Our studies

Introduction

We proceed the basic research for the measurement of thermal energy and the thermal properties of materials. Thermo-physical properties, especially for thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of materials, attracts the industry's attention nowadays, and the development competition becomes more and more intense in the thermal energy management of electronic parts (CPU, power transistor, new battery systems) and the new design of materials such as LED lighting package. The methodology and the measuring instrument systems based on our long-time scientific knowledge have come into use in the industry, of which we are proud as the results of the engineering research in a true sense.

Increasingly, thermal management becomes more important, in order to control the world's urgent topics concerning the thermal insulation for power saving and the storage of the provision. We pursue our studies in the knowledge that the new materials development and the measuring technology becomes more important.


Methodology for measurement and Materials design

1.Method of measurement of thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity using temperture wave

(key words) thermal diffusivity measurement in high precision electron beam lithography, dielectrophoresis, international standard

Focusing on the advantage of a.c. method in thermal analysis from the earlier days, we have been developing the temperature wave analysis in the past 20 years, that is utlilized for the precise measuremeent of thermal diffusivity of thin films. The original temperature sensors have been developed and now we are cahllenging the micro- and nano-scale measuremet in spatioal resolution. The method has been published as an international standard and becomes widely used in industries for various kinds of materials.


2.Non-contact & visualization for thermal imaging

(key words) Infrared camera(Gallery Fig. 1), FTIR spectrum 2D imaging

Imaging methods for visualizing the thermal phenomena in the IR wave region are in progress. Algorythms for capturing the radiation and spectroscopic image are developed in correlation with the materials thermal design (see Projects).


3.Thermal analysis in the next generation

(key words) Combination with AFM, Raman, XRD, TSC, TL, PAS

Combination of multiple measuring methods is one of the trend in the future technology of thermal analysis. We aim at the basic study of thermal conduction and diffusion in combination with the temperature wave analysis and the various kinds of technique for structure anaysis.


4.High-thermal conductivity・thermal insulating materials

(key words) Electric parts, Bbuilding materials, Packaging films, New battery

In view of power saving and little damage on the environment, thermal conduction becomes the indispensable propertis in developing the new materials. Thermal insulting for the buildings(see projects) and the food packages, high thermal conductivity materials for electric parts and new battery systems are now attracted in industries.


5.Thermal interface of laminated systems

(key words) High-thermal conduction on the display, a binding materials, adhesive tape

Thermal interface is a key-control of thermal design of the laminated system, however, the best suited analytical method to estimate the therma interface is not fixed. By developing the measuring method and the analytical tool to determine the accurate thermal impedance, we try to develop the fine structure of thermal conduction in the interface.


6.Thermal condudtion and phase transitions

(key words) molecular crystal, single crystal, liquid crystal, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, foods

Temperature wave analysis enables an accurate measurement of thermal diffusivity at 1st and 2nd order phase transitions. The results give the information on physical phenomenon and the thermal transport.


7.Thermal analysis of biological cells

(key words) cell fusion, cryo-preservation(Fig.2), storage of provisions,

Thermal phenomenon are important in the medical field and the food manufacturing. We now start applying our method to the biological field in order to measure the thermal phenomena quantitatively.