ISTEC Topics
TV Tokyo aired SQUIDs developed at ISTEC.
The “News Answer” program aired between 16:52 – 17:20, 22nd October (Mon) 2012, and included a special feature entitled, “Earthquake prediction? Sky is the key!” The news feature promoted SQUID devices developed at ISTEC as a promising future technology. Tanabe, Deputy Director General, was interviewed as part of this feature.
http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/mv/newsanswer/newsl/post_28978/
ISTEC attended the ASC International Conference.
The 2012 Applied Superconductivity Conference (ASC2012) was held at the Oregon Convention Center, Portland OR, USA, on 7th (Sun)-13th (Fri) October 2012. A total of 16 ISTEC members participated at the event with invited lectures, oral and poster presentations.
The Nikkei (front-page feature of the evening edition), published 7th September 2012, featured articles on ISTEC’s R&D activities.
The Nikkei (front-page feature of the evening edition), published 7th September 2012, featured articles entitled, “The route to an ultra-early warning earthquake system” and “Detecting magnetic field changes before an earthquake”, highlighting the development of terrestrial magnetic field observation systems and measurements of micro terrestrial magnetic field changes accompanying an earthquake, both which employ high-temperature SQUID magnetic sensors that were developed at ISTEC in collaboration with Tokyo Metropolitan University and Tohoku University.
The latest issue of OPTICS+ELECTRONICS (O PLUS E) featured an article highlighting the R&D activities of ISTEC.
The R&D results of Mutsuo Hidaka (Senior Research Scientist), and Hideo Suzuki (Senior Research Scientist), both from the Low Temperature Superconducting Devices Laboratory, featured in Plus E Vol.34 No.8, and highlighted their “Real-time waveform observation technology using superconducting technology”. Their work forms part of the “Development of next generation high efficiency network device,” commissioned by New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
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Physica C accepted journal manuscript submitted by Adachi, Senior Research Scientist.
An article submitted by Seiji Adachi (Senior Research Scientist), Deputy Director of Electronic Devices Division, was accepted for publication in Physica C as effect of 6th July 2012.
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“Tech-On”, an online publication of Nikkei BP, featured the Superconductivity Research Laboratory, ISTEC.
Tech-On, the online site of Nikkei BP, featured an article on 24th May 2012 entitled “Superconductivity Research Laboratory, ‘Realization of a large-scale laser CVD system for the fabrication of superconducting tapes’“.
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/NEWS/20120524/220333/?bpnet
The article featured a Q&A interview conducted based on experimental data with Professor Takashi Goto, who collaborated on the “Y-based superconducting power equipment” project.
ISTEC attended the International Cryogenic Engineering Conference – International Cryogenic Materials Conference (ICEC24-ICMC2012).
The 24th International Cryogenic Engineering Conference – 2012 International Cryogenic Materials Conference (ICEC24-ICMC2012) was held at Fukuoka International Congress Center on 14th (Mon) – 18th (Fri) May 2012. A total of 11 ISTEC members participated at this conference and gave invited lectures and presented posters on their research activities.
At the corporate exhibitions, Kyushu Electric Power provided documentation on their Yttrium-based superconducting equipment.
ISTEC’s PR was acknowledged in the conference proceedings published and distributed at the conference.
The 14th Superconductivity Technological Trends Forum
The 14th Superconductivity Technological Trends Forum was held at Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo on 21st May 2012, with approximately 140 participants. Under the theme of “the 25th anniversary of the discovery of YBCO and further development of superconductivity”, researchers from ISTEC and industry reported their recent status of research and development activities.
Senior Research Scientist, Sakai, was presented with “Excellent Paper Award” at the 2012-Cryogenics and Superconductivity Society Awards
Naomichi Sakai, Senior Research Scientist in the Superconducting Tapes and Wires Division and former SRL Research Scientists,
Shinya Nariki (current: Nippon Steel Corporation) and Izumi Hirabayashi (current: RIKEN), together with four other
researchers were presented with “Excellent Paper Awards” at the 2012-Cryogenics and Superconductivity Society Awards held on 14th May 2012.
Manuscript entitled “Application of a compact cryogen-free superconducting bulk magnet to NMR – Evaluation of a superconducting bulk magnet using NMR signal –
Their paper investigated the development of a compact NMR magnet fabricated by multilayering RE123-based (RE – rare earth)
bulk superconducting discs, which generated inner-side homogeneous magnetic fields. Whilst the magnetization characteristics
of the RE elements have been comprehensively investigated, the authors have undertaken FEM analysis of the magnet design,
which has been optimized for the multilayer RE123 bulk superconductor, producing a 200MHz (4.7T) NMR magnet with very
superior spatial homogeneity and time-stability of magnetic field distribution. Being pioneers in their field, not only
have they successfully measured a practical NMR signal by utilizing the trapped magnetic field of a bulk superconductor,
their results have made possible a compact MRI system a reality. Their paper was therefore highly valued as offering new
avenues of potential applications involving high temperature superconductors.
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Press Release 27 April 2012
The Industrial Superconductivity Technology Research Association (iSTERA), ISTEC being an associate member, published a press release on the world’s first successful attempt to verify electromagnetic stress tolerances of 150MPa at 3T, using a special-shaped (umbrella shape) large coil for the 500kW-class superconducting motor application. The project was undertaken under “The Development of Electromagnetic Yttrium-based Superconducting Rotating Machines (NEDO Grant-in-Aid development of alternative technologies intended for substituting rare earth metal materials or reducing their usage)”.
he Society of Non-Traditional Technology presented Senior Research Scientist, Ishimaru, with the 16th Award on Superconductivity Science and Technology.
On 17th April, 2012, Yoshihiro Ishimaru, Senior Research Scientist in the Electronic Devices Division was presented
with “The 16th Award on Superconductivity Science and Technology” by The Society of Non-Traditional Technology,
together with other two awardees, for their work on “Pioneering Research on Thin Film Material of Iron-based Superconductors”.
Details behind the award:
The recipients are the world first to have successfully realized superconductivity in an epitaxial SrFe2As2 thin film
of iron-based superconductors. Further world-leading research achievements involve the discovery of new superconducting
phenomena induced by the exposure of undoped SrFe2As2 epitaxial thin films to water vapor, achieving high critical current
densities exceeding 1MA/cm2 in BaFe2As2 thin films, and realizing Josephson Junctions and Superconducting Quantum
Interference Devices fabricated from bicrystal junctions. The awardees exploited the deposition technology of high quality
BaFe2As2 thin films and demonstrated that the critical current density of iron-based superconductors remained intact without
any detrimental effects until the misorientation angle became twice that of copper-oxide superconductors. Thin films
fabricated on metal-tape substrates exhibited critical current densities equivalent to single crystal substrates.
They foresee the likelihood of thin-film wire applications of iron-based superconductors.
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The 59th Meeting of Japan Society of Applied Physics and Related Societies, "Professor Shoji Tanaka's (First Director General of Superconductivity Research Laboratory) Memorial Symposium", held at Waseda University, March 15th 2012.
Professor Shoji Tanaka (Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo, Honorary Director General and Advisor to the International Superconductivity Technology Centre), who achieved great success in cultivating the high temperature superconductor research field and leading the development of application technologies, passed away last November. It was just 25 years ago, back in 1987, when the critical temperature of high temperature superconductors exceeded liquid nitrogen temperatures. The superconductivity division of the Japan Society of Applied Physics held a memorial symposium entitled "The past 25 years and the future of research and development of high temperature superconductors - from the night before the discovery, up to current developmental stages of superconducting devices and wires". The symposium was divided into two sessions with two lectures in each session. Lectures in the first session were made by Dr. Koichi Kitazawa (former Executive Director of JST) and Dr. Hideo Ishii (Tokyo Electric Power Company; OB at Tanaka Laboratory in the University of Tokyo), both presented the status of superconductivity at the time when high temperature superconductor was discovered, reminiscing on their memories of Professor Tanaka in his laboratory at the university and his time as a student. Two lectures in the latter half session included one from Dr. Yuh Shiohara (Director of SRL) and Dr. Keiichi Tanabe (Deputy Director of SRL), presenting the progress of research and development of high temperature superconductor which was successfully led by Professor Tanaka at SRL/ISTEC, with several episodes into the explorations of new superconducting materials, superconducting integrated circuits, high quality large-scale single crystal growth, and high temperature superconducting wire development.
Full details of this meeting will appear in Superconductivity Web21 (2012 May issue).
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| Kitazawa(JST) | Ishii(TEPCO) | Tanabe(ISTEC-SRL) | Shiohara(ISTEC-SRL) |
March 1st 2012 Press Conference on "The Development Project relating to the Next Generation Highly-Efficient Network Device Technology"
Research outcomes from a project undertaken mainly by New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) in joint collaboration with ISTEC since 2007, and ending this fiscal year, were presented at the press conference. In order to monitor high-speed optical waveforms a "real time oscilloscope" utilizing a superconducting SFQ high-speed ADC (Analog to Digital Converter) circuit was developed by ISTEC, which resulted in the realization of a sampling frequency rate of 50GS/s.
Such high sampling frequencies have been realized in the past using conventional oscilloscopes together with a number of ADCs placed in parallel, however these have required waveform correctional software. Real time SFQ oscilloscopes are able to realize sampling rates of 50GS/s with only one ADC, greatly improving the reliability in waveform monitoring without the need for correctional software.
. Test results from the 5-bit ADC. The system utilizes a cooling system.
. Input signal (triangular waveform)
. Output waveform from the 5-bit ADC
Eco-Products 2011 The event ended in a great success.
"Eco-Products 2011" held at Tokyo Big Sight on the 15th - 17th December, where ISTEC also presented, ended in a great success with 181,487 visitors.
At the ISTEC booth we introduced a technical exhibition highlighting superconducting devices and made the general public aware about superconductors, with presentations given to junior high school students explaining the relationship between the Smart Community and superconductors, and giving them the opportunity to ask questions to our superconductor experts. Cartoons on the wall of the booth simplified explanations of superconductors and superconducting applications. A model of magnetic levitation train, "SF Train," was operated on an 8m-long rail within the booth. The exhibition attracted a huge amount of interest from both children and adults, receiving favourable comments from the many visitors.
15(Thu.) - 17(Sat.) December ISTEC Presenting at Eco-Products 2011
ISTEC will be presenting at Eco-Products 2011, held at Tokyo Big Sight on 15(Thu.) - 17(Sat.)December. http://eco-pro.com/eco2011/
ISTEC at Booth Number 1-055 in the Smart Community Zone
Cartoons and a model of a "Superconducting Levitation Train, SF Train," utilizing Yttrium-based superconducting wires, have been used this year to explain superconductors.
The movie shows the demonstration run of the SF Train. The train is running smoothly on a 9m-long rail.
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Senior Research Scientist Izumi and Chief Research Scientist Yoshizumi, both received the Electrical Science and Engineering Promotion Award.
Senior Research Scientist Teruo Izumi, Chief Research Scientist Masateru Yoshizumi, and former Research Scientist of ISTEC Masashi Miura (Seikei University), were awarded the "59th Electrical Science and Engineering Promotion Award"
Obituary of Prof. Shoji Tanaka
Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo, Shoji Tanaka, Honorary Director General and Advisor of Superconductivity Research Laboratory (SRL) in International Superconductivity Technology Center (ISTEC), passed away on November 11th , 2011. He was 84 years old. He is survived by his wife, Kimiko, and his son Junichi Tomono.
Prof. Tanaka verified the superconducting phenomena of cuprate high temperature superconductor (HTS) for the first time in the world in 1987. After his verification, the world-wide HTS fever was ignited. In 1988, he retired from the University of Tokyo. After his retirement, he endeavored to establish a new joint laboratory of industry, academia, and government. He was appointed as a Vice President of ISTEC and the first Director General of SRL in ISTEC. He served his position till 2008. During the period, he developed a variety of new HTS materials and also technology for fabricating HTS bulks, wires, and devices. He also contributed to raise young researchers and engineers.
A brief record of Prof. Shoji Tanaka;
He was born in Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, in 1927. He graduated from the Applied Mathematics in the School of Engineering of the University of Tokyo in 1950, and was appointed as an assistant professor in the department of Applied Physics in 1958, professor in 1968, and Professor Emeritus in 1988. He was approved to be a Vice President of ISTEC and the Director General of SRL in 1988. Prof. Tanaka achieved great success in various research fields including semiconductor devices, electron transport phenomena, charge-density wave, and superconductivity. In 1999 he received the degree of Honorary Doctor of Science from the Purdue University in USA, and in 2005, he was engaged as an Advisory Professor of Shanghai University. He received two awards, the Medal with Purple Ribbon and the Order of the Rising Sun, from Japanese Emperor, in 1990 and 1999, respectively. He also received many other domestic and international awards.
Hasuo, Senior Research Fellow of ISTEC, receives an award at EUCAS 2011.
Dr. Shinya Hasuo, Senior Research Fellow of ISTEC, received an IEEE Award (the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) at the "Superconductivity Centennial Conference" (Joint sponsorship by EUCAS, ISEC and ICMC) held in The Hague, Netherlands, from the 18th to 23rd September 2011.
The latest issue of Otpcom features an article on ISTEC's research and development activities.
A report concerning the research outcomes of the "Development of the Next Generation High-Efficiency Network Device Technology," a project commissioned by New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), was featured in the September 2011 issue of Optcom http://www.opt-online.jp/products/detail104.html.
For this project, ISTEC developed the common basic technology required for the realization of a low-energy consumption edge router.
ISTEC Announces New President
At the 48th Ordinary Board of Directors Meeting and the 38th Board of Councillors Meeting held on 15th June, 2011, Mr. Shosuke Mori, Chairman of Kansai Electric Power Co, Inc., was appointed to the position of president to replace Mr. Tsunehisa Katsumata, Chairman of Tokyo Electric Power Company. Mr Mori officially took office as of 16th June, 2011. Mr. Mori issued his statement on 16th June, details of which can be found on the'About ISTEC' link.
Conference Presentations
・ISTEC made five presentations for the "2011 Spring Meeting of Cryogenic and Superconductivity Society of Japan," held 18th - 20th May in Tsukuba City.
Publication
・Technisch Wetenschappelijk Attaches (TWAs), a homepage forming part of the Ministry of Economic Affairs in the Netherlands, introduced the Technological Development of Superconductivity in Japan.
The website, aimed at a domestic audience, featured the technological achievements in science and technologies between nations, highlighting Japanese technological development in superconductivity as well as introducing ISTEC.
http://www.twanetwerk.nl/default.ashx?DocumentId=14793 (in Dutch）
Conference Presentations
・A total of five presentations for the "2011 Spring Meeting of Cryogenic and Superconductivity Society of Japan"
・One presentation for the "7th Regular Meeting of Cryogenic Association of Japan" held in 2010
・One presentation for the "March Meeting of the American Physical Society"
・At the "2011 International Workshop on Novel Superconductors and Super Materials", ISTEC made two presentations relating to the Funding Program for World-Leading Innovative R&D Science and Technology (FIRST Program).
Publication
・"The History of ISTEC," written by Shoji Tanaka, the former Superconductivity Research Laboratory Director, featured in the preview issue of the European Superconductivity News Forum.
http://www.ewh.ieee.org/tc/csc/europe/newsforum/preview.html