Noriyuki Miura received his Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Science and Technology at Keio University in 2007 and continued his research activities at the same university as a post-doctoral fellow. In 2012, he moved to Kobe University, and was subsequently promoted to Associate Professor of that universityfs Graduate School of System Informatics in 2016.
He has conducted pioneer and systematically integrated research on near-field inductively coupled wireless communication technology between integrated circuit (IC) chips in a three-dimensional (3D) stack using integrated coils. As one of the most promising post-Moorefs Law technologies, modeling of near-field magnetic coupled communication channels and associated design technologies for transmitter and receiver circuits have been established. His research work at Keio University ranged [linearly] from fundamental to practical aspects, and he accomplished a real-world demonstration of state-of-the-art system-level performance of processor-memory 3D integration. Those developed technologies are now at the stage of practical usage.
Following his move to Kobe University, he opened up research areas regarding the novel functionality of IC chips with evolution of the theory and technology of near-field inductively coupled coils.
First, Professor Miura pursued functionality toward hardware security of IC chips. Cryptography is the key to preserving privacy and confidentiality of information; however, its hardware implementation leads to known vulnerabilities to physical attacks. The electromagnetic emanation from cryptographic engines allows attackers to eavesdrop on internal logical information using invasive electromagnetic probes. He successfully demonstrated on-chip attack sensors using integrated coils that detect the approach of such probes by attackers in the vicinity of IC chips.
Second, he initiated functionality toward permanent archiving of digital information. There is sure to be information of particular importance to be permanently preserved, amongst the [projected] 40 zetabytes of digital data that will exist worldwide by 2020. His idea of using near-field inductive coupling for wireless communication and power supply would enable full coverage of high-density semiconductor memory IC chips or even wafers with stable membranes and sustained memory life of over 1,000 years. He invented the structure of metal nano-dot at x-point of interconnects and fully wireless interface circuits.
His outstanding contribution to the fields of electronics, information and communication is deserving of this award. And, he can be expected to continue contributing to scientific and technological progress.