The ideal Environment for Materials Research is Here
Research Support Services in the DX Era

NIMS boasts a collection of state-of-the-art shared equipment.
Through meticulous maintenance by skilled engineers and advanced user support, a world-class research environment is provided for researchers both inside and outside the institution.

At the same time, NIMS has been at the forefront of driving DX* in materials development.
At NIMS, we have embarked on unprecedented missions to build a data management platform that seamlessly handles the entire lifecycle of materials data—from input (creation) to output (utilization).
By pioneering this initiative, NIMS has produced successful examples of data-driven materials development.
This effort laid the groundwork for Japan’s national strategy known as the “Material DX Platform” Initiative.
Under this vision, the shared facility services have been redefined as the “frontline of data creation,” uniting the shared facility services and the Material DX Platform Initiative under a common purpose.

* DX

Digital Transformation. It signifies a transformation in the very nature of operations through the integration of digital technologies and data utilization.

To efficiently advance this national strategy, NIMS consolidated engineers from both initiatives into the “Research Network and Facility Services Division (RNFS).”
Not only do they continuously refine their processing and measurement techniques, but they also lead the way in introducing innovative data services that anticipate the needs of the times.
RNFS is turning this grand vision into reality.

Cover Story

Transmission Electron Microscope: “Spectra Ultra S/TEM”

The Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) is an instrument that irradiates an ultra-thin sample, only a few tens of nanometers thick, with an electron beam of high acceleration voltage to observe its atomic arrangements and reveal the crystal structure by detecting transmitted electrons. The latest model, the “Spectra Ultra S/TEM,” excels at switching acceleration voltages and stabilizing the lens and sample stage within five minutes.