Following a rigorous screening process, the Gold Awards, each for 2 million yen, were presented to Junior Associate Professor Hiroaki Kubota of Tokai University and Associate Professor Fumihiro Inoue of YOKOHAMA National University. In addition, five research projects received Silver Awards, and four Young Researcher Awards were presented.

The TANAKA Memorial Foundation undertakes programs designed to foster developments in new precious metal fields while contributing to the advancement of science, technology, and socio-economics for the overall enrichment of society. The research grant program was launched in FY1999 and has continued each year since with the goal of supporting the various challenges of the "new world opened up by precious metals." This year, the program's 23rd year, a total of 137 applications were received in a wide range of fields where precious metals can make contributions to the research and development of new technologies. A total of 16.6 million yen in research grants was awarded for 23 projects.

The names of the two Gold Award recipients, their research, and the reasons for their selection are below.

- Junior Associate Professor Hiroaki Kubota, Tokai University

Enhancing development of model-based design and production technologies for electronic parts containing precious metals

This research seeks to develop model-based design and effectiveness evaluation using numerical analysis methods - represented by methods such as the finite element method - to minimize cost and takt time related to product design, prototyping, and process design. This research was highly rated for its study of model construction and developmental process efficiency using Ag-Cu alloys, which has the potential of helping the development of processing technologies and improvement of performance for precious metal spring contacts and other products.

- Associate Professor Fumihiro Inoue, YOKOHAMA National University

Formation of backside power delivery network using precious metal wires

This research seeks to develop technology for the development of metal wire formation, which is an element technology for three-dimensional mounting that is gaining attention as an integration technology for advanced logic devices. This research, which is related to the formation of precious metal wires as new materials that fulfill the conditions of metal wires, was highly rated for being research and development that can significantly contribute toward the practical application of this technology.

Five Silver Awards, four Young Researcher Awards, and 12 Encouragement Awards were also granted. The recipients and an overview of the Precious Metals Research Grants are indicated below. Applications for the FY2022 research granted are scheduled to open in the fall.

List of FY2021 Precious Metals Research Grants Recipients

https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/files/20220331_EN.pdf