About Phonics Center

About Phonics Center

Osaka University is the key photonics research centers in the world, having hosted a number of photonics research projects with many of its faculties and schools conducting research and education from basic to applied levels and thereby producing numerous talented engineers. From 2001 to 2006, its Graduate School of Engineering pursued the “Frontier Research Institute,” a program for “Fostering Strategic Centers of Excellence under the Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology,” in which a nanophotonics project was selected as one of the priority areas. Under the framework of this program, aggressive efforts were made to establish photonics as an academic discipline and interconnect it with other disciplines, and also to promote industry-academia collaboration through, for example, joint research via matching funds with various businesses. It was in the spirit of such endeavors that in 2005 the Nano-Photonics Initiative was formed as an independent multidisciplinary research institution, gathering together researchers of electric and electronics engineering and applied physics. This research institution has since committed itself to the advancement of nanophotonics research, creation of new industries, and human resources development through a variety of initiatives, which include the startup of three venture businesses under the lead of the university, sponsorship of three rounds of the “International Nanophotonics Symposium Handai” convention, e-learning courses for working adults, and publication of an academic books (Handai Nanophotonics Book Series Vol. 1, 2, 3, Elsevier). Originally a virtual organization within Osaka University, the Photonics Center is carrying on the mission of this Nano-Photonics Initiative, providing opportunities for researchers in this broad-based discipline to engage in education, research, and information sharing. With the completion of the Photonics Center in 2011, the Center has further consolidated its foundations. There are currently more than twenty research labs, not restricted to specific graduate courses and major subjects, and numerous businesses at the Photonics Center conducting research on photonics as a base science and technology for the 21 century. Through such projects as the Photonics Advanced Research Center (2007–2016), the Photonics-based Eco-Life Technology Development Center (2009–present), the JSPS Advanced Nano Photonics Research and Education Center in Asia (2011–2015), and the succeeding Global Nano-Photonics (Core-to-Core Program 2016–2020), the Photonics Center carries out advanced scientific research on nanophotonics and plasmonics and their application and industrialization, development of photonics-based eco-life technology and support for its industrialization, and projects for international exchange and human resources development. Form April on 2017, the Photonics Center has been reorganized as educational research facility attached to graduate school of engineering. We are going to continue the mission of the center and promote education and creating photonics innovation.

Osaka University’s Photonics Center is engaged in the following projects

• MEXT PARC Project（2007-2016）
• METI Light Eco-Life Project（2009-）
• AIST-Osaka University Advanced Photonics and Biosensing Open Innovation Laboratory（2017-）
• JSPS Asian Nanophotonics Program（2011-2015）
• Advanced Research Networks (2016-2020) JSPS Core-to-Core Program Advanced Nanophotonics in the Emerging Fields of Nano-imaging, Spectroscopy, Nonlinear Optics, Plasmonics/Metamaterials and Devices（2016-2020）
• International Joint Research Promotion Program, Osaka University Nano-functional Photonics （2014-）