Hiroshi Amano, Nobel Prize in Physics 2014: Nobel Lecture
Summary
TLDRProfessor Amano, born in 1960, shares his journey in developing gallium nitride-based blue LEDs, which revolutionized display technology. His research at Nagoya University led to the invention of high-quality gallium nitride films and P-type gallium nitride, overcoming significant challenges. Amano emphasizes the impact of LEDs on energy savings and encourages young researchers to tackle difficult subjects for societal improvement. His work has profound implications for lighting and displays, contributing to energy efficiency and accessibility.
Takeaways
- π Professor Amano, born in 1960 in Japan, received his PhD from Nagoya University in 1989 and is currently a professor there.
- π He expressed gratitude to the Nobel Committee and the Swedish Academy of Science for the recognition of his work.
- π¬ His lecture focused on two main topics: the growth of gallium nitride on sapphire substrates and the development of p-type gallium nitride.
- π‘ The significance of blue LEDs was highlighted, emphasizing their impact on modern displays and electronics, such as portable games and smartphones.
- π The 'H Haitz' graph illustrated the exponential improvement in LED performance over time, similar to Moore's Law in silicon-based technology.
- π§ͺ The challenges in growing gallium nitride included high pressure and temperature requirements, similar to those for synthesizing diamonds.
- π Amano's early research involved over 1,500 attempts to grow high-quality gallium nitride films, facing significant difficulties due to lattice mismatch issues.
- π A breakthrough came with the discovery of the low-temperature buffer layer technique, which allowed for the successful growth of gallium nitride.
- π The invention of p-type gallium nitride was a critical step, enabling the creation of blue LEDs and contributing to energy-efficient lighting solutions.
- πΏ The potential of LED technology to save energy and provide lighting in areas without electricity was discussed, with a focus on its benefits for future generations.
Q & A
What significant invention did Professor Amano contribute to that changed the world of lighting?
-Professor Amano contributed to the invention and development of blue LEDs using gallium nitride, which revolutionized the world of lighting and enabled the creation of white LEDs for more efficient lighting.
What was the major challenge faced by Professor Amano and his team in the early stages of their research on gallium nitride?
-The major challenge was growing high-quality gallium nitride due to the need for high pressure and high temperature, similar to the synthesis of diamonds, and the difficulty in finding a suitable substrate material that does not react heavily with ammonia.
What is the 'H Haitz' law mentioned in the script, and how does it relate to LED performance?
-The 'H Haitz' law refers to the improvement of LED performance by a factor of 20 per decade since the invention of commercially available red LEDs. This improvement is similar to Moore's law in silicon-based LSI and signifies the rapid advancement in LED technology.
What is the significance of the 'low temperature buffer' technology developed by Professor Amano?
-The 'low temperature buffer' technology is significant because it allowed for the growth of high-quality gallium nitride films, which was a crucial step in achieving high-performance blue LEDs and was adopted by many researchers worldwide.
Why was achieving p-type gallium nitride a critical milestone in the development of blue LEDs?
-Achieving p-type gallium nitride was critical because it allowed for the creation of a p-n junction necessary for the efficient operation of LEDs, enabling them to emit bright blue light, which was previously difficult to achieve.
What was the role of magnesium in the development of p-type gallium nitride?
-Magnesium played a crucial role as it was found to be much more effective than zinc in activating acceptors in gallium nitride, leading to the successful creation of p-type gallium nitride, which was essential for the development of blue LEDs.
How did the indium gallium nitride LEDs contribute to energy savings, as mentioned in the script?
-Indium gallium nitride LEDs contributed to energy savings by replacing traditional lighting with more energy-efficient LED lighting, which can save a significant amount of electricity, as demonstrated by the potential to replace 70% of lighting with LEDs by 2020 in Japan.
What was the impact of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake on Japan's energy generation, and how did LEDs play a role in addressing it?
-The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake led to the shutdown of nuclear power plants, which supplied 30% of Japan's electricity. LEDs played a role in addressing the energy shortfall by providing more energy-efficient lighting solutions, contributing to energy savings and helping to adapt to the reduced electricity generation.
What message does Professor Amano have for young researchers based on his experiences in developing LEDs?
-Professor Amano encourages young researchers to tackle more difficult subjects and contribute to the improvement of human lifestyles, emphasizing that the current facilities and funding are much better than in the past, providing more opportunities for innovation.
What was the age of Professor Amano when he achieved the breakthroughs in low temperature buffer and p-type gallium nitride?
-Professor Amano was 24 years old when he achieved the low temperature buffer and 28 years old when he achieved p-type gallium nitride.
Outlines
π Introduction and Background of Professor Amano
Professor Amano, born in 1960 in Hamamatsu, Japan, received his PhD from Nagoya University in 1989 and is currently a professor there. He expresses his gratitude to the Nobel Committee and the Swedish Academy of Science for the opportunity to present. He introduces two topics: the growth of gallium nitride on sapphire substrates and the development of p-type gallium nitride. He aims to discuss these achievements from a young researcher's perspective and shares his personal journey, including his early interest in blue LEDs and the impact of their development on modern displays and devices.
π¬ Challenges in Growing Gallium Nitride
The paragraph discusses the technical challenges faced in growing gallium nitride. It requires high pressure and high temperature similar to diamond synthesis. The search for a suitable substrate led to the selection of sapphire due to its chemical stability with ammonia. However, the large lattice mismatch of 16% between gallium nitride and sapphire posed a significant hurdle. The paragraph also touches on the history of LED development, the 'H Haitz' law, and the initial difficulties in achieving p-type conductivity in gallium nitride LEDs. It highlights the resourcefulness of the research team in developing their own growth reactor and the numerous failed attempts at growing high-quality gallium nitride films.
π Breakthrough in Gallium Nitride Growth
This paragraph details the breakthrough achieved by the speaker in growing gallium nitride. The speaker experimented with aluminum nitrate as a nucleation center for gallium nitride growth, leading to the successful creation of highly crystalline gallium nitride films. This technique, known as the low-temperature buffer layer, was a significant advancement and has been adopted by researchers worldwide. The paragraph also discusses the speaker's continued efforts to achieve p-type gallium nitride, which was a critical step towards the development of blue LEDs.
π The Quest for P-Type Gallium Nitride
The speaker recounts his research on p-type gallium nitride, which was a challenging and elusive goal. After unsuccessful attempts with zinc doping, the speaker turned to magnesium doping based on theoretical predictions and previous research. The paragraph describes the successful achievement of p-type conductivity in gallium nitride using magnesium, which was confirmed through various measurements. It also mentions the work of other researchers, including Nakamura's claim of achieving p-type gallium nitride through a simpler method involving thermal annealing.
π Impact of Indium Gallium Nitride LEDs on Energy Efficiency
The paragraph highlights the energy-saving potential of indium gallium nitride LEDs, especially in the context of the 2011 earthquake in Japan that led to a significant reduction in nuclear power generation. The speaker discusses the predicted replacement of traditional lighting with LEDs, which could save a substantial amount of energy. The paragraph also touches on the integration of LED lighting with solar cells and batteries to provide sustainable lighting solutions, particularly for areas without access to electricity. The speaker concludes with a message to young researchers, encouraging them to tackle difficult subjects for the betterment of human life.
π Acknowledgments and Closing Remarks
In the final paragraph, the speaker expresses his gratitude to various institutions, including Nagoya University and the research facilities that supported his work. He also acknowledges his family for their continuous support. The paragraph concludes with the speaker's thanks for the audience's attention, followed by the end of the presentation.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Gallium nitride
π‘LEDs
π‘High pressure and high temperature
π‘Low temperature buffer
π‘P-type semiconductor
π‘Lattice mismatch
π‘Indium gallium nitride
π‘Quantum well
π‘Energy savings
π‘Young researchers
Highlights
Professor Amano was born in 1960 in Hamamatsu, Japan, and received his PhD from Nagoya University in 1989.
He presents on the growth of gallium nitride and P-type gallium nitride.
The majority of his presentation overlaps with the previous presenter, Professor Isamu Akasaki.
Amano emphasizes the impact of blue LEDs on portable games and smartphones.
He discusses the historical development of LEDs, starting with red LEDs in the 1960s.
The performance of LEDs improved by a factor of 20 per decade, known as the Haitz's law.
Professor Shuji Nakamura developed the first blue LEDs using gallium nitride in 1971.
Amano joined Akasaki's group in 1982 as an undergraduate student, aiming to develop blue LEDs.
The difficulty of growing gallium nitride lies in the need for high pressure and high temperature.
Sapphire was identified as a promising substrate due to its chemical stability with ammonia.
Amano and his team faced challenges with the large lattice mismatch between sapphire and gallium nitride.
They developed a low-temperature buffer technology to improve the growth of gallium nitride.
Amano's research focused on achieving P-type gallium nitride from 1985 to 1988.
They successfully achieved P-type gallium nitride using magnesium doping.
The development of blue LEDs led to energy savings, especially after the 2011 earthquake in Japan.
Amano encourages young researchers to tackle difficult subjects for the improvement of human lifestyle.
He acknowledges the support from Nagoya University, major universities, and his family.
Transcripts
uh Professor Amano uh was born in 1960
in hamamatsu in Japan uh he got his PhD
in
1989 uh from Nagoya University and
that's also where he's now a professor
so please uh enter the stage and and and
give the the second
[Applause]
lecture um good morning U ladies and
gentlemen I still can not believe that
I'm here and presenting the Noel rures
so first of all uh I'd like to give
sincere thanks to the lawyer Swedish
Academy of
Science uh today uh I'd like to present
two topics one is the growth of gum
nitride on the supply substrate and the
second is the P typee gum
nitrate uh majority of my presentation
overlaps that the uh the previous
presenter PR isama akasaki but I'd like
to explain this achievement from The
Young researchers point of view so um at
the end of my presentation I'd like to
send a message to the young
Generations
first I'd like to give uh the example
how BR is changes our lives for young
Generations
maybe most
familiar uh
items uh would be um portable
games and also the seral phones on or
the
smartphones the first uh portable games
were commercialized in
1976 and the first uh C phon
were available in
1989 but until 1990s at the end of
1990s uh all the displays are
monochrome so the young Generations I'd
like to emphasize that you can enjoy the
huruka dis phrase by the emergence of
the Brew eles okay
uh this is the very famous biograph
showing the Improvement of the
performance of the
LEDs press uh H this was uh written by
uh Dr height the retired us
scientist in
1962 uh us uh Professor uh nickak uh
invented and developed the commercially
available red LEDs using the gum maride
post
fite and since then the performance of
LEDs improved by a factor of 20 per
decad so this Improvement is called the
height low which is similar to the mo
was
low uh in case of uh silicon based LSi
and since after the Leed LEDs uh yellow
LEDs and green LEDs have been also
commercialized and as for the blue
LEDs in
1971 Professor Jack pankov uh developed
the gum nitrite based LEDs but it was
mis type LED so it was not
commercialized
I started the natural research at
1982 after the 14 years of the research
and experiments Professor akasaki moved
from the company to the Nago University
in
1981 and I joined his group in
1982 uh as an undergrad
student the reason why I choose uh uh
his laboratory is because the gradation
research
subject nitrate based blue LEDs are so
simple and so
fascinating uh at that time I thought
that the size of the TV system based on
Brown tube was so
Barky so if I could achieve blue
LEDs I could change the World by
shrinking the size of the
display at that time I was not aware
that this subject was so difficult I
thought it was maybe it's it's
easy the reason why I'd like to explain
why it was so difficult to grow gum
nitrate if you want to grow life siiz B
gum nitrate you need a high pressure and
high temperature which is the similar to
the synthesis of the diamond or even
higher so you need to uh use uh chemical
reaction to reduce the pressure and the
temperature in addition you need um
falling
substrate for theal growth of gum
nitrate um but
the
ammonia the nitrogen nitrogen source is
so reactive at high temperature so the
candidate of the substitute material is
very very
limited the saire is one of the most
promising substrate because it does not
react with ammonia so
heavily but the most serious problem of
The Sire was the large latest mismatch
of
16% in general the lest M mismatch for
the hopx growth should be less than
1% so the 16% R mismatch is almost
impossible to grow gum
nitrate uh press
pankov developed in 197
1 the Mis type gum nitrate using the
hydride VAP taxi using the metal gum
hydrogen chloride and
ammonia but uh they could not achieve
the P type gum nitrate so efficiency is
limited to be
low also another problem of the
difficulty in achieving the uh bright
blue emission was related to the
sensitivity of human
eye responsibility of the blue P blue
right is only
3% compared with
the uh Irish green
555 nanometer emission uh
right so uh
uh the the
students tried to start the research of
the gum nitrate growth by metal organic
V pH F
taxi at that time the funding situation
of the university in Japan in mid 80s is
not so sufficient so uh the students
have to develop the ch grow reactor by
ourselves headed by Dr
K but this that situation is very happy
or very good for us because we can
manage the config regulation by
ourselves uh I have tried more than
1,500 Times by changing the growth
conditions such as gross temperature
grow uh FL rate and line achiev
configuration and the Sor shape and so
on and so on but UNS unsuccessful I
could not get high quality G nro film
for me the large ltis mismatch was too
great to overcome so almost two years
passed without success
in
February uh year
2085 that was my almost the final month
of my H Master
course uh at that time only one foreign
student and I decided to start the PHD
program the next
April and while other Japanese students
enjoyed the graduation
trip
I uh carried out the very lonely
experiments
okay
uh Dr K uh one year older uh student uh
focused on the growth of aluminium gum
nitrate while I focused on the growth of
gum
nitrate if we compare the surface
morphologies of these two materials his
aluminum gum nitrate seems to be better
than my gum
nitrate so uh I thought that the
aluminum containing material or even
aluminum nitrate is important to improve
the surface moror
so I decided to use the aluminum nitrite
before the growth of gum
nitrite but I knew that the substrate
temperature should be higher than 1200
Cate for the architectural growth of
aluminum nitrate but as I mentioned we
used the very old system old oscillator
so it did not work well even though I
managed to
control and just at that time I
remembered the hint during discussion in
the
laboratory Dr
saaki uh the associate pressor mentioned
that in case of G uh Bon fori on cityon
growth the latest mismatch of which is
as large as 24 per pereral of
phosphorous gas is very effective to
improve the surface M ory and he claimed
that phosphorus atom act as the
nucleation Center so I imagined that the
low temperature deposition of aluminum
nitrate and very tiny aluminum nitrate
should act as the nucleation Center
then I proceeded the gum nitrite
growth so when I took the sample out
from the
reactor it was almost the same as the
safire
substrate perfectly frat and perfectly
transparent
so I my first impression was oh I forget
to supply the G
trianium but when I checked the all the
bars I found that I operated properly so
I checked uh the sample by nari type
Optical microscope and found that we
achieved the highly
ER frat gum nitride for the first time
and following the the suggestion of
Professor akasaki I checked the crant
quality electrionic properties Optical
properties and found that all the
properties were Superior to uh the
previous reports so this technology is
called the low temperature buffer and uh
can be used by many researchers
worldwide
like
this then the of course our next Target
is to realize uh P type gum
nitrate from 1985 to
1988 I concentrated on growing the zinc
do gum nitrate but all the samples shows
highly legislative or end type
when I measured the luminescence what
luminescence at cryogenic temperature I
observed the very narrow uh excitonic
Peak so I was excited and tried to
present at the Japan Society for Applied
Physics annual meeting held at nag
University
and when I enter the loom I was
surprised that only four people
including prakas German I were in the
loop at that time uh majority of the
researchers were interested in the zinc
selenide or zinc suide the N uh the
researches of the nitr are quite
minority also uh I observed the this uh
phenomena that during the cathod
luminesence measurement of zinc do gum
nitrate the blue luminesence was
irreversibly enhanced so I call it the
low energy Electron Beam irradiation the
re treatment for short uh but even after
the re treatment the zinc do gum nitrate
did not show the P type
conduction in
1989 I became the research
associate of the uh press akasaki ra now
University and when I read the book The
bondes and band in semiconductor written
by JC
Phillips uh I saw this graph very very
appealing this graph clearly shows that
in case of gum
phosphide magnesium is much much better
than zinc in terms of the activation of
acceptor as for the Magnesium I I should
commment that press marusa at that time
the Stanford University
student uh developed the world's first
pilot but Mis type LEDs uh using the
magnet magnes gum
nitrate okay
uh we the docto at that time Master Co
student and I grew plenty of magnesium
do gum nitrate
uh the
ASR uh m g shows highly legis but after
the re
treatment
uh Dr uh Kito said the some sample shows
P type
Behavior but I knew that the uh by hoto
Pro measurement I knew that the hot prob
measurement is not so reliable so even
though we
presented maybe no one can believe the P
type conduction so uh he measured the
whole effect measurement and finally we
recognize that we have achieved the P
typ gum nitrate for the first
time um in
1992 pres Nakamura claimed that uh
they can he he can realize the P type G
nitr even by much simpler method that is
theral analing in
1992 okay the mechanism is shown
here the ASR sample was uh the Magnesium
was participated by
hydrogen so the re treatment or the Thon
aling is uh effective to dissolve the
hydrogen from the passivated
Magnesium
okay uh which was first explained by
Professor Fon in
1992
okay we are still have the problems of
uh Brew
emission the band gap of gum nitrite was
is in the UV Le
for the blue emission we need to grow
the Indian containing roids Indian Gum
nitrate of course we have tried uh to
grow the indium gum
nitrate but uh it is also very very
difficult so uh we grew indium gum
nitrate with the indium content less
than 3% which is uh the band Gap is
still in the UB
religion in
1989 Dr matoka NT succeeded in growing
the blue reminisence indium calium
nitrate by growing it at very very high
ammonia flate condition and also in
nitrogen carrier gas
atmosphere so uh combining the high
quality uh Crystal technology P type G
nitrate technology and the the structure
of indium gum nitr and gum nitrite
Professor nak team first succeeded the
commercialization of nitrate based
Brewer in
1993 and also his group realized the
quantum well based structure in
1995 which is also very important for
the Improvement of the efficiency of uh
r is maybe he will explain uh in the
next uh
presentation okay let me explain how the
indium gum nitrite LS contribute to the
Energy
savings maybe you remember
that the Great Earthquake attacked East
Japan in year
2011 before
2011
uh nuclear power plant supplied the 30%
30% of the total elect uh electricity
generation in Japan but now none of the
48 reactors were operated
now every reactor
was uh not operated
so we have to find the
solution for
adapting these
30% uh
eloris some research company in Japan uh
predicted that by year
2020 More than
70% of the
writing is replaced to L writings by
which uh we can save about 7% of the
total energy consumption by year 20
2020 more
importantly by combining the LED
lightings with solar cells and
batteries we can supply
the very simple writing system
especially to the Young Generation or
children uh who cannot be access to the
electricity so we can supply ER the
lightings so children can read the book
or study even at night
okay uh this is the message to the young
researchers when we realized the low
temperature buffer I was only 24 years
old and when we realized the P type
Gallum nitrate I was
28 years
old of course I was very very lucky
that I can carried out the research
under the excellent supervision of pram
akasaki and the distinguished
K but these
days the
facilities and funding should be much
much better than year
208s
so I'd like to see that the younger
generation try and Tackle
more uh the
more difficult
subject for the
contribution of the Improvement of a
mankind life uh
style okay I'd like to acknowledge uh
this thing
uh
cores n University major university and
N
university the the go to the center
research and laboratory uban
nxo and finally I'd like to
acknowledge my
family uh for continuous support thank
you so much for your kind of attention
[Music]
[Applause]
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