Vol.21 No. 4
〈The Research Center for Electronic and Optical Materials〉
Revolutionizing Electronic and Optical Materials: New Initiatives
The transition from vacuum tubes to transistors enabled groundbreaking advances in electronics.
Likewise, the invention of optical fibers and their integration into the internet and other networks have made the world a smaller place as global communications have become dramatically faster and more convenient.
These examples illustrate the effect of advances in electronic and optical materials on social development.
These materials leverage the properties of electrons, ions and photons, often within crystals.
Established in April 2023, the Research Center for Electronic and Optical Materials has been researching and developing these sophisticated, globally important materials.
The Center has been carrying out two major projects since its inception. They aim to bring about social innovation by strategically producing electronic and optical materials with new functions through precisely designed crystals.
This NIMS Now issue highlights these new projects in detail.
Key project
The Research Center for Electronic and Optical Materials has launched two new projects.
Research Highlights
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2023.12.05
Could gallium oxide be a major player in next-generation power semiconductor devices?
Power semiconductor devices control electricity by acting as switches or rectifiers in industrial equipment and consumer electronics. Gallium oxide (Ga2O3) has the potential to serve as an outstanding power semiconductor material because it could, in theory, outperform the other two major candidate compounds, silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN). Yuichi Oshima and Takayoshi Oshima […]
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2023.12.05
Extracting useful resources from CO₂ using hydrogen-conducting crystals
The international community is engaged in urgent efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. One innovative approach to reducing these emissions is allowing CO2 to react with hydrogen gas (H2), thereby converting it into useful compounds, such as methane (CH4) and methanol (CH3OH). Soshi Iimura has developed a material capable of […]
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2023.12.05
Skillfully creating infrared (IR) transparent ceramics from raw powder sources
Infrared (IR) sensors are indispensable in making our lives safer and more secure. Koji Morita has been researching and developing ways of fabricating transparent ceramics for use in optical windows—a vital IR sensor component—in an effort to create high-quality window materials at lower cost. Fabrication processes impact ceramics’ characteristics The two discs shown in the photo […]
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2023.12.05
New insights enable development of a cheap, low-toxicity optical semiconductor device
Semiconductor devices are a vital component in high-sensitivity infrared (IR) sensors. Achieving widespread use of these sensors will require the development of cheaper, less toxic next-generation semiconductor devices. Takaaki Mano has been working on semiconductor devices with novel operating principles. Growing high-quality InAs crystals on low-cost GaAs substrates Demand for IR sensors—used in for example night […]
