Dr. Hiroshi Amano is a world-renowned Japanese physicist and engineer celebrated for his transformative contributions to semiconductor technology and optoelectronics. He currently serves as Director of the Center for Integrated Research of Future Electronics and Professor at Nagoya University's Institute of Materials and Systems for Sustainability. Born in Hamamatsu, Japan on September 11, 1960, Amano received his Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctor of Engineering degrees from Nagoya University in 1983, 1985, and 1989 respectively, all while working under Professor Isamu Akasaki's mentorship. His academic journey began as an undergraduate researcher in 1982, progressing through research associate positions at Nagoya University before becoming Assistant Professor at Meijo University in 1992, where he advanced to full Professor by 2002 before returning to Nagoya University in 2010.
Amano's most groundbreaking achievement came in 1989 when he successfully grew p-type gallium nitride and fabricated the world's first p-n-junction-type GaN-based ultraviolet and blue light-emitting diode, solving a decades-long challenge in semiconductor physics. This breakthrough built upon his 1985 development of low-temperature deposited buffer layers that enabled high-quality group III nitride semiconductor films to grow on sapphire substrates, a critical advancement that made practical blue LEDs possible. By combining blue LEDs with existing red and green variants, Amano's work enabled the creation of energy-efficient white LED lighting that has dramatically reduced global electricity consumption while providing longer-lasting, cleaner illumination solutions. His pioneering research has resulted in over 529 technical publications and numerous patents that have transformed lighting technology worldwide.
As a Nobel Laureate in Physics (2014), Amano has received prestigious recognition including Japan's Order of Culture and election to the National Academy of Engineering in 2016 for his development of p-type gallium nitride doping. Renowned for his exceptional dedication to research, his laboratory was famously operational around the clock, earning the nickname 'no night castle' among colleagues and students despite initial skepticism from the scientific community. Amano continues to lead cutting-edge research at Nagoya University, mentoring the next generation of semiconductor scientists while expanding applications of gallium nitride technology into ultraviolet disinfection systems and advanced electronic devices. His current work focuses on developing next-generation semiconductor materials that promise to further address global energy challenges and environmental sustainability through innovative optoelectronic solutions.
