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The Warren Centre Engineering Building J13 Sydney University NSW 2006 T: (02) 9351 3752 F: (02) 9351 2012 E: warrenc@eng.usyd.edu.au |
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The Warren Centre Engineering Building J13 Sydney University NSW 2006 T: (02) 9351 3752 F: (02) 9351 2012 E: warrenc@eng.usyd.edu.au |
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| ISSUE 38, June 2004 |
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Taiwanese success story holds lessons for Australian nanotechnology A recent study of Taiwan’s world-leading nanomanufacturing industry has uncovered some lessons for Australia’s developing nanotech industries. The clearest of these messages is the success of collaboration between firms, government and scientists which has led to the development of Taiwan’s world-class nanomanufacturing industry. In Taiwan, the Nano Device Laboratories (NDL) acts as the bridge between government, researchers and industry and has leading-edge facilities that are open to researchers, students and industrial engineers. These facilities include an e-beam writer which is able to make holes and lines in material of a width of 20 nm. Nanomanufacturing at laboratories includes silicon-on-insulator (SOI) devices, ferromagnetic random access memory (FRAM), single electron transistors, molecular electronics, carbon nanotube electronics, biological sensing systems and electro-optical nanomaterials. Taiwan’s National Science Council, which is equivalent to a combination of Australia’s ARC and the Australian Academy of Science, oversees the operation of the national laboratories, including NDL and provides them with financial and operational support. The study of Taiwan’s nanomanufacuring industry was led by Dr Lingxue Kong, a research fellow with the Centre for Advanced Manufacturing Research in Nanotechnology at the University of South Australia. Dr Kong poses the question: What strategies does Australia need to develop for its manufacturing industry to be more competitive and sustainable? This is a critical point as tariff barriers for many industries, such as automotive, are to be lowered further. Is nanomanufacturing and nanotechnology one way to assist Australian industry to improve its standing on technology? If yes, Dr Kong suggests a collaborative approach that involves all stakeholders would be the best way forward for the nation. Dr Kong visited several laboratories, the Taiwanese Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), university research centres, and start-up companies that focus on nanotechnology. In his report, Dr Kong suggests that the development of advanced technologies such as nanomanufacturing require extensive collaboration and coordination between government departments, universities and research institutes, and industry. Dr Kong suggests the success of the Taiwanese economy, particularly its accomplishments in semi-conductors and nanomanufacturing, illustrates the effectiveness of collaboration and is a good example for Australia’s strategy for emerging technologies to emulate. Dr Kong found that Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturing, the forerunner to nanomanufacturing, was strongly supported in its infancy by government in the 1970s and continues today. After the IT bubble burst in the late 1990s, the Taiwanese government applied a similar strategy to its development of ICT to explore emerging technologies such as nanotechnology. Taiwan has since become a world leader in the nanomanufacture of semiconductor products. “Government leadership on large programs is vital as no companies [have the critical mass] to change the development and scenarios of advanced technology. The government must be determined to lead large projects,” writes Dr Kong. Dr Kong also found the Taiwanese encourage commercialisation and reward leading personnel. He suggests the ITRI (equivalent to CSIRO in Australia) has played a pivotal role in Taiwan’s recent growth by commercialising its research and encouraging leading researchers to establish spin-off companies. The Taiwanese government actively strives to secure leading research scientists who are mostly expatriates to head programs. In his report, Dr Kong stresses that the government’s commitment to invest in people has been a key to Taiwanese prosperity in the last two decades. Taiwan with its 22 million people is similar in population to Australia, but has more universities and more people studying overseas. “A well educated workforce has been the key factor for the country to produce and retain world leading researchers and engineers and for [its] industry to develop and introduce new technology,” writes Dr Kong. Dr Kong’s research into Taiwan’s nanomanufacturing industry was made possible through a Roger Pysden Memorial Fellowship in 2002. The fellowship is awarded annually by Australian Business Limited to Australians working in or studying manufacturing and administered by the Australian Business Foundation, the independent business research think-tank. Pysden Fellows undertake an overseas study tour, then report their learnings for the benefit of Australian manufacturing and industry. Dr Kong’s full report, information about past Fellows and application forms for the 2004 Roger Pysden Memorial Fellowship are all available at the Australian Business Foundation’s website – www.abfoundation.com.au Applications for the 2004 Roger Pysden Memorial Fellowship close on 13 August 2004. All Australians studying or working in manufacturing are eligible to apply for the $6,000 Fellowships, which entail an international study tour and a final report. For more information, contact Peter Clifton-Smith on (02) 9458 7342 or foundation@australianbusiness.com.au The Warren Centre is active in Nanotechnology, having just completed a pair of workshops, funded primarily by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources, investigating the industrial applications of nanotech that are real and generating value, NOW. To get your copy of the handbook created by the workshops please email warrenc@eng.usyd.edu.au or to obtain a copy of the Australian Directory of Nanotechnology Service Providers – 2004, go to http://www.warren.usyd.edu.au/nano/nano_directory(LR).pdf. |
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Nanotech Resource Book 2004 Innovation Lecture Handbook | |
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22 July
2004
An international forum of sustainable
transport initiatives Click here for more information and to register. Email: ac21@usyd.edu.au
Difficulties with
the above, Venue: Sydney Convention Centre & various Sydney University venues Web: www.usyd.edu.au/ac21 Email: ac21@usyd.edu.au 21st & 22nd July 2004 Australian Energy & Utility Summit 2004 The future of Australia's energy and utility sector Venue: Sydney Convention Centre Click here for more information or Contact Anthony Sprange (02) 9922 5609Email: anthonys@acevents.com.au
"Disruptive Technologies - Risk and Reward" An ATSE workshop Email: Dr John Nutt, ATSE for more info. 23 & 24 September 2004 Engineers Australia - Engineering Leadership Conference 2004 Venue: Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre Click here for more information on the web or here to request info by Email 27 to 29 September 2004 CHEMECA 2004 Venue: Australian Technology Park, Sydney Click here for more information on the web or here to request info by Email 15 & 16 November 2004 ATSE 2004 Symposium - "Living Longer, Living Better" Venue: Adelaide Hilton Hotel see www.atse.org.au for more details Paula Williamson (03) 9347 0622 or paulaw@atse.org.au | |
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