Patents
【Patenes】Gallium Oxide Patent Weekly Report (Issue 8, August)
日期：2026-08-28阅读：212
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 eighth issue reviews gallium oxide-related patent applications published during the third week of August 2026 (August 18 – August 23).
1.Impurity Suppression Method, Apparatus, and Medium for Growing Gallium Oxide Crystals by the Flux Method (Published Aug. 18)
According to information from the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Shandong SINOGa Valley Semiconductor Co.,Ltd has filed a patent application titled “Impurity Suppression Method, Apparatus, and Medium for Growing Gallium Oxide Crystals by the Flux Method,” with Publication No. CN122588669A and Application No. 2026110684698.
The patent discloses a method, apparatus, and medium for suppressing impurities during the growth of gallium oxide crystals using the flux method, in the field of semiconductor material preparation.
The method involves first placing a nanoporous adsorption coating with a three-dimensionally interconnected pore structure on the inner wall of a crucible. Gallium oxide powder and flux powder are then loaded into the crucible at a predetermined ratio and placed in a crystal growth furnace.
The gallium oxide and flux powders are melted inside the crucible. During the melting process, the nanoporous adsorption coating captures free impurity ions, thereby forming a gallium oxide-containing melt. A seed crystal is then brought into contact with the melt to establish a solid–liquid growth interface. By controlling the temperature field inside the crystal growth furnace, gallium oxide crystals are driven to precipitate and grow along the direction of the seed crystal.
After crystal growth, the gallium oxide crystal is separated from the residual melt, and the solidified flux adhering to the crystal surface is removed to obtain the gallium oxide crystal.
The key innovation of this application lies in integrating an adsorption coating onto the inner wall of the crucible to capture impurity ions during the melting process, thereby suppressing impurity incorporation during flux-method gallium oxide crystal growth.
2.Gallium Oxide Thin Film, Preparation Method, and Semiconductor Device (Published Aug. 18)
According to information from the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Hubei Jiufengshan Laboratory has filed a patent application titled “Gallium Oxide Thin Film, Preparation Method, and Semiconductor Device,” with Publication No. CN122588494A and Application No. 2026104731085.
The invention relates to a method for preparing a gallium oxide thin film, comprising the following steps: S10. Preparing a two-dimensional material layer and transferring it onto a substrate to obtain a two-dimensional material/substrate composite structure; S20. Forming a metallic gallium layer on the surface of the two-dimensional material in the composite structure to obtain a metallic gallium composite substrate; S30. Performing in-situ oxidation of the metallic gallium layer to form a gallium oxide thin film.
The two-dimensional material may include graphene, boron nitride, graphene heterostructures, or boron nitride heterostructures.
The key innovation is the use of a two-dimensional material as an interfacial layer combined with in-situ oxidation of a metallic gallium layer. Because metallic gallium has extremely high atomic mobility, it can promote simultaneous nucleation across the interface during the initial oxidation stage, thereby suppressing localized preferential oxidation that could otherwise lead to polycrystalline or secondary-phase formation.
By subsequently oxidizing the metallic gallium layer in situ, the process enables the gallium to be fully converted into β-Ga₂O₃ with a composition closer to the ideal stoichiometric ratio, while reducing intrinsic defects.
Overall, the patent proposes a novel “2D material interlayer + metallic Ga + in-situ oxidation” route for preparing high-quality β-Ga₂O₃ thin films, aiming to improve phase purity, stoichiometry, and defect control.
3.Gallium Oxide Single-Crystal Growth Apparatus and Growth Method (Published Aug. 18)
According to information from the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Vital Original (Shanghai) New Technology Research Co., Ltd. has filed a patent application titled “Gallium Oxide Single-Crystal Growth Apparatus and Growth Method,” with Publication No. CN122588673A and Application No. 2025101728739.
The invention relates to the field of crystal growth and discloses an apparatus and method for growing gallium oxide single crystals. The apparatus comprises a furnace body, crucible body, crucible cover, support, mold, and heater.
The crucible body is positioned inside the heater and connected at its bottom to a rotating mechanism that drives the crucible to rotate. The crucible cover is positioned above the crucible body, while the support contacts and supports the crucible cover, creating a first gap between the cover and the crucible body.
A mold is installed inside the crucible body and fixed to the crucible cover, with a second gap maintained between the bottom surface of the mold and the inner bottom surface of the crucible.
The key feature of the invention is the use of the first and second gaps to enable the crucible body to rotate while keeping the crucible cover and mold stationary. This configuration helps maintain stable crystal-growth conditions while improving the uniformity of heat distribution within the melt and the distribution of dopant impurities.
According to the patent, the design is beneficial for improving shoulder-growth quality during crystal growth and enhancing the electrical properties of doped gallium oxide crystals.
Overall, the patent focuses on optimizing the mechanical configuration and rotation mode of the crucible to improve melt uniformity, dopant distribution, crystal-growth stability, and the quality and electrical properties of gallium oxide single crystals.
4.Gallium Oxide Crystal Growth Apparatus (Published Aug. 18)
According to information from the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Vital Original (Shanghai) New Technology Research Co., Ltd. has filed a patent application titled “Gallium Oxide Crystal Growth Apparatus,” with Publication No. CN122588672A and Application No. 2025101706180.
The invention discloses a gallium oxide crystal growth apparatus comprising a furnace body, thermal insulation chamber, thermal insulation structure, pulling rod, and growth assembly.
The thermal insulation structure is arranged inside the furnace body and surrounds the thermal insulation chamber as well as a first channel connected to the chamber. A pulling rod is inserted into the first channel and can move back and forth to pull the material during crystal growth.
The growth assembly is positioned inside the thermal insulation chamber and comprises a crucible body, mold, and crucible cover. The crucible cover is mounted on the crucible body and has an opening through which the upper portion of the mold extends. The mold is provided with a growth slot extending in a first direction and passing through the mold, with the growth slot positioned opposite the first channel.
A key feature of the apparatus is the use of an elliptical cylindrical crucible. The projections of the two focal points of the elliptical cross-section onto the first direction are positioned along the length direction of the mold.
According to the patent, this configuration addresses the problem of lower temperatures at the center and higher temperatures at both sides of the mold surface, thereby improving the symmetry and uniformity of the shoulder-growth process for gallium oxide crystals.
Overall, the patent focuses on optimizing the crucible and thermal-field configuration to achieve a more uniform temperature distribution across the mold, thereby improving the symmetry and uniformity of gallium oxide crystal shoulder growth.
5.Gallium Oxide Crystal Growth Method (Published Aug. 18)
According to information from the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Hangzhou Garen Semiconductor Co., Ltd. has filed a patent application titled “Gallium Oxide Crystal Growth Method,” with Publication No. CN122588680A and Application No. 2025101692510.
The invention relates to the field of gallium oxide crystal materials and discloses a method for growing gallium oxide crystals using gallium oxide, a mineralizer, and water as the raw materials.
The mineralizer promotes the dissolution of gallium oxide in water at temperatures ranging from 150 to 1000 °C, forming a gallium oxide solution. Driven by natural convection, the solution continuously circulates within a hydrothermal reactor and comes into contact with a gallium oxide seed crystal positioned at the top, enabling crystal growth.
Compared with conventional high-temperature crystal-growth methods, this approach operates at a lower growth temperature and eliminates the need for iridium crucibles, potentially reducing manufacturing costs. In addition, crystal growth under hydrothermal conditions of 150–1000 °C avoids the decomposition of gallium oxide into metallic gallium and suboxides at temperatures around 1800 °C, thereby helping to improve crystal quality.
Overall, the patent proposes a low-temperature hydrothermal route for gallium oxide crystal growth, with the key advantages of avoiding expensive iridium crucibles, reducing growth temperature and mitigating high-temperature decomposition of Ga₂O₃, offering a potentially lower-cost route for gallium oxide crystal preparation.
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.
1.Active-Injection Soft-Switching LLC Converter Based on Gallium Oxide and Its Control Method (Published Aug. 21)
According to information from the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Nanjing University has filed a patent application titled “Active-Injection Soft-Switching LLC Converter Based on Gallium Oxide and Its Control Method,” with Publication No. CN122620986A and Application No. 2026110811053.
The patent discloses an LLC resonant converter incorporating gallium oxide MOSFETs, comprising a gallium oxide half-bridge power stage, an LLC resonant network, an auxiliary soft-switching injection module, and a control module.
The half-bridge power stage includes two series-connected gallium oxide MOSFET main switches, with their connection point serving as the half-bridge midpoint. The LLC resonant network includes a magnetizing inductor connected to the half-bridge midpoint.
The auxiliary soft-switching injection module consists of an auxiliary DC power source, low-voltage full-bridge network, energy-storage inductor, and isolated coupled unit. During the conduction period of the first main switch, the full-bridge network charges the energy-storage inductor to establish an auxiliary current. After the first main switch turns off, the auxiliary current is injected into the half-bridge midpoint through the isolated coupled unit during the dead time, thereby charging and discharging the output capacitance of the second main switch.
When the half-bridge midpoint voltage falls below a preset zero-voltage threshold, the second gallium oxide MOSFET is turned on, enabling soft switching.
Overall, the patent combines gallium oxide MOSFETs with an active-injection soft-switching LLC topology. Its innovation lies primarily in using an auxiliary current-injection mechanism to facilitate zero-voltage switching of the Ga₂O₃ MOSFETs, reducing switching losses and improving the operating performance of the LLC converter.
