【World Express】NRL Scientist Named APS Fellow for Breakthrough Research on Gallium Oxide and Ultra-Wide-Bandgap Semiconductors

      The American Physical Society (APS) has announced its 2025 Fellows, selecting Dr. John Lyons, a physical scientist in the Materials Science and Technology Division of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), for his significant contributions to the theoretical understanding and design of ultra-wide-bandgap semiconductors, particularly gallium oxide (Ga₂O₃) and gallium nitride (GaN). His work includes advancing first-principles methods for semiconductor doping strategies, defect control, and exciton fine-structure mechanisms.

      APS Fellowship is one of the Society’s highest honors, with fewer than 0.5% of APS members elected each year.

      Dr. Lyons’ research focuses on the fundamental physics that underpin next-generation high-power electronics and radar systems. His theoretical investigations provide critical insights into doping behavior, defect stability, and carrier compensation in gallium oxide—an emerging material of intense global interest for high-voltage and high-efficiency power device applications.

      At NRL, Lyons leads theoretical materials discovery efforts aimed at identifying new semiconductor compounds capable of surpassing current state-of-the-art performance. His team recently conducted a computational search for bright-exciton semiconductor materials, using predictive modeling to guide subsequent experimental synthesis and characterization at NRL.

      “This work accelerates the discovery of materials that could enable future electronic and optoelectronic technologies,” Lyons noted. “Combining theory and experiment allows us to shorten the timeline from prediction to real-world testing.”

      Lyons collaborates closely with NRL’s Electronics Science and Technology Division, whose researchers grow and characterize advanced semiconductor materials used in high-performance devices.

      “It’s a strong partnership,” he said. “Our theoretical models guide material development, and their experiments validate or challenge our predictions—driving innovation from both sides.”

      Lyons, an APS member for more than 16 years, will be formally recognized during the APS March Meeting in 2026.

      He emphasized that current advances build on decades of foundational semiconductor research: “Just as early work on gallium nitride enabled today’s naval radar systems, ongoing studies on gallium oxide and other emerging materials will support the Navy’s future mission needs.”

About the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
      The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is the corporate research laboratory for the Navy and Marine Corps, conducting scientific and engineering research from deep sea to outer space and across the information domain. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with major research sites in Mississippi, Florida, and California, NRL employs approximately 3,000 civilian scientists, engineers, and support personnel.