【Patenes】Gallium Oxide Patent Weekly Report (Issue 16, October)

      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 sixteenth issue reviews gallium oxide-related patent applications published during the fourth weeks of October 2026 (October 19–October 25).

Preparation Method and Application of a Patterned Epitaxial Substrate with Non-Regular Pentagonal Nanoislands, and Preparation Methods for Epitaxial Wafers(October 20 Publication)

      According to information released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Hangzhou Garen Semiconductor Co., Ltd. has filed a patent application entitled “Preparation Method and Application of a Patterned Epitaxial Substrate with Non-Regular Pentagonal Nanoislands, and Preparation Methods for Epitaxial Wafers.” The publication number is CN122942166A, and the application number is 2026111094715.

      The invention relates to the field of gallium oxide epitaxy, and specifically concerns a patterned epitaxial substrate featuring non-regular pentagonal nanoislands, its preparation method, methods for preparing epitaxial wafers, and related applications.

      The preparation method for the patterned epitaxial substrate comprises the following steps: forming a photoresist layer on a substrate; exposing and developing the photoresist layer using a photomask featuring non-regular pentagonal patterns, followed by hard baking to form a non-regular pentagonal photoresist mask; and subjecting the substrate with the photoresist mask to solution modification and cleaning to obtain a patterned epitaxial substrate with non-regular pentagonal nanoislands. The non-regular pentagon has at least two sides of unequal lengths.

      When a gallium oxide thin film is epitaxially grown on this patterned substrate, defects in the substrate, as well as defects such as dislocations generated during the initial nucleation stage, can be terminated within the initial nucleation layer, thereby achieving dislocation filtering. Furthermore, this method is applicable to various types of substrates and is not limited to homoepitaxy.

An All-Permanent-Magnet 615 MHz Electron Cyclotron Resonance Deposition System for Wide-Bandgap Semiconductor Thin Films(October 20 Publication)

      According to information released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Wang Ju has filed a patent application entitled “An All-Permanent-Magnet 615 MHz Electron Cyclotron Resonance Deposition System for Wide-Bandgap Semiconductor Thin Films.” The publication number is CN122942009A, and the application number is 2026111126896.

      The invention discloses an all-permanent-magnet 615 MHz electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) deposition system for wide-bandgap semiconductor thin films, belonging to the field of wide-bandgap semiconductor thin-film deposition equipment. It addresses several limitations of existing 2.45 GHz and 915 MHz ECR systems employing excitation coils, including high energy consumption, magnetic field drift, standing-wave interference caused by long-wavelength microwaves, a high density of film defects, and limited wafer size compatibility.

      The system comprises a 615 MHz microwave feeding unit, a six-layer coordinated standing-wave suppression chamber, an all-permanent-magnet resonance field assembly without excitation coils, a three-layer isolated gas delivery system, a substrate holder, a vacuum system, and an industrial control system.

A High-Gain Photodetector Based on a Phase Junction and Its Preparation Method(October 23 Publication)

      According to information released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Xidian University has filed a patent application entitled “A High-Gain Photodetector Based on a Phase Junction and Its Preparation Method.” The publication number is CN122971009A, and the application number is 2026107943470.

      The invention discloses a high-gain photodetector based on a phase junction, comprising a substrate, single-crystalline gallium oxide, amorphous gallium oxide, and metal electrodes. The single-crystalline gallium oxide is deposited on the substrate, while the amorphous gallium oxide is formed on top of the single-crystalline gallium oxide to create a phase junction. The metal electrodes comprise a first electrode and a second electrode, which are respectively deposited on the amorphous and single-crystalline gallium oxide layers.

      The invention introduces a same-material heterostructure consisting of ultrathin amorphous and single-crystalline gallium oxide layers. By incorporating controllable oxygen vacancy defects to enhance photoconductive gain, this approach aims to address the trade-off between responsivity and response speed in gallium oxide photodetectors, thereby enabling the development of high-performance gallium oxide photodetectors.

A Dynamic Atmosphere Control Method, Equipment, and Medium for VGF Growth of Gallium Oxide(October 23 Publication)

      According to information released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Shandong Guojia Jinggu Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd. has filed a patent application entitled “A Dynamic Atmosphere Control Method, Equipment, and Medium for VGF Growth of Gallium Oxide.” The publication number is CN122959851A, and the application number is 2026110617960.

      The application discloses a dynamic atmosphere control method, equipment, and medium for gallium oxide growth using the vertical gradient freeze (VGF) technique, relating to the field of wide-bandgap semiconductor material preparation.

      The method involves dividing a vertical VGF single-crystal growth furnace into three functional zones along the axial direction of the crucible. These zones are gas-isolated from one another and feature independent temperature control and gas supply. A multi-parameter real-time monitoring system and a centralized closed-loop control system are also established.

      During the pre-growth stage, the furnace chamber undergoes gas purging and preheating, while an initial oxygen partial pressure gradient that decreases along the axial direction is established across the three functional zones.

      During crystal growth, real-time monitoring data collected by the multi-parameter monitoring system are used to implement differentiated oxygen partial pressure control in each functional zone. As the solid–liquid interface moves along the axial direction, the coverage ranges and atmospheric parameters of the functional zones are dynamically adjusted accordingly.

      After crystal growth is completed, the entire furnace undergoes annealing and cooling under an inert atmosphere with low oxygen partial pressure.

An Ultrathin Gallium Oxide Wafer with a Backside Ohmic Contact Metal Layer and Its Preparation Method(October 23 Publication)

      According to information released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Zhongcheng Jianye Technology Co., Ltd. has filed a patent application entitled “An Ultrathin Gallium Oxide Wafer with a Backside Ohmic Contact Metal Layer and Its Preparation Method.” The publication number is CN122971225A, and the application number is 2026111522332.

      The invention discloses an ultrathin gallium oxide wafer with a backside ohmic contact metal layer and its preparation method, belonging to the field of semiconductor device manufacturing.

      The method uses a gallium oxide wafer on which front-side device processing has been completed. The front side of the wafer is bonded to a carrier wafer using a temporary bonding medium. While maintaining this bonded configuration, the backside of the gallium oxide wafer is thinned. An ohmic contact metal layer is then deposited on the thinned backside, followed by heat treatment. After annealing, the temporary bonding medium is released through laser ablation or thermal sliding, separating the carrier wafer from the ultrathin gallium oxide wafer with the backside ohmic contact metal layer.

      By providing continuous mechanical support from the carrier wafer throughout the thinning, metallization, and heat treatment processes, the invention effectively reduces wafer warpage, fracture, and interfacial damage during ultrathin wafer processing, thereby improving wafer integrity. It also enables the formation of a low-resistance, stable backside ohmic contact structure, making the method suitable for the manufacturing of high-voltage gallium oxide power devices.

      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.

An Anti-Nodulation Indium Tin Oxide Target Co-Doped with Praseodymium and Gallium and Its Preparation Method(October 23 Publication)

      According to information released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Guangxi Crystal Union Photoelectric Materials Co., Ltd. has filed a patent application entitled “An Anti-Nodulation Indium Tin Oxide Target Co-Doped with Praseodymium and Gallium and Its Preparation Method.” The publication number is CN122958153A, and the application number is 2026112278345.

      The invention relates to an indium tin oxide (ITO) target co-doped with praseodymium and gallium to suppress nodulation, as well as its preparation method. The process comprises the following steps:

      Pre-dispersion of rare-earth oxides:A dispersant and water are added to praseodymium oxide powder, followed by preliminary ball milling. Gallium oxide powder is then added for further ball milling to obtain a pre-dispersed rare-earth oxide slurry.

      Mixing and ball milling:Tin oxide powder is added to the pre-dispersed slurry for ball milling, followed by the addition of indium oxide powder for further milling. A binder is subsequently added for additional ball milling.

      Granulation:The mixed powder is obtained through spray drying.

      Forming:The powder is shaped into a target green body.

      Sintering:The target is obtained through a four-stage sintering process.

      Through optimized praseodymium-gallium co-doping ratios and an improved preparation process, the invention aims to suppress nodulation during magnetron sputtering at its source while maintaining high target density and low electrical resistivity. This approach enables the coordinated optimization of target performance and sputtering stability.