Tell us a little about your organisation. How do the areas of nanotechnology and sustainability impact your work?

The Nanofabrication Platform Consortium (NFPC) aims to enhance Japanese research capability in the nano- and micro-scale regions through the shared open use of leading-edge fabrication facilities of 16 participating universities and national research institutions which are geographically distributed over Japan. Each organization has its specific areas of technical excellence which are available to uses through our network. NFPC provides various types of service: 

• Technical consultation and support 
• Shared use of facilities with training of operation 
• Fabrication service by our engineers 
• Joint research between the user and the participating university/research institute 

NFPC contributes to sustainability by minimizing resources such as machinary and cleanrooms via shared use, providing optimal process technology without the needs for individual cut-and-try, and realizing the state-of-the-art solutions against sustainability issues based on nanotechnology.

What is the newest/most innovative development in nanotechnology that you and/or your organisation is excited about now?

When a researcher or an engineer has some idea to solve his/her problem by a nanotechnology-based principle/structure/device (or something), the feasibility of the idea is difficult to know. Easy access to the state-of-the-art knowledge and fabrication facilities can bridge the gap between the idea and a real device to be tested. The Nanofabrication Platform Consortium can provide consultation with the nanotechnology experts whether the inteded device can be fabricated or not, and, if the answer is yes, provide the support to make the device. The device may be useful to investigate fundamental nano science or can be applied to innovative products. In a different word, how to shorten the turn-around time from the initial idea to the working device is the key, I guess.  

What, in your opinion, are important factors or influences that will affect the direction of the nanotechnology community in the future?

Public acceptance, Good (and easy-to-understand) use cases, Cost reduction, Carbon footprint reduction.