Hiroshi Amano
Co-inventor of the blue LED and Nobel laureate in physics.
Hiroshi Amano is a Japanese materials scientist whose work focuses on semiconductor technology. He shared the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics with Isamu Akasaki and Shuji Nakamura for co-inventing the blue LED.
Born on September 11, 1960, in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, to Tatsuji and Yoshiko Amano, he played soccer as a goalkeeper and softball as a catcher in elementary school. He was passionate about amateur radio and, despite disliking studying, excelled at mathematics. In high school, he began taking his studies seriously, often studying late into the night, and became a top student. He entered Nagoya University in 1979, graduating from the School of Engineering in 1983, completed a master’s degree in 1985, and earned his doctorate in engineering in 1989.
In 1988, Amano became a research associate at Nagoya University’s School of Engineering. From 1992 to 2010, he served as an assistant professor, associate professor, and professor in the Faculty of Science and Technology at Meijo University. He returned to Nagoya University in 2010 as a professor in the Graduate School of Engineering and has directed the Akasaki Research Center since 2011.
Amano joined Professor Isamu Akasaki’s group as an undergraduate in 1982 and has since researched the growth, characterization, and device applications of group III nitride semiconductors—the materials used in blue LEDs. In 1985, he developed low-temperature deposited buffer layers for growing these semiconductor films on sapphire substrates, enabling group-III-nitride-based LEDs and laser diodes. In 1989, he grew p-type GaN and fabricated the world’s first p-n-junction-type GaN-based UV/blue LED.
Known for his dedication, Amano’s laboratory was always lit late at night, including weekends, holidays, and New Year’s Day, earning it the nickname “no night castle.” His students describe him as optimistic, temperate, and never angry. His wife was a Japanese lecturer at Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 1960-09-11
- Birth Place
- Hamamatsu, Japan
- Education
- Nagoya University (grad. · graduated 1983, 1985, 1989)
- Known For
- Blue LEDs
- Awards
- Rank Prize for Optoelectronics (1998) / Nobel Prize in Physics (2014) / Asia Game Changer Award (2015) / Asian Scientist 100 (2016)
- Fields
- Materials science
- Workplaces
- Nagoya University / Meijo University
- Doctoral Advisor
- Isamu Akasaki
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Amano joined Professor Isamu Akasaki's group in 1982 as an undergraduate student and has since focused on the growth, characterization, and device applications of group III nitride semiconductors. In 1985, he developed low-temperature deposited buffer layers for growing group III nitride semiconductor films on sapphire substrates, a breakthrough that enabled blue LEDs and laser diodes. In 1989, he succeeded in growing p-type GaN and fabricating the world's first p-n-junction-type GaN-based UV/blue light-emitting diode.
Known to be keen on research, Amano's laboratory was always lit late at night, including weekdays, holidays, and New Year's Day, earning it the nickname 'no night castle'. According to his students, Amano has an optimistic and temperate personality and is never angry. During elementary school, he played soccer as a goalkeeper and softball as a catcher, and was passionate about amateur radio despite hating studying; he was good at mathematics. In high school he began taking studies seriously and became a top student by studying daily late into the night.
Reader's Guide
Amano's work on group III nitride semiconductors, particularly his development of low-temperature buffer layers and the first p-type GaN, directly enabled the creation of practical blue light-emitting diodes. This invention, shared with Isamu Akasaki and Shuji Nakamura, revolutionized lighting and display technology, leading to energy-efficient white LEDs and blue laser diodes used in Blu-ray players and other devices. The 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics recognized this foundational contribution. Amano's research career, spanning Nagoya University and Meijo University, has been characterized by persistent late-night work in the laboratory, reflecting a deep commitment to advancing semiconductor science. His achievements have had a profound impact on modern electronics and optoelectronics.
Did You Know?
- Amano was passionate about amateur radio during elementary school.
- His laboratory was called 'no night castle' because it was always lit late at night, including holidays and New Year's Day.
- He developed low-temperature deposited buffer layers for group III nitride semiconductor films in 1985.
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