nerve cells.
