【Specialist Intro】Hu Jichao —— the Member of Technical Expert Committee

Profile

      Hu Jichao is a Professor at the School of Automation and Information Engineering (School of Integrated Circuits), Xi’an University of Technology, serving as the Head of the Department of Electronic Engineering and a doctoral supervisor. He is also a co-founder of GaFuture Semiconductor Technology (Jinjiang) Co., Ltd. and a core member of the high-level entrepreneurial and innovation team introduced by Fujian Province.

      He has long been engaged in research on wide-bandgap semiconductor materials, including SiC and Gallium Oxide epitaxial growth and related devices. In the past five years, he has served as the principal investigator for one National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) Youth Fund project, one general NSFC project, two Shanxi Provincial Science and Technology Innovation Platform projects, one Natural Science Special project of the Shanxi Provincial Department of Education, one Xi’an Science and Technology Program project, one Open Fund project of the Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Wide-Bandgap Semiconductor Materials, and over ten industry-collaboration projects.

      As a key team member, he has participated in two general NSFC projects, one JKW project, two provincial/ministerial key projects, and one provincial/ministerial project. He has published over 50 academic papers in authoritative journals such as IEEE Electron Device Letters, Applied Surface Science, and Surfaces and Interfaces, including 20 SCI papers as first author or corresponding author. He is the first inventor of nine national authorized patents. His research achievements have been awarded the Second Prize of Scientific and Technological Progress by the Shanxi Provincial Department of Education.

Research Achievements

Gallium Oxide Heteroepitaxy
      High-quality epitaxial materials are the foundation for high-performance devices. Research has been conducted on key issues in Gallium Oxide heteroepitaxial growth processes and defect control, focusing on the influence of growth parameters on material properties and the underlying mechanisms. A growth process for Gallium Oxide heteroepitaxial materials has been established. Through systematic studies on defects in epitaxial layers, the formation and evolution mechanisms of major defects have been revealed, and effective suppression methods have been proposed. Breakthroughs have been achieved in the growth of large-size, high-quality Gallium Oxide heteroepitaxial materials. Based on these advances, research on Gallium Oxide-based power and optoelectronic devices has been carried out, yielding notable results.

Gallium Oxide Devices
      Research has been conducted on Gallium Oxide ultraviolet photodetectors and high-k MIS capacitors, achieving significant progress. A self-powered deep-ultraviolet photodetector was successfully fabricated based on bulk Gallium Oxide single-crystal material using an asymmetric MSM structure. Gallium Oxide nanowires were grown on 4H-SiC substrates, and the performance of photodetectors based on this structure was systematically investigated. In addition, Al-rich HfAlO/β-Gallium Oxide MOS capacitors were fabricated. Detailed studies were performed on the impact of various types of traps in the Gallium Oxide MOS oxide layer—such as interface states, near-interface traps, and fixed charges—on the reliability of Gallium Oxide MOS devices.

SiC Epitaxy and Power Devices
      Research focuses on the growth of large-diameter 4H-SiC thick epitaxial layers and the development of 4H-SiC Schottky barrier diodes. In-depth studies have been carried out on high-rate epitaxial growth mechanisms, surface and structural defect control techniques, intrinsic defect control in epitaxial materials, and the impact of defects on SiC Schottky diode performance. Particular emphasis has been placed on the structure, formation mechanisms, and control methods of surface defects in epitaxial layers. Using the grown epitaxial materials, 1.2 kV–3.3 kV SiC junction barrier Schottky (JBS) diodes were successfully fabricated, and the effects of surface defects on device performance were systematically analyzed.

      References:

      [1] Jichao Hu, et al. Effects of off-axis angles of 4H-SiC substrates on properties of β-Ga₂O₃ films grown by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition [J]. Applied Surface Science. 2025,680:161377.

      [2] Jichao Hu, et al. Step flow growth of β-Ga₂O₃ films on off-axis 4H-SiC substrates by LPCVD [J]. Surfaces and Interfaces, 2023, 37:102732.

      [3] Bei Xu, et al. Band alignment and electronic structure of β-Ga₂O₃ (-201) grown on Siand C-faces of 4H–SiC substrates [J]. Vacuum. 2024, 224:113164.

      [4] Jichao Hu, et al.Synthesis and characterization of β-Ga₂O₃ nanowires on 4H-SiC substrates via Au-catalyzed low-pressure chemical vapor deposition[J]. Journal of Crystal Growth. 2025, 688:128287.

      [5] Jichao Hu, et al. Effect of growth temperature on properties of β-Ga₂O₃ films grown on AlN by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition[J]. Journal of Luminescence. 2024, 274:120709.

      [6] Xiaomin He, Jichao Hu, et al. Study on the interface electronic properties of AlN(0001)/β-Ga₂O₃(100) [J]. Surfaces and Interfaces, 2022, 28:101585.

      [7] Xiaomin He, et al. The effect of vacancy defects on the electronic properties of β-Ga₂O₃[J]. Computational Materials Science. 2022, 215:111777.

      [8] Jichao Hu, et al. Fabrication and characterization of CuAlO₂/4H–SiC heterostructure on 4H–SiC (0001) Superlattices and Microstructures. 2021,155:106918.

      [9] Jichao Hu, et al. Monolithic Integration of 1.2kV Optically-Controlled SiC npn Transistor and Antiparallel Diode[J]. IEEE Electron Device Letters. 2022, 43:9

      [10] Jichao Hu, et al. Study of a new type nominal “washboard-like” triangular defects in 4H-SiC 4° off-axis (0 0 0 1) Si-face homoepitaxial layers[J]. Journal of Crystal Growth. 2019, 506:14-18.

Expert Message

      The key to the industrial breakthrough of gallium oxide lies in overcoming the physical limits of the material. As a bridge connecting cutting-edge research with industrial implementation, heteroepitaxy technologies—whether based on HVPE, MOCVD, or Mist-CVD—provide valuable engineering solutions to address challenges in thermal management and cost.

      Grounded in Asia and looking toward the world, we look forward to engaging with colleagues on this dynamic alliance platform, fostering deep exchanges on fundamental process technologies, and bridging the full chain from basic mechanisms to mass production. Let us harness technology as our driving force and jointly explore the vast future of ultra-wide-bandgap semiconductors!