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SUMMARY:IEM Distinguished Lecturers Seminar: Advancing Sustainable Society
  Through Wide Bandgap and Ultrawide Bandgap Semiconductors
DTSTART:20260612T103000
DTEND:20260612T120000
DTSTAMP:20260509T161330Z
UID:a0d6c63ffb187bd4feb51e005bfd6d5dacbf4bbdf0078db3bbc2aa65
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:Prof. Hiroshi Amano\, Nagoya University\, Japan\nAbstract\nTh
 e realization of a sustainable society requires transformative advances in
  energy generation\, conversion\, storage\, and utilization. Semiconductor
  technologies play a central role in this transformation by enabling highl
 y efficient electronic and photonic systems that reduce energy consumption
  and environmental impact. Among these technologies\, wide bandgap (WBG) a
 nd ultrawide bandgap (UWBG) semiconductors have emerged as key enablers fo
 r next‑generation sustainable infrastructure.\nThis lecture reviews the 
 evolution of WBG and UWBG semiconductor research\, with a primary focus on
  gallium nitride (GaN) and its related material systems\, spanning from fu
 ndamental materials science to large‑scale societal impact\, especially 
 why poor Japanese University sparked the blue LED revolution. Now\, GaN ha
 s already demonstrated disruptive potential through its success in blue li
 ght‑emitting diodes and is now rapidly expanding into power electronics\
 , high‑frequency wireless communication\, and advanced energy systems. B
 y enabling lower power losses\, higher switching speeds\, higher operating
  temperatures\, and higher voltage operation\, GaN‑based devices contrib
 ute directly to significant reductions in global energy consumption and gr
 eenhouse gas emissions.\nBeyond GaN\, emerging UWBG semiconductors such as
  aluminum nitride\, gallium oxide\, diamond\, and related alloy systems of
 fer new opportunities for extreme‑performance electronics and photonics.
  These materials promise operation in previously inaccessible regimes of e
 lectric field\, thermal conductivity\, and optical transparency\, opening 
 pathways toward compact power grids\, resilient energy infrastructures\, a
 nd harsh‑environment sensing technologies. However\, their widespread ad
 option depends on overcoming critical challenges in crystal growth\, dopin
 g control\, defect management\, reliability\, and scalable device design a
 nd fabrication.\nDrawing on decades of research experience\, this talk hig
 hlights key lessons learned in materials development\, device engineering\
 , and ecosystem building\, emphasizing the importance of long‑term funda
 mental research coupled with close collaboration between academia\, govern
 ment and industry. Case studies illustrate how sustained efforts in fundam
 ental physics such as crystal growth and device physics can translate into
  practical technologies with global impact.\nThe presentation concludes by
  discussing future research directions and international collaboration opp
 ortunities\, particularly in the context of achieving carbon neutrality an
 d sustainable development goals. By integrating advances in WBG and UWBG s
 emiconductors with system‑level innovation\, these technologies are pois
 ed to play a decisive role in shaping a more energy‑efficient and sustai
 nable society.\n\nBiography\nProf. Hiroshi Amano received his Doctor of En
 gineering degree from Nagoya University. From 1988 to 1992\, he worked as 
 a research associate at Nagoya University. In 1992\, he moved to Meijo Uni
 versity\, where he continued his research and academic activities until 20
 10. He then returned to Nagoya University as a professor in the Graduate S
 chool of Engineering in 2010.\nOn October 1\, 2015\, Prof. Amano became th
 e Director of the Center for Integrated Research of Future Electronics Ins
 titute of Materials and Systems for Sustainability\, Nagoya University\, a
 nd was appointed Distinguished Professor.\nProf. Amano shared the Nobel Pr
 ize in Physics 2014 with Prof. Isamu Akasaki and Prof. Shuji Nakamura “f
 or the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes which has enabled
  bright and energy‑saving white light sources.”\nHe is currently leadi
 ng research on advanced fabrication technologies for high‑efficiency pow
 er semiconductors and next‑generation energy‑saving devices at Nagoya 
 University.\n 
LOCATION:SV 1717 https://plan.epfl.ch/?room==SV%201717
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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