The Takeda Award Message from Chairman Awardees Achievement Fact Awards Ceremony Forum 2001
2002
Forum

Hiroshi Amano
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Q&A





Hiroshi Amano
 
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[Slide 24]

[Slide 25]

[Slide 26]

[Slide 27]

[Slide 28]

[Slide 29]

[Slide 30]
[Slide 24]
Thus, this is an example of a failure. I became acutely aware that there was a distinct difference, when you tried something, between doing it with confidence and doing it without.

[Slide 25]
There is some time remaining. So, lastly, I will talk about the present struggle, namely my present work, before I finish.

[Slide 26]
In visible region light emitting diodes, the materials based on gallium nitride are very well developed and promising. But in the shorter wavelength region, ultra-violet, they are experiencing a hard battle. As the source of this ultra-violet light, there are now only excimer lasers - that is, gas lasers. These gas lasers are very huge and weigh as much as one ton.

[Slide 27]
If a semiconductor can be used to make a UV laser, a hand-held one may be fabricated. The total efficiency of the gas laser is, for example, under 1 %. Using semiconductor laser, the efficiency will be raised very much.

[Slide 28]
When the semiconductor ultra-violet light source is realized, it can, for example, be used for sterilization and, as a result, for applications against bio-terror.

[Slide 29]
Next, this is the light absorption chart of DNA and protein. By selecting the wavelength, it may become possible to detect only a malignant tumor without harm to the human body or the DNA in it. If it is realized, it may be possible, in future, that a small semiconductor chip is inserted into human body to detect only the cancer cell and to eliminate it using a laser.

At present, it may be thought of as a pipe dream. But I think I had a very good experience in the case of the blue light emitting diode. Now, the existence of the blue light emitting diode is taken for granted, but, at the time when I joined the research, it seemed impossible. There was a time when it was a pipe dream, as this picture is now. Thus, we are now developing this also.

[Slide 30]
Finally, I would like to express my great thanks to Professor Akasaki, who gave me the best research theme and an exciting research environment; and to the research laboratory's members in Nagoya University at that time; and the present members of the research laboratory in Meijo University; and the selection committee members of the Takeda Foundation, who selected and recognized a young unknown person with this supreme honor. Thank you very much.




 
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