An opportunity has been created to share the latest research results on gallium oxide, a next-generation key semiconductor material.

The 5th Gallium Oxide Specialized Academic Workshop, hosted by the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers and organized by the Korean Gallium Oxide Technology Research Association, was held at the Daejeon Convention Center from August 30 to September 1.

This workshop will be held under the theme of ‘Dreaming of a Future of Carbon Neutrality and New Market Development with Gallium Oxide’, and will feature the presentation of 30 latest research papers on gallium oxide and an exhibition of government-supported R&D research results.

In this workshop, 30 papers on the latest gallium oxide materials, devices, and application technologies will be presented in four sessions: △Raw materials and single crystal growth technology △Epi-growth and doping technology △Applied devices and process technology △Simulation and characteristic analysis.

In addition, the research results of gallium oxide, such as △gallium oxide powder, △gallium oxide single crystal bulk ingot, △gallium oxide epi material, and △the world’s first 4-inch large-area gallium oxide power semiconductor device created through government R&D support, will be displayed in one place, allowing visitors to see the level of domestic gallium oxide research and development in person.

The Gallium Oxide Academic Workshop, held for the fifth time this year, aims to secure the source technology for gallium oxide, a next-generation ultra-wide band gap semiconductor material, and to promote Korea, a semiconductor powerhouse, in the field of gallium oxide.It is held annually to secure technological leadership. The number of papers published in the past four years alone is 122.

Kim Kyung-hwan, the president of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers, said, “The Gallium Oxide Workshop and the Korea Gallium Oxide Technology Research Association, which hosts it, are working to expand the base of technology exchanges among industry, academia, and research on gallium oxide semiconductors. We expect this to make a significant contribution to the creation of a new carbon-neutral market in Korea and the advancement of global gallium oxide technology.”

Moon Jae-kyung, the president of the Korea Gallium Oxide Technology Research Association (ETRI Senior Researcher), also said, “This gallium oxide specialized academic workshop is a very meaningful event because it allows us to share not only academic achievements related to gallium oxide but also the latest research results with experts from industry, academia, and research as well as the public. We plan to continue academic activities and close cooperation among industry, academia, and research to lead gallium oxide technology in the future.”

Meanwhile, gallium oxide (Ga2O3) is a semiconductor material like silicon (Si), gallium nitride (GaN), and silicon carbide (SiC). On the other hand, it is an ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG) material with a wider energy band gap than existing semiconductor materials, so it has higher power efficiency even at higher voltages and temperatures.

In addition, it is easy to make high-quality, large-area wafers from a solution through the melt-growth method, which is difficult to apply to existing materials, enabling the production of large, high-power devices at low cost.

In addition, gallium oxide semiconductors can reduce energy waste and contribute to carbon reduction due to their excellent power efficiency, and are thus receiving attention as next-generation power semiconductor materials for achieving future carbon neutrality.

The Korea Gallium Oxide Technology Research Association was established in 2017 as a specialized research association under the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers. The research association was established by ETRI's first chairman, Jae-kyung Moon, who initiated the nation's first next-generation UWBG gallium oxide power semiconductor technology development project with support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The ETRI research team, together with industry-academia-research experts from the Korea Gallium Oxide Technology Research Association, are carrying out the Ministry of Science and ICT's 'Material Innovation Leading Project (National Core Materials Research Group)' and the MOTIE-MOTIE-MOSMEs and Startups' 'Materials, Components, and Equipment Interagency Collaboration Running Together Project', and are striving to accelerate the development of gallium oxide technology through open research (Open R&D) and to create and preempt global new markets.