Our philosophy, goals, & education

Established in April 2013 through the reorganization of the Faculty of Engineering, the department brings together a majority of faculty members from the former Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, specializing in electronics, and a majority of faculty members from the former Department of Materials Engineering, specializing in materials science. Additionally, many faculty members from the Electronics Research Institute, which has strong ties to Professor Takayanagi, are also part of this department. Therefore, it can be said that the Department of Electronics and Materials Science carries on the vision of Professor Takayanagi.

The birth of the Department of Electronics and Materials Science signifies a fusion not only of faculty affiliations but also of academic disciplines. Indeed, the curriculum of the department allows students to study both electronics and materials science. Our faculty members aim to cultivate students with a broad global perspective, possessing expertise in both electronic devices and materials science.

So why was there a need to create such a fusion discipline?
It was nothing other than a demand from society.

The secret to the powerful operation of gasoline engines lies in measuring the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas to maintain the optimal fuel-air mixture. The sensor used for this purpose is made of a ceramic material called zirconia. The circuits that control it are truly the magic of electronics.
And then, there is the now ubiquitously indispensable car navigation system. At a cursory glance it is a visible display, but inside, it is an intriguing circuitry packed with the power of electronics and materials. Antennas that identify and lock onto GPS signals, electronic circuits that calculate positions, and liquid crystal panels for the display. Together, they guide us through even the most complex routes.
This fusion of technologies makes our lives more convenient and enjoyable.
For those who aspire to contribute to future technology, the Department of Electronics and Materials Science provides a platform to learn the collaboration between electronics and materials. We hope you become the innovators who lead the future. That is our one and only wish.
Japan’s manufacturing has been leading the world. The epitome of its global manufacturing leadership is the automotive industry.
Automobiles incorporate a multitude of electronic components, both visible and invisible.
One example of the invisible components is the control of engine combustion. In a gasoline engine, power is obtained by igniting a mixture of air and gasoline, with the optimization of the air-fuel ratio (stoichiometry) constantly monitored by measuring the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas and feeding the result back to the control circuit. The sensor used for this purpose is made of a ceramic material called zirconia. The circuits that control it are truly the magic of electronics.
An example of visible components is the now ubiquitously indispensable car navigation system. Roughly speaking, the navigation system consists of an antenna (dielectric ceramic material) for receiving GPS signals, electronic circuits (electronics) for calculating the car’s position and route, and a display (liquid crystal panel material) for presenting the results. However, all these components function as a car navigation system only when electronics and materials are fused together.
In this way, most of the industrial products around us are created by fusing electronics and materials, but in traditional engineering departments, electronics are taught in electrical and electronics engineering departments, and materials are taught in materials science departments, forming a vertically segmented curriculum. It would not be an exaggeration to say that training students with knowledge in both areas was hardly done.

In the Department of Electronics and Materials Science at Shizuoka University Faculty of Engineering, we aim to enrich and equip students with knowledge in both electronics (such as electronic circuits and devices, also known as electronics) and materials science. Our department serves as a fusion discipline that combines these two fields of study.
Additionally, in our department, students choose to specialize in either the “Electronic Devices Physics Course” or the “Materials Energy Chemistry Course” starting from their second year. The former is a curriculum primarily based on physics, while the latter is more oriented towards chemistry. Therefore, our department provides a satisfying learning environment for students who have preferences for either physics or chemistry.