Semiconductors are the foundation of modern technology—from computers and smartphones to electric vehicles, renewable energy, and medical devices. Global demand for them continues to rise, as does the scope of their potential applications.
Semiconductors are the foundation of modern technology—from computers and smartphones to electric vehicles, renewable energy, and medical devices. Global demand for them continues to rise, as does the scope of their potential applications.
One of the greatest breakthroughs of recent decades was the discovery that gallium nitride can be used to build efficient blue LEDs. The work of Prof. Isamu Akasaki, Prof. Hiroshi Amano, and Prof. Shuji Nakamura revolutionized lighting technology and earned the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Today, scientific attention is shifting toward the next generation of materials: ultra-wide bandgap (UWB) semiconductors, which open new technological frontiers, especially in the ultraviolet spectrum. These materials will be the focus of the 8th International Workshop on Ultra-Wide Bandgap Materials and Devices (IWUMD 2025), held in Wrocław on September 21–24. This year’s hosts are Łukasiewicz – PORT and Wrocław University of Science and Technology.
The conference was initiated by Prof. Hiroshi Amano, with its first edition held in China in 2016. Initially centered on UV-oriented materials—primarily AlGaN—its scope has gradually expanded to include a broader class of wide-bandgap semiconductors such as gallium oxide, boron nitride, diamond, and silicon carbide.
“This is the eighth edition, and its thematic range keeps growing. Today we discuss the entire spectrum of wide-bandgap materials,” notes Dr. hab. Edyta Piskorska-Hommel, co-chair of the organizing committee.
This year’s edition will gather around one hundred scientists and industry representatives from around the world. The program includes a keynote lecture by Nobel Laureate Prof. Hiroshi Amano, expert talks, thematic sessions, and interactive poster presentations.
“It is a three-day workshop—short, but very intense,” explains Prof. Detlef Hommel, Honorary Chair of the organizing committee.
“This is Prof. Amano’s first visit to Wrocław. We have known each other for thirty years and have co-authored publications. His participation undoubtedly draws significant attention.”
With the global introduction of white LEDs for energy-efficient lighting, researchers are now increasingly interested in UV emitters, which have numerous applications. A true breakthrough would be the use of AlGaN-based materials for water purification, a technology that could improve life for millions of people in developing countries. Another material attracting attention is Ga₂O₃, still relatively new to research but promising wide applicability—as a high-power transistor, photodetector, gas sensor, or in solar cells.
A major scientific backbone for the conference is the research conducted at Łukasiewicz – PORT, where Prof. Detlef Hommel leads the Advanced Semiconductor Epitaxy Research Group. His team develops new deep-UV emitters based on group-III nitrides (AlGaN) in unique material compositions that incorporate arsenic—and in the future, possibly boron. Their aim is to create technologies applicable to water purification, medical disinfection, public health, and the defense industry.
According to Prof. Hommel, international collaboration is essential:
“Challenges of this scale cannot be solved within one country. We need European and global cooperation. Only in an international setting can we push technological boundaries.”
