Asia Advances in Gallium Oxide (Ga₂O₃) Technology, Ushering in the Fourth-Generation Semiconductor Era

As the global semiconductor industry continues to push beyond the performance limits of traditional materials like silicon (Si), gallium arsenide (GaAs), silicon carbide (SiC), and gallium nitride (GaN), a new material—gallium oxide (Ga₂O₃)—is emerging as a game-changer. Recognized as a fourth-generation ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG) semiconductor, Ga₂O₃ offers groundbreaking physical properties and cost advantages, driving a new wave of innovation across the industry.

Why Gallium Oxide Matters

Gallium oxide boasts a bandgap of 4.9 eV, significantly higher than silicon (1.1 eV) and SiC (3.3 eV), along with a breakdown electric field strength of 8 MV/cm. This makes it highly suitable for extreme applications such as high-voltage, high-frequency, and high-temperature environments. With a melting point of 1900°C and chemical stability, Ga₂O₃ is rapidly gaining attention as the future material for next-gen power electronics and optoelectronics.

Japan's NCT Launches World's First All-Ga₂O₃ Planar SBD

Japan-based NCT Corporation has announced the global release of its planar Schottky barrier diode (SBD) device based entirely on gallium oxide. Marking a major milestone, this device is being offered as a research sample (RS), targeting early-stage R&D and application prototyping.

Two variants of the device are available:

2.4mm square electrode for standard testing environments

3.2mm square electrode for higher current capacity and broader compatibility

NCT has been a pioneer in Ga₂O₃ manufacturing, having introduced the world’s first mass-produced 4-inch Ga₂O₃ wafer in 2021, and now planning to scale up to 8-inch wafer production by 2028.

China’s Galliumrene Semiconductor Achieves First-Ever 8-Inch Ga₂O₃ Wafer

In March, Hangzhou Galliumrene Semiconductor announced the successful development of the world’s first 8-inch Ga₂O₃ wafer substrate, thanks to its proprietary single-crystal growth and large-diameter processing technologies. This marks China's entrance into the 8-inch era of fourth-generation semiconductors.

The company’s timeline for wafer scaling is rapid:

2-inch wafer in 2022

4-inch wafer in 2023

6-inch wafer in 2024

8-inch wafer in 2025 (developed in advance)

Key Applications of Ga₂O₃

1. Power Devices (650V and above):
Ga₂O₃’s wide bandgap and high breakdown strength make it ideal for high-voltage applications like:

EV fast charging

Industrial power supplies

Smart grids and energy infrastructure

2. High-Power RF Devices:
Thanks to superior electron saturation velocity and Johnson’s figure of merit, Ga₂O₃ has strong potential in:

5G/6G communication base stations

Military and aerospace radar systems

3. Deep Ultraviolet Photodetectors:
Ga₂O₃ is also suited for solar-blind UV detection, with critical use cases in:

Missile early-warning and UV guidance systems

Environmental monitoring

Biochemical sensing

Non-line-of-sight (NLOS) communication systems

As Japan and China drive technological advancements in gallium oxide, Asia is poised to play a leading role in the next generation of semiconductor materials, especially in addressing growing demands for high-efficiency, high-voltage, and high-frequency electronics.