【Patenes】Gallium Oxide Patent Weekly Report (Issue 9, August)

      To further strengthen information exchange within the gallium oxide industry and help stakeholders stay informed of the latest technological developments, the Asian Gallium Oxide Alliance (AGOA) has launched the Gallium Oxide Patent Weekly column. This series will continuously compile and publish newly disclosed patent applications and technological advances in the gallium oxide field.

      As an important indicator of technological innovation, patents reflect R&D trends and strategic layout across the industrial chain. This column focuses on crystal growth, material preparation, defect engineering, device development, process optimization, and emerging applications, providing enterprises, universities, and research institutes with insights into technology trends while supporting the continued development of the gallium oxide industry.

      This ninth issue reviews gallium oxide-related patent applications published during the fourth week of August 2026 (August 24–August 30).

 

01 Lateral Ga₂O₃ Schottky Diode Featuring Equivalent Lateral Graded Doping Enabled by Multilayer p-Type Nickel Oxide and Method for Fabricating the Same (Published Aug. 25)

      According to information released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Xiamen Quanjia Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd. has filed a patent entitled “Lateral Gallium Oxide Schottky Diode Featuring Equivalent Lateral Graded Doping Enabled by Multilayer p-Type Nickel Oxide and Method for Fabricating the Same,” with publication number CN122641030A and application number 2026108641139.

      The invention proposes a lateral gallium oxide Schottky diode employing a multilayer p-type nickel oxide (NiO) structure to achieve equivalent lateral graded doping, together with a method for fabricating the device. The device comprises a substrate, an n-type Ga₂O₃ epitaxial layer incorporating an n-type heavily doped Ga₂O₃ region, multiple p-type NiO layers arranged as vertically stacked stepped layers, an anode metal layer, a cathode metal layer, and a passivation layer.

      To address the non-uniform electric-field distribution and severe electric-field concentration near the anode in lateral power devices, the invention introduces a multilayer p-type NiO structure and employs an equivalent lateral graded-doping design to alleviate peak electric-field concentration in the anode region and smooth the electric field across the device surface.

      The first, second, and third p-type NiO layers work synergistically to establish a graded doping profile, effectively extending the depletion region and reducing the peak electric-field strength. This enhances the device’s reverse blocking capability and breakdown voltage, while allowing the carrier concentration in the epitaxial layer to be appropriately increased, thereby reducing the on-resistance.

      As a result, the proposed device is capable of achieving higher reverse breakdown voltage and lower on-resistance, offering a potential approach to simultaneously improving the voltage-blocking capability and conduction performance of lateral Ga₂O₃ Schottky diodes.

 

02 High-Voltage Ga₂O₃ Monolithic Bidirectional Switch Enabled by p-Type Nickel Oxide and Gate Field Plates, and Method for Fabricating the Same (Published Aug. 25)

      According to information released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Xiamen Quanjia Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd. has filed a patent entitled “High-Voltage Gallium Oxide Monolithic Bidirectional Switch Enabled by p-Type Nickel Oxide and Gate Field Plates and Method for Fabricating the Same,” with publication number CN122641065A and application number 2026108641073.

      The invention proposes a high-voltage Ga₂O₃ monolithic bidirectional switch utilizing p-type nickel oxide (NiO) and gate field plates, together with a method for fabricating the device. The device comprises a substrate; an n-type Ga₂O₃ epitaxial layer incorporating heavily doped n-type Ga₂O₃ regions for the first and second source regions; first and second p-type NiO layers on the gate sides; dielectric and passivation layers; first and second gate metal layers; first and second gate-metal field-plate layers; and first and second source metal layers.

      The proposed structure is fully symmetric in the lateral direction, enabling nearly identical bidirectional conduction and bidirectional blocking capabilities on a single chip.

      In addition, the p-type NiO layers form vertical PN junctions with the n-type Ga₂O₃ epitaxial layer, providing additional lateral depletion. Combined with the gate field plates, which help alleviate electric-field concentration near the gate regions, the structure significantly improves the uniformity of the device’s electric-field distribution and can substantially enhance its bidirectional voltage-blocking capability.

 

03 Wave-Shaped Crucible and Method for Growing Gallium Oxide Crystals (Published Aug. 25)

      According to information released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Hangzhou Garen Semiconductor Co., Ltd. has filed a patent entitled “Wave-Shaped Crucible and Method for Growing Gallium Oxide Crystals,” with publication number CN122629577A and application number 2025102079177.

      The invention provides a wave-shaped crucible and a method for growing gallium oxide crystals, falling within the technical field of Ga₂O₃ crystal preparation. The edge of the cross-section of the wave-shaped crucible features a corrugated concave-convex profile.

      The structural design of the wave-shaped crucible increases the initial crucible perimeter to address the technical challenge that the shrinkage of the platinum–rhodium (or iridium) crucible during the cooling stage can exceed the shrinkage of the Ga₂O₃ crystal.

      During Ga₂O₃ crystal growth, the crucible wall remains in close contact with the growing crystal. After Ga₂O₃ melting and crystal growth are completed, both the crucible and the crystal begin to cool. Because the linear shrinkage of the crucible is greater than the circumferential shrinkage of the Ga₂O₃ crystal, gaps naturally form between the crucible and the crystal at the concave portions of the wave-shaped structure.

      This enables localized separation between the crucible and the Ga₂O₃ crystal, reducing mechanically induced stress and associated defects during cooling, thereby facilitating the growth of high-quality Ga₂O₃ single crystals.

 

04 Semiconductor Material, Preparation Method, and Applications (Published Aug. 25)

      According to information released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd. and Shenzhen Yongxing Technology Co., Ltd. have filed a patent entitled “Semiconductor Material, Preparation Method, and Applications,” with publication number CN122642144A and application number 2024800031035.

      The patent discloses a semiconductor material, along with its preparation method and applications, in the field of display technology. The semiconductor material comprises a matrix material and dopants. The matrix material includes indium oxide (In₂O₃) and at least one of gallium oxide (Ga₂O₃), zinc oxide (ZnO), and tin oxide (SnO₂).

      The dopants comprise cerium oxide (CeO₂), thulium oxide (Tm₂O₃), and aluminum fluoride (AlF₃). CeO₂ accounts for 0.5–5.0 wt% of the semiconductor material, Tm₂O₃ accounts for 0.5–5.0 wt%, and AlF₃ accounts for 0.1–2 wt%.

      The semiconductor material can be used as the channel layer of thin-film transistor (TFT) devices, improving thin-film quality and optoelectronic performance while enhancing overall device stability.

 

05 Ga₂O₃ Epitaxial Structure, Preparation Method, and Solar-Blind Ultraviolet Photodetector (Published Aug. 28)

      According to information released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Gusu Laboratory of Materials Science has filed a patent entitled “Ga₂O₃ Epitaxial Structure, Preparation Method, and Solar-Blind Ultraviolet Photodetector,” with publication number CN122649094A and application number 2026111603607.

      The patent discloses a Ga₂O₃ epitaxial structure, a method for fabricating the structure, and a solar-blind ultraviolet photodetector. The Ga₂O₃ epitaxial structure comprises a substrate, a buffer layer, and a Ga₂O₃ layer sequentially stacked on the substrate.

      In the direction away from the substrate, the buffer layer comprises a first buffer layer, a second buffer layer, and a third buffer layer arranged sequentially. The first buffer layer comprises multiple first repeating units, each consisting of a stacked AlN layer and Al_xGa_1-xO layer, where 0 < x < 1.

      The second buffer layer comprises multiple second repeating units, each consisting of a stacked Al_xGa_1-xO layer and Al_yGa_1-yO layer, where 0 < y < x. The third buffer layer comprises multiple third repeating units, each consisting of a stacked Al_yGa_1-yO layer and Al_zGa_1-zO layer, where 0 < z < y.

      Through this multilayer compositionally graded buffer structure, the invention aims to enable the fabrication of high-quality Ga₂O₃ thin films at lower cost and with greater scalability, while significantly improving the performance and reliability of the resulting devices.

 

06 Coordinated Thermal and Flow Field Control Method, Equipment, and Medium for Ga₂O₃ Crystal Growth (Published Aug. 28)

      According to information released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Shandong SINOGa Valley Semiconductor Co.,Ltd has filed a patent entitled “Coordinated Thermal and Flow Field Control Method, Equipment, and Medium for Ga₂O₃ Crystal Growth,” with publication number CN122649093A and application number 2026110692815.

      The patent discloses a method, equipment, and medium for coordinated control of thermal and flow fields during Ga₂O₃ crystal growth, falling within the technical field of crystal-growth control. The invention addresses the problem that coupled instability between the thermal and flow fields during the actual growth of Ga₂O₃ crystals by the flux method can adversely affect crystal quality and yield.

      The proposed approach continuously monitors the temperature distribution and convective velocity field at the free surface of the melt. Based on the monitored thermal and flow fields, the system identifies hotspot regions and harmful turbulent vortex regions associated with instability at the solid–liquid interface.

      The system then determines a dynamic ratio between the required temperature-compensation magnitude and magnetic-field strength based on the temperature gradient in the hotspot regions, the rotation direction of harmful turbulent vortices, field-strength information, and local supersaturation-gradient information. The dynamic ratio is further adjusted to optimize the compensation strategy.

      Based on the corrected dynamic ratio, temperature compensation and magnetic-field compensation are applied to regions where the solid–liquid interface is unstable, enabling coordinated regulation of the thermal and flow fields. This approach is intended to improve the stability of the crystal-growth process and enhance the quality and yield of Ga₂O₃ single crystals.

 

07 Response-Enhanced Ga₂O₃ Ultraviolet Photodetector Based on a Metal Nanoparticle Array (Published Aug. 28)

      According to information released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) has filed a patent entitled “Response-Enhanced Ga₂O₃ Ultraviolet Photodetector Based on a Metal Nanoparticle Array,” with publication number CN122651128A and application number 2026108210636.

      The invention discloses a Ga₂O₃ ultraviolet photodetector based on a metal nanoparticle array with enhanced photoresponse, relating to the technical field of ultraviolet photodetection. The device comprises a support base, a rotary platform rotatably connected to the top of the support base, and a rotation and height-adjustment mechanism arranged on the rotary platform.

      The rotation and height-adjustment mechanism comprises a sleeve ring, an adjustment pressure rod, a pressure ring, a pressure groove, a threaded height-adjustable telescopic rod, a U-shaped frame, a limiting slide frame, and an anti-deflection support plate. The sleeve ring is fixed around the outer side of the rotary platform.

      The proposed structure features a scientifically designed and safe-to-operate mechanical adjustment system. By rotating the threaded height-adjustable telescopic rod to extend it, the U-shaped frame and limiting slide frame are driven upward along both ends of the anti-deflection support plate, thereby adjusting the height of the U-shaped frame and the ultraviolet photodetector for height-adjustable detection.

      Meanwhile, rotating the adjustment pressure rod drives the pressure ring upward and disengages it from the pressure groove, allowing the rotary platform to rotate. This in turn drives the U-shaped frame and ultraviolet photodetector to rotate, enabling adjustment of the horizontal detection angle.

      Overall, the invention provides a Ga₂O₃ ultraviolet photodetector with an integrated metal nanoparticle array for enhanced response, together with a flexible mechanical adjustment structure for controlling the detector’s height and detection angle.

 

08 Ga₂O₃ Heterojunction MPS Diode with an Optimized Duty Cycle and Method for Fabricating the Same (Published Aug. 25)

      According to information released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), North China University of Technology has filed a patent entitled “Ga₂O₃ Heterojunction MPS Diode with an Optimized Duty Cycle and Method for Fabricating the Same,” with publication number CN122662219A and application number 2026107792589.

      The invention relates to the field of semiconductor technology and specifically proposes a Ga₂O₃ heterojunction MPS diode with an optimized duty cycle, together with a method for fabricating the device. The diode comprises a cathode ohmic metal layer, a heavily doped n-type Ga₂O₃ substrate, a lightly doped n-type Ga₂O₃ drift layer, a periodic array of p-type semiconductor islands, and an anode metal layer.

      The proposed structure reduces electric-field concentration at the Schottky contact interface, thereby increasing the device’s breakdown voltage. It also helps alleviate two-dimensional electric-field crowding at corners, reducing the likelihood of premature avalanche breakdown.

      Meanwhile, the optimized structure improves the ohmic contact between the anode and the p-type islands and enables moderate minority-carrier injection under high forward-current conditions, thereby reducing the device’s on-resistance.

      As a result, the device can improve its surge-current robustness while retaining the high-frequency switching characteristics of a unipolar device, enabling an overall improvement in device performance.

 

09 Ga₂O₃ Resistive Switching Memory with Improved Consistency through Conductive Filament Confinement and Method for Fabricating the Same (Published Aug. 25)

      According to information released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Xidian University has filed a patent entitled “Ga₂O₃ Resistive Switching Memory with Improved Consistency through Conductive Filament Confinement and Method for Fabricating the Same,” with publication number CN122662587A and application number 2026106744499.

      The invention discloses a Ga₂O₃ resistive switching memory (RRAM) device and a method for fabricating the same, primarily addressing the issues of poor device-to-device consistency and limited process compatibility commonly encountered in existing Ga₂O₃ resistive switching memories.

      The device comprises a substrate, a bottom electrode, a Ga₂O₃ resistive switching functional layer, and a top electrode. The functional layer is a Ga₂O₃ thin film containing through-thickness defects, with its crystal phase being any one of ε(κ)-Ga₂O₃, α-Ga₂O₃, or β-Ga₂O₃.

      These through-thickness defects are one or more line-like structures extending from the top to the bottom of the Ga₂O₃ thin film, formed by dislocations or grain boundaries. They serve to confine the formation paths of conductive filaments, thereby reducing the randomness of filament formation.

      By confining the conductive filament formation paths, the invention reduces the stochastic nature of resistive switching and improves cycle-to-cycle consistency. The device has potential applications in next-generation nonvolatile memory, neuromorphic computing systems, and information storage and processing under extreme environments such as high-temperature and high-radiation conditions.

 

10 Solvent- and Catalyst-Free Method and Apparatus for Batch Production of High-Purity Ga₂O₃ (Published Aug. 25)

      According to information released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Hefei Tuojia Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd. has filed a patent entitled “Solvent- and Catalyst-Free Method and Apparatus for Batch Production of High-Purity Gallium Oxide,” with publication number CN122646893A and application number 2026105750740.

      The invention discloses a solvent- and catalyst-free method and apparatus for batch production of high-purity Ga₂O₃, relating to the technical field of semiconductor material preparation. The method comprises the following steps:

      (a) Gallium metal is placed in a crucible and subjected to vacuum treatment and heating to form liquid gallium;

      (b) The liquid gallium is subjected to multiple mechanical crushing processes to produce gallium particles ranging from the micrometer to nanometer scale;

      (c) The gallium particles obtained in step (b) are classified and separated to collect ultrafine gallium particles;

      (d) The ultrafine gallium particles are introduced into a reactor and subjected to multistage oxidation reactions with oxygen, producing polycrystalline Ga₂O₃ grains;

      (e) The polycrystalline Ga₂O₃ grains are subjected to high-temperature treatment and converted into molten, stable-phase β-Ga₂O₃ grains;

      (f) The molten, stable-phase β-Ga₂O₃ grains are rapidly cooled and solidified to obtain β-Ga₂O₃ powder or particles.

      The invention provides a solid foundation for the production of electronic-grade ultra-high-purity β-Ga₂O₃ powder.

 

      In addition to patents focusing on gallium oxide materials, several patents published this week also involve the application of gallium oxide as a functional material in other fields, which are provided for readers’ reference.

 

01 Method for Preparing Cr³⁺-Doped Ga₂O₃ Near-Infrared Phosphor Encapsulated in Mesoporous SiO₂ Microspheres (Published Aug. 25)

      According to information released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Lanzhou University has filed a patent entitled “Method for Preparing Cr³⁺-Doped Ga₂O₃ Near-Infrared Phosphor Encapsulated in Mesoporous SiO₂ Microspheres,” with publication number CN122628758A and application number 2026108674170.

      The invention discloses a Cr³⁺-doped Ga₂O₃ near-infrared phosphor encapsulated in mesoporous SiO₂ microspheres, along with a method for its preparation, falling within the technical field of luminescent-material fabrication. The chemical formula of the near-infrared phosphor is Ga₂₋ₓCrₓO₃@SiO₂, where 0.002 ≤ x ≤ 0.010.

      The near-infrared phosphor is prepared by crystallizing optically active Ga₂₋ₓCrₓO₃ within mesoporous SiO₂ microspheres. Benefiting from the confinement effect of the mesoporous SiO₂ structure, the proposed method enables the efficient synthesis of SiO₂-encapsulated Ga₂₋ₓCrₓO₃ near-infrared phosphors.

      The preparation process is environmentally friendly, while providing controllable particle size and morphology of the resulting phosphors. The materials exhibit an emission wavelength range of 650–900 nm and a favorable full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the emission spectrum, making them suitable for applications in near-infrared fluorescence-conversion light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

 

02 High-Activity Hydrogenation Catalyst, Preparation Method, and Applications (Published Aug. 25)

      According to information released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec Corp.) and Sinopec Dalian Research Institute of Petroleum and Petrochemicals Co., Ltd. have jointly filed a patent entitled “High-Activity Hydrogenation Catalyst, Preparation Method, and Applications,” with publication number CN122625222A and application number 202510212596X.

      The invention discloses a high-activity hydrogenation catalyst, along with its preparation method and applications. The catalyst comprises active metal oxides and metal-promoter oxides. The active metal oxides include at least molybdenum oxide and nickel oxide, while the metal-promoter oxides include one or more of zinc oxide, copper oxide, magnesium oxide, and gallium oxide.

      According to the patent, the catalyst is characterized by specific X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) features. For the Ni 3/2p orbital, the peak area in the 855 to <860 eV range accounts for 30%–80% of the total Ni 3/2p peak area, preferably 40%–70%. In addition, the ratio of the peak area at 855 to <860 eV to that at 860–865 eV is 0.7–1.7, preferably 0.8–1.3.

      The catalyst is reported to exhibit high hydrogenation activity and good stability when processing sulfur-free or low-sulfur feedstocks, offering potential advantages for hydrogenation treatment of such feedstocks.

 

03 Self-Powered Photoelectrochemical Imaging System and Method for Fabricating the Same (Published Aug. 25)

      According to information released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Shanghai University has filed a patent entitled “Self-Powered Photoelectrochemical Imaging System and Method for Fabricating the Same,” with publication number CN122662320A and application number 2026107621903.

      The invention discloses a self-powered photoelectrochemical imaging system and its preparation method, falling within the technical field of photodetection and imaging. The imaging system comprises a flexible substrate; a liquid-metal electrode array formed on the surface of the flexible substrate; and an array of photodetection units.

      Each photodetection unit consists of a vanadium oxide photosensitive layer formed on part of the liquid-metal electrode array and a native gallium oxide counter-electrode layer formed on the remaining surface of the liquid-metal electrode array. The vanadium oxide photosensitive layers and gallium oxide counter-electrode layers are arranged alternately to form planar heterojunctions, which enable the system to operate in a self-powered mode.

      The system further includes a solid electrolyte layer filling the spaces between individual photodetection units, as well as an encapsulation layer covering the outer surfaces of the functional layers.

      The proposed system can achieve high-definition imaging in the visible-light range, with potential applications in high-precision detection scenarios such as biomedical microscopic imaging and precision industrial inspection.