General Manager of ROHM Research & Development Center Promoted to IEEE Senior Member!
On Saturday, 18 November 2023, Yoshiaki Oku, General Manager of ROHM Research & Development Centre was promoted to “Senior Member” of the IEEE, the world's largest professional association for the advancement of technology. This marks the second such promotion at ROHM, following Group General Manager Nakahara of ROHM Research & Development Centre, who was promoted in 2021.
What is the IEEE
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), headquartered in the United States, is the world's largest academic research organization and technical standards organization in the field of electrical and information engineering.
The IEEE has more than 400,000 members in more than 160 countries, and is organized into 39 subcommittees that publish papers, hold international conferences, develop standards, and support communication among members.
Since its founding in 1963, it has focused on the fields of electrical engineering and electronics, telecommunications, and semiconductors, but in recent years it expanded into peripheral areas such as robotics/automation and vehicle technology.
What is a Senior Member
Senior Member is the highest grade of IEEE membership, held by only about 10% of all members.The following conditions are required for promotion to Senior Member.
【Promotion requirements】
・Must be an engineer, scientist, educator, technology manager, or founder within a field designated by IEEE.
・Must possess a minimum of ten years' professional experience.
・Must have demonstrated outstanding achievements for at least five of those ten years.
Additionally, letters of reference from three IEEE members holding Fellow, Senior Member, or Honorary Member status are required.
(Made based on IEEE - Qualifications for IEEE Membership)
The Process of Senior Member Promotion
His contributions to research and development across diverse fields—including LSI process technology, organic electronics, and sensors/IoT—have been recognised, encompassing national programmes under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Consequently, he has been promoted to Senior Member status upon recommendation by nominators Professor Masaaki Kuzuhara (Fellow Member) of Kwansei Gakuin University, Professor Kimimaro Yoshikawa (Fellow Member) of Hiroshima University, and Mr Nakahara, Group General Manager of ROHM Research & Development Centre (Senior Member). Furthermore, since 2023, he has volunteered to support academic activities within the Electronic Devices Committee of the IEEE Kansai Section, playing a crucial role in organising conferences hosted by this branch.
【General Manager Initiatives to Date】
2000–2004 Research into LSI Interconnect Processes and Materials
Engaged in national research and development projects for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)/New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO) concerning LSI miniaturisation (45nm/32nm), which was challenging for individual Japanese semiconductor companies at the time. Although the project did not yield results that could be brought back, the collaborative experience and network formed during this period with device manufacturers, equipment manufacturers, materials manufacturers, national research institutes, and METI remain valuable to this day.
2004–2008 Research in Organic Electronics
Following my return from the aforementioned national project, I led collaborative research in organic electronics/flexible electronics centred on Kyoto University, involving five private companies. This initiative utilised matching funds from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)/Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) to achieve co-creation.
Since 2009 Research in new fields stemming from sensor and IoT research
In sensor and energy harvester research, we pursue customer needs and engage in collaborative R&D with client companies' development and business divisions to create end-user value. Also engaged in IoT demonstration research for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry/New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO).
Appointed General Manager of ROHM Research & Development Centre in 2019. In addition to sensors and actuators, research focuses on power electronics and packaging, optimal design and systems, and high-frequency passive devices.
【Research and development achievements highlighted in the letter of recommendation】
・"Recovery of Process-induced Damages of Porous Silica Low-k Films by TMCTS Vapor Annealing", 2004 International Conference on Solid State Devices and Materials (Tokyo)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7567/SSDM.2001.A-1-2
・"Novel self-assembled ultra-low-k porous silica films with high mechanical strength for 45 nm BEOL technology", IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting 2003
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/IEDM.2003.1269184
・"Estimation of carrier recombination and electroluminescence emission regions in organic light-emitting field-effect transistors using local doping method", Appl. Phys. Lett., 88, 093514, 2006
DOI: http://doi.org/10.1063/1.2181629
・"Principal Component Analysis Based GaN Transistor Live Health Monitoring", 2022 International Symposium on Semiconductor Manufacturing
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/ISSM55802.2022.10026977
General Manager of R&D Center Profile
Yoshiaki Oku
Yoshiaki Oku joined the company in 1998. He has been worked on in-house production of silicon wafers, followed by research into fine LSI materials and processes, organic electronics, energy harvesting, various sensors, and IoT system validation. From 2019, as General Manager of the Research & Development Centre, he assumed responsibility for research into low-cost SiC substrates and simulation technology, in addition to sensors and actuators. From 2024, he became responsible for research into enhancing the high added value of power electronics, optimal design and systems, and high-frequency passive devices.