A next-generation facility called a “giant microscope” capable of analyzing particles in minute detail and potentially paving the way for advances in materials science and drug discovery began operation in April on Tohoku University's campus in Sendai.
“Nano Terrace'', which boasts cutting-edge technology and was built through public-private regional collaboration, is a facility that uses synchrotron radiation, which generates electromagnetic waves such as X-rays from an electron accelerator.
The facility will enable scientists to observe matter at the nanometer (billionth of a meter) level, thereby facilitating innovation in a variety of applications in industrial development, such as maintaining food quality standards. is expected.
Masataka Kado, a spokesperson for NanoTerrace, which was also involved in the development of the facility, said after it began operations on April 1, it is “producing cutting-edge results that will enhance Japan's competitiveness.”
Nano Terrace is a next-generation synchrotron radiation facility on the Sendai campus of Tohoku University. Photographed on May 23, 2023. (Photo provided by: Nano Terrace Public Relations Group) (Kyodo)
This huge facility consists of a linear accelerator with a length of 110 meters and a circular accelerator with a circumference of about 350 meters, and the total construction cost is approximately 38 billion yen ($243 million).
The facility can accelerate electrons to nearly the speed of light and emit synchrotron radiation under the influence of a magnetic field, a process that requires a high concentration of light a billion times more intense than sunlight. We mainly deal with long wavelength soft X-rays.
Organizations such as the National Institute for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology and the Photonics Innovation Center are involved in the operation of the facility.
NanoTerasu is able to observe nanoscale phenomena that provide crucial insights for industry, giving companies a competitive edge over their competitors.
For example, the facility analyzes the behavior of electrons in materials to better understand the chemical elements in used rubber tires, to see how degradation affects them at the nanolevel, and to visually understand the function of proteins in drugs. can be used to measure its effectiveness.
Insights like this inspire the facility's name. “Terasu” is a Japanese word that means to shine a light on something.
For many years in Japan, the mainstream was the synchrotron radiation facility SPring-8 (Sayo City, Hyogo Prefecture), which uses hard X-rays to analyze the structure of materials.
The interior of the Nanoterrace, a next-generation synchrotron radiation facility in Sendai, Tohoku (photographed on April 1, 2024). (Kyodo News)
However, according to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, in recent years there has been a focus on using soft X-rays to analyze the state and function of materials.
In Europe and America, facilities have appeared that are 100 times more effective than facilities in Japan. NanoTerasu is an innovative ministry-led study launched in 2014 to reverse the performance gap.
Governments at the forefront of technology are working to lower barriers to its use. Sendai City has been granted the right to use Nano Terrace for 2,000 hours a year, and has set up a system in which local businesses can use it for a fee of around 40,000 yen per hour.
Miyagi Prefecture, which paid for the maintenance costs, is providing support through fee reductions and exemptions. The prefectural capital is Sendai City.
In order to demonstrate the usefulness of the synchrotron radiation facility, the prefecture held a meeting in March prior to NanoTerrace's operation, and held a debriefing session for companies to report on their use of existing facilities.
Sendai-based Iris Ohyama Co., Ltd., known as a market leader in innovative consumer electronics products, is investigating how the quality of tuna changes during thawing after a private company joined the facility's pilot operation in March. reported on.
We were able to investigate at the nanometer level how the water released during thawing impairs the taste of fish. A company representative said, “Once you understand the mechanism, you can develop products with confidence.''
Sendai Mayor Kazuko Kori said she hopes the new facility will act as a “catalyst for the development of local industry.”
The Tohoku Economic Federation estimates that the economic effect of operating Nano Terrace over the next 10 years will be 1.9 trillion yen.
A Sendai City official said, “We want to make the significance of this facility widely known so that it does not become a white elephant.''
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