Development of Blu-Ray Disc Offering High Image Quality Development of Blu-Ray Disc Offering High Image Quality
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September ~ November 2010 Sony Corporation ・Research and Development of a Electronic Information Nanometer-controlled Optical Disc System (FY1998‒FY2002) Development of Blu-ray Disc Offering High Image Quality Demand continues to grow for recording media capable of storing increasingly larger amounts of data. Capacity Capacity Capacity Label side In April 2003, Sony Corporation̶the world’ s leader in Label side Cover layer Label side recording innovation̶released the Blu-ray Disc (BD), a Cover layer next-generation, high-capacity optical disc that Cover layer Lens numerical Lens numerical aperture (NA) aperture (NA) Lens numerical aperture (NA) launched the age of high-quality recording media. Laser Laser Laser wavelength wavelength wavelength The development of this technology was derived from a NEDO project which, in addition to Sony, involved other Japanese companies with expertise in the field. Through collaborative efforts, the companies devised three basic parameters, namely blue laser Cross-section and optical system differences in the CD, DVD and BD wavelength, lens numerical aperture (NA), and cover layer (depth of recording layer), which are the most Electron beam column important standards for the BD. Establishing these standards as the common“axis” on which NEDO proj- Electron beam ect team members would carry out their research and development activities enabled those involved to con- tinue their efforts to find solutions that would demon- strate these required functions. Rotation Feed Through this NEDO project, Sony also developed Master disc electron beam drawing equipment with a rotary stage capable of drawing nanometer-level pit patterns, as Precision stage well as resist pattern measurement atomic force Illustration of electron beam drawing equipment with rotary stage microscopy (AFM) equipment fitted with ultra-preci- sion pit measurement technology capable of evaluat- ing the accuracy of bit patterns. The key technologies developed through this project that proved indispens- able in successfully developing practical applications for the Blu-ray Disc have contributed enormously to continued research and development efforts to improve optical disc functionality. In 2008, the BD drive developed by project partici- pants such as Sony held a 90% global market share. More recently, worldwide BD drive sales have contin- ued to soar with sales reaching 50 million units in 2011 and expected to reach 60 million units in 2012. Etched silicon wafer Sony Corporation 51 November 2008 Toshiba Home Appliances Corporation Electronic Information ・Digital Information Device Interoperability Infrastructure Project (Information Appliances) (FY2003‒FY2005) Controlling Your Home Remotely with a Home IT System As seen in the extensive variety of eco-friendly elec- Feminity IT Home Gateway System had been installed trical appliances offered by electronic retailers today, in about 4,000 households, primarily housing com- home appliance manufacturers are in fierce competi- plexes, and is expected to continue to gain in tion to enhance their products’ energy efficiency. popularity. However, to address global warming issues and achieve further energy conservation capabilities, the challenge remains to find ways to interconnect these home appliances. Connecting a home’ s air-conditioning system with the home’s lighting using information technology (IT) is one way to conserve energy. A sensor in the air-condi- tioning system detects someone’ s presence in the room, prompting the lights in rooms with no one in them to shut off. Home security also is important. Remote access technology, which enables homeown- ers to check and control such things as lights and door locks remotely using mobile phones and the Internet, are indispensable for ensuring safety and comfort. Bluetooth connection adapter for air-conditioners Initially, remote access technology developed Bluetooth is a short-range, wireless communication technology through this NEDO project was not based on a used in devices such as PCs method that communicated with the server in real time due to safety concerns regarding the Internet. However, it was necessary to eliminate the lag time ■Remote access via the Internet inherent in that system from the viewpoint of consum- Direct method developed that simultaneously resolves speed and er convenience, and the adoption of a system that safety problems Home communicates through a user identification server led Internet lines Direct method to the solution of the problem. HDD, DVD recorder, etc. Given that each manufacturer has fundamentally Cell phone Home different approaches and strategies for development, User gateway identification it would have been virtually impossible for these indi- server (ASP) IT air-conditioners PC, PDA, etc. Polling method vidual manufacturers to develop such a system on With conventional polling methods, equipment did not their own. However, because the manufacturers communicate with server in real-time, which created lag involved in this NEDO project endeavored to set aside times in operations their own interests and meet halfway for the benefit of Installing a user identification server between the user and the Feminity IT Home Gateway System the user, practical applications were successfully ensures security and enables switching between polling and direct methods. Active Server Pages (ASP) is original server technology developed by Microsoft. Toshiba Home Appliances Corporation developed for a home IT system. As of April 2011, the 52 October 2010 HGST Japan ・Super-advanced Electronics Technology Development Electronic Information Promotion Project (FY1995‒FY2000) Commercialization of a Perpendicular Magnetic Recording Method to Achieve High-density, Highly Reliable HDD Today, hard disk drive (HDD) recording has shifted and expertise accumulated from many years of funda- 100% to the era of perpendicular magnetic recording. mental research by universities and research organiza- Contributing enormously to the practical application tions was merged with the practical application of this technology was NEDO’s Super-advanced Elec- know-how of companies, and an“all Japan” system tronics Technology Development Promotion Project was constructed to carry out research and develop- launched in 1995. At the beginning of the 1990s, ment. Throughout this NEDO project, everyone Japan’s HDD manufacturing technology was far behind involved worked together as a team to resolve very that of the United States. With a magneto-resistive difficult technical issues. Japan eventually succeeded head that determined HDD performance, Japan was in developing practical applications for the technology as much as three years behind IBM, which boasted and acquired a 32% global HDD market share by the most advanced technology. Further widening this 2007, thereby improving its global competitiveness. gap was the fact that the United States and many other countries were carrying out research and devel- opment in this area on a national scale. The NEDO project was thus launched with the aim of Japan regaining its global competitiveness. Japan’ s key advantage was perpendicular magnetic recording technology developed in Japan. In contrast to longitudinal magnetic recording in which magnetic bits are written horizontally on the recording surface of the disk, as its name indicates magnetic bits are arranged vertically in perpendicular magnetic record- ing to enable more information to be recorded in a smaller space. Theoretically, information can be Magnetic head and arm stored up to around 100 Tb (1 Tb equals 1 trillion bits) per square inch. However, Magnetic head due to its complicated internal Magnetic head structure, the perpendicular magnetic recording head, medium and HDD were difficult Track width Recording to mass produce. The technolo- Recording medium medium gy has yet to be commercial- Soft ized even 20 years after its underlayer Magnetization direction introduction. With Professor Yoshihisa Difference between longitudinal recording system (left) and perpendicular recording system (right) With perpendicular magnetic recording, magnetic bits are highly-condensed and magnetized up or down Nakamura of Tohoku University perpendicularly to the recording midium surface. The magnetic field from the magnetic head is perpendicular to HGST Japan the recording medium, and a soft underlayer (SUL) is incorporated in the recording midium to return the magnetic leading the project, knowledge field to the magnetic head. 53 February 2014 OMRON Corporation ・Micromachine Technology Research and Development Project Electronic Information (FY1991-2000) ,etc. Realization of Compact, Light-weight, and High-performance Devices with“Moving” Semiconductors For digital cameras with automatic image stabilizers, high-resolution ink jet printers, automatic blood pressure monitors that can be easily used at home for the measurement of blood pressure and heart rate, and other digital devices, as well as automobiles and smart phones, many parts called Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) are used. MEMS transfers data processed by a large-scale integration (LSI), the brain of a digital device, to a mechanical part or it measures a physical motion or quantity and transfers it to the LSI. It is therefore a kind of“moving semiconductor” which for example repeats switch-on/off motions mechanically at an Pressure sensor. OMRON Corporation formally began its MEMS business ultrahigh speed. In addition, since MEMS is in a with this product. micro-meter size (a millionth of a meter), it can