Through this project, Meijo University aims to realize new optical devices based on blue LED technology for the future of society, centered on the research team of tenured professor Isamu Akasaki, who was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. The project also explores advanced research themes that can lead to Nobel Prizes in the near future and new research areas to which such new optical devices can be applied. Research achievements will be introduced through the　university's website, symposia, experiment demonstrations, and other novel programs that students come up with. All of this will contribute to Meijo University’s development as a nationwide brand as a research-oriented university, a brand currently held in the Tokai region.

With this project, we will establish an internationally renowned research base for creating new devices with new functions. In addition, we will recruit highly motivated, high-quality candidates through our branding strategies, to experience the world-class “Optical Device Research at Meijo University”, and participate in joint research with companies. It will foster quality human resources who will play significant roles in society after graduating from the university. This will lead Meijo University to a great reputation and positive results in recruiting more promising candidates and increasing the brand value of Meijo University.

As for research, we proceeded with the establishment of a research system, such as the formation of a high-quality joint research triangle by researchers, corporate researchers, and students, for the social implementation of research results. Specific research results include the realization of a blue-violet nitride semiconductor surface-emitting laser with the world's highest power of 3mW and the realization of a GaN-based electron pumped laser. As for branding, the company launched a website, set up a showroom, conducted experiment demonstrations at elementary, junior high and high schools, and published articles in newspapers, etc. Also, the public symposium "LEDs that will Continue to Change the World" was successfully held. With a professor emeritus Isamu Akasaki and professor emeritus Hiroshi Amano, who were awarded the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics, giving speeches at the symposium. The total amount of subsidies for this fiscal year was 19,330,000 yen, consisting of 16,500,000 yen for research expenses (liquid nitrogen and sapphire substrate consumables) and 2,830,000 yen for PR expenses (website opening and symposium holding expenses).

In addition to the introduction of new crystal growth equipment, the hiring of PDs, etc. we have greatly enhanced the research of optical semiconductor devices. We achieved a number of “world's highest/first” such as establishing a new record for the world's highest output (4.2 mW) with a violet surface-emitting laser and realizing the world's first deep-ultraviolet tunnel-junction LED using the MOVPE method, etc. Also, students participating in this research have won the outstanding paper award at the Japan Society of Applied Physics, contributing to fostering quality students. This research project also includes "application research" derived from blue LEDs, and various activities are being conducted both on and off campus with the participation of faculty and students from other faculties (Faculty of Agriculture and Faculty of Business Management). As for branding, these research results were presented at the public symposium "Nanomaterials and Optical Devices That will Change the World", and various progress and results are also published on the website. In the “2018 Ranking of Universities of Interest” based on a survey targeting high school students, our university ranked No. 1 in the Chubu region for two consecutive years, surpassing the boundaries of the Tokai region and showing a strong presence in the Hokushinetsu region. The total amount of subsidies in this fiscal year was 159,697,000 yen, consisting of 156,265,000 yen for research expenses(Gallium Nitride Metal Vapor Deposition System, PD salaries, participation in international conferences, etc.) and 3,431,000 yen for PR expenses (creating an English website and a showroom monument, etc.)

As a result of utilizing the crystal growth equipment introduced in the previous year and conducting research by the "trinity" of students, faculty, and industry, we have achieved many "world's best/smallest". In May 2018, Tetsuya Takeuchi, Director of the Optoelectronic Device Research Center, together with Professor Hiroshi Amano (Nagoya University), presented and made a press releases about the results of "low-resistance tunnel junctions", which is one of the new fundamental technologies for the realization of highly efficient blue lasers, at a symposium organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). The numerous research achievements including 17 invited lectures and 40 presentations at various national and international conferences and other events, and more than 10 filed applications for the patents show the acceleration of our research. Furthermore, by sending graduate students engaging in this research to the Technische Universit?t Berlin (Germany), we are also contributing to internationalization and fostering students. For our university’s branding, we held a public symposium titled “The New Materials that are Changing the World,” set up a PR booth to raise the level of recognition, and worked with local governments together to offer lectures to citizens on our research and our results. We also actively participated in lectures for high school teachers at the Tokai Region Electricity Education Research Association. In "application research", which is mainly led by seminar students in the Faculty of Business Management, they have taken the initiatives to raise the level of recognition of “blue LEDs” with the cooperation of the Chunichi Dragons. The total amount of subsidies for the fiscal year was 38,667,000 yen, consisting of 35,707,000 yen for research expenses (GaN platforms, PD salaries, participation in international conferences, etc.) and 2,960,000 yen for PR expenses (installation of PR booths, publication fees, etc.).

We have taken over research activities form the previous years and have achieved a number of results and accomplishments. Associate Professor Iwaya Motoaki and his colleagues held a press conference to discuss the world's first UV-B (298nm) laser with the aim of further improving its characteristics for medical and industrial applications, and it was published in six different newspapers. The realization of the new optical devices has led to the establishment of a research brand for Meijo University as its high social value is featured in the media. We have also succeeded in realizing a visible light sensor with the world's highest sensitivity and a surface-emitting laser with the world's highest power conductive mirror, and these results have been shown at 18 invited presentations, 64 conference presentations, and 7 patent applications, etc. As for branding, giving experiment demonstrations for elementary, junior high and high school students, and giving lectures at the places including the Japan Institute of Light Metals and The Japan Society of Dental Equipment have increased our level of social recognition based on the social implementation of the results by future joint research with companies. In addition, Meijo University hosted the Meijo University Techno Fair 2019 on August 27, 2019, which welcomed 800 visitors to spread the seeds of our research to a wider audience. We also sent DMs to high school students who are interested in studying science across the country to raise the level of recognition. As for international research activities, we organized an international workshop on AlGaN research at the Technische Universit?t Berlin, Germany by the researchers from Germany, Poland and Japan. The status of subsidy usage for this FY are as follows: 35,820,000 yen for research expenses (liquid nitrogen, hydrogen, etc., PD salaries, international conferences participation, etc.) and 2,773,000 yen for PR expenses (production and delivery of DMs, etc.). The total: 38,604,000 yen.

This project was subsidized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) until the end of FY 2020. However, due to policy revision in FY 2018, the project was terminated at the end of FY 2019. As a result of the discussion, it was decided to reduce the budget at the time of application and to continue the project until FY 2020, which is the final year of the project’s original plan. We will review our initial project plan including the results and achievements, and carry out our project based on revised 2020 policies, targets and plans.
As this is the final year of the project, we will further increase the international level of the recognition for the project by promoting international joint research as the culmination of the project. Specifically, we hope to strengthen our role as a center of international collaboration and promote two or more international joint research projects. Then, we will promote social implementation of the results of joint research with companies to increase the level of social recognition for the university. To be specific, we desire to promote joint research with four or more private companies. Also, as a path to ongoing research and branding activities, we hope to realize new optical devices that enable the "realization of a safe and secure society" including the disinfection of viruses, etc., and to enhance the branding activities with these devices. Continuing on from the past four years, we will continue our joint research with companies to achieve multiple world’s firsts/bests, and present the results of our research externally on many occasions. Although the public symposium in 2019 was cancelled due to the spread of coronavirus, we will report on the results of this project by holding a symposium while carefully checking the status of the coronavirus situation. We will continue our efforts to attract elementary, junior high, and high school students and work to draw attention from the younger generation through media coverage and other means. Based on our previous 5-year efforts, we aim to build a brand image as a research-oriented and global Meijo University as well as building a brand image of Meijo University as a university that fosters quality students, through graduates who play an active role in society.