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International Affairs
- Publish Date:2024-10-16
Witnessing Taiwan’s Semiconductor Power: Kyushu University Doctoral Student Conducts Advanced Technology Research at NYCU

Shinjiro Ono (pictured at the far left) conducted research at NYCU’s Nano Facility Center.
(Photo provided by Ono)
(Photo provided by Ono)
Kyushu University is deepening its collaboration with National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), a leader in semiconductor research in Taiwan. As part of this initiative, a doctoral student from Kyushu University spent two and a half months at NYCU, starting in mid-June, to conduct research. This student observed the strength of Taiwan’s research and development and talent cultivation in the semiconductor industry.
“NYCU is equipped with cutting-edge devices that Kyushu University doesn’t have,” said Ono, a first-year doctoral student at Kyushu University, as he stepped onto the Guangfu campus of NYCU in Hsinchu City, northern Taiwan. Just two kilometers away is the headquarters of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), located in the heart of the Hsinchu Science Park, often referred to as Taiwan’s Silicon Valley.
Ono is studying under Kyushu University’s Vice President Masaharu Shiratani, who is researching the application of plasma technology in semiconductor manufacturing. Ono’s interest in Taiwan was sparked by a lecture he attended in February, just as he prepared to enter the doctoral program.
Professor Seiji Samukawa, Director of the Taiwan-Japan Exchange Promotion Office (Taiwan-Japan Exchange Office) at NYCU and a semiconductor expert, visited Kyushu University to explain Taiwan’s industry-academia collaboration model. Samukawa’s research was relatively rare in Japan, so the opportunity for joint research immediately caught Ono’s attention, and he applied without hesitation when student recruitment began.
“NYCU is equipped with cutting-edge devices that Kyushu University doesn’t have,” said Ono, a first-year doctoral student at Kyushu University, as he stepped onto the Guangfu campus of NYCU in Hsinchu City, northern Taiwan. Just two kilometers away is the headquarters of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), located in the heart of the Hsinchu Science Park, often referred to as Taiwan’s Silicon Valley.
Ono is studying under Kyushu University’s Vice President Masaharu Shiratani, who is researching the application of plasma technology in semiconductor manufacturing. Ono’s interest in Taiwan was sparked by a lecture he attended in February, just as he prepared to enter the doctoral program.
Professor Seiji Samukawa, Director of the Taiwan-Japan Exchange Promotion Office (Taiwan-Japan Exchange Office) at NYCU and a semiconductor expert, visited Kyushu University to explain Taiwan’s industry-academia collaboration model. Samukawa’s research was relatively rare in Japan, so the opportunity for joint research immediately caught Ono’s attention, and he applied without hesitation when student recruitment began.

NYCU Collaborates with TSMC in Semiconductor Research and Development.
NYCU has two “Nano Facility Centers” located on the Guangfu and nearby Bo’ai campuses. One of the most striking aspects is the range of advanced manufacturing equipment. In clean rooms spanning about 4,000 square meters, state-of-the-art devices necessary for the “front-end” semiconductor processes—such as deposition, photolithography, and etching—are lined up, including machines from Applied Materials.
These facilities are available to students 24/7, with a dedicated team of around 20 staff responsible for operating and maintaining the equipment. Nearby, the Taiwan Semiconductor Research Center, established by the Taiwanese government, further enriches the research environment. In this environment, Ono evaluated the precision of a film deposition machine developed by SPP Technologies, a subsidiary of Sumitomo Precision Products.
NYCU has two “Nano Facility Centers” located on the Guangfu and nearby Bo’ai campuses. One of the most striking aspects is the range of advanced manufacturing equipment. In clean rooms spanning about 4,000 square meters, state-of-the-art devices necessary for the “front-end” semiconductor processes—such as deposition, photolithography, and etching—are lined up, including machines from Applied Materials.
These facilities are available to students 24/7, with a dedicated team of around 20 staff responsible for operating and maintaining the equipment. Nearby, the Taiwan Semiconductor Research Center, established by the Taiwanese government, further enriches the research environment. In this environment, Ono evaluated the precision of a film deposition machine developed by SPP Technologies, a subsidiary of Sumitomo Precision Products.
The same equipment will also be used in joint research between Kyushu University and NYCU. Ono received assistance from SPP’s Ryusuke Akihara, Chen-Yiha (a Ph.D. student qualified to use equipment at the Taiwan Semiconductor Research Center), and postdoctoral researcher Chen Cheng-Ying, who is affiliated with both the Taiwan-Japan Exchange Office and NYCU.
Chen initially researched materials used in lithium-ion batteries and did not specialize in semiconductors. “I was impressed by his enthusiasm and willingness to work on the project despite his different background,” Ono remarked.

Ono aspires to work in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment industry.
At the Taiwan-Japan Exchange Office, Keiji Morishita supported Ono, a humanities graduate student who had been studying at Taiwanese universities since undergraduate school. At the same age as Ono, Morishita became a valuable source of comfort in daily life. Morishita is also interested in the semiconductor industry, and Ono commented, “Diverse exchanges like these may spark innovation.”
As he prepares for job hunting next year, Ono plans to leverage his experience in Taiwan and aims to work for semiconductor manufacturing equipment companies in Japan and abroad.
NYCU has long played a leading role in Taiwan’s semiconductor research, creating the first transistor to control electric current in Taiwan in 1965. The university collaborates with companies such as TSMC through joint research labs, continuously contributing expertise and talent to the fast-moving semiconductor industry.
In September 2023, Kyushu University and NYCU and Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) signed an agreement to promote researcher collaboration and talent exchange. The joint research lab between the two universities began operations in August 2024.
Vice President Shiratani of Kyushu University emphasized the significance of this partnership: “Our goal is to have students experience both Kyushu University’s strengths in equipment and NYCU’s wealth of front-end process facilities, fostering talent capable of understanding the entire manufacturing process.” Kyushu University aims to send this cutting-edge talent from Kyushu to the world.