Semiconductor Technology Academic Research Center (STARC)
Semiconductor Technology Academic Research Center (STARC) is commissioned by client companies to conduct advanced research and development on semiconductor-related technology that meets the needs and more of these companies. STARC contributes to the further development of the Japanese semiconductor industry by strengthening the international competitiveness of semiconductor-related technologies by delivering early practical application of new technology.
The electronic and information industries, which are the basis of Japan's colossal industrial growth, continue to grow in importance as we move full ahead toward a highly sophisticated information society. At the very base of these industries is semiconductor development and applications centered on silicon LSIs. It is no exaggeration to say that the growth of the semiconductor industry holds a key to determining the course of Japan's future industrial growth. One of the great forces that has driven the semiconductor industry to its present scale is healthy, yet intense competition for technological development, and this is unlikely to change.
Japan's semiconductor industry, however, despite being among the world's leaders in this field, is not without problems. Software and system applications, for instance, lag behind those of other advanced nations. For us to grow continuously while maintaining balance and harmony in the global market, it is imperative that we overcome such weak points and at the same time step up our contributions to the world's industrial development. To do so, we must construct a framework to effectively promote the development of new technologies. This can be done by fostering viable cooperation between industry and academia.
The Semiconductor Technology Academic Research Center has been established against this background. Funded by Japan's leading semiconductor manufacturers, it aims to strengthen the country's technological foundation concerning silicon semiconductors and enhance international competitiveness by commissioning universities for basic research and/or promoting joint projects with them on a sizable scale. By doing so, the center hopes to contribute to industrial growth not only on a domestic level, but also on a global scale. Creative and unique research results with great applicability are most likely to come about from such activities. Further, the center will act as a place to nurture young engineers and researchers with a strong interest and passion in technological development as the backbone of the future semiconductor industry. Such young power and technological capacity at the center will no doubt further vitalize the country's industry, helping it to maintain and strengthen its technological edge in the world.