SEL
Driving Technological Advancements with R&D

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory (SEL) operates with a distinctive research and development (R&D) business model. Unlike fabless companies that outsource manufacturing, SEL takes full advantage of its state-of-the-art, in-house fabrication capabilities to quickly prototype, evaluate, and refine new designs, enabling faster time-to-market and a more agile response to industry trends.

Its R&D efforts concentrate on three key areas—display technologies with a strong focus on organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays, advanced battery technologies including innovations in rechargeable batteries and oxide semiconductors, which are expected to play a crucial role in future technological advancements.

A key component of SEL’s model is its intellectual property (IP) management cycle. Its innovations are licensed for mass production, fueling industrial development. Profits generated from these are reinvested into further R&D, creating a self-sustaining loop of continuous innovation.

“By working on R&D with an eye on market needs, spreading our innovations to the world and securing IP rights through patent applications, we promote the creation of inventions and technologies for the next generation,” says Satoshi Seo, president.

The R&D initiatives are spearheaded by SEL’s specialized teams, each focusing on a crucial aspect of semiconductor technology—materials, processes and circuits. While these areas of expertise may appear distinct, SEL believes that their integration fosters innovative technological advancements.

SEL’s multidisciplinary approach ensures that its innovations are not only commercially successful but contribute to the broader scientific community. The company frequently publishes its findings in academic journals and presents them at conferences, often collaborating with partner companies. These efforts advance the field and enable SEL to make meaningful societal contributions.

One of the critical challenges SEL addresses is the increased power consumption in semiconductors due to the advent of artificial intelligence (AI). AI requires enormous arithmetic processing power, significantly increasing worldwide power consumption and exacerbating climate change. SEL is committed to mitigating AI’s impact by leveraging its oxide semiconductor technology, which can significantly reduce power consumption and increase the efficiency of arithmetic operations, making it a vital solution in the era of AI.

AI predominantly uses neural networks, modeled after the human brain. SEL’s oxide semiconductor technology, specifically the FET using oxide semiconductors (OSFET), enables analog arithmetic in hardware-implemented artificial neural networks. This allows the creation of AI chips that consume drastically less power than conventional chips, making them ideal for use in edge devices. By incorporating oxide semiconductors into large-scale integration, SEL aims to reduce the energy consumption generated by these systems.

A testament to SEL’s innovative capabilities is its collaboration with Sharp Corporation. Using SEL’s crystalline oxide semiconductors—the world’s first—Sharp developed liquid crystal displays (LCD) for smartphones in 2012. This innovative partnership opened new frontiers in the LCD industry and earned it public recognition for significant contributions to display technology.

Display technology remains a core development area for SEL. A recent example is the successful patterning of OLED devices using photolithography techniques. This innovation enabled it to develop high-resolution OLED displays that surpass conventional models in performance.

With a foundation firmly rooted in rigorous R&D and over 40 years of experience, SEL is well-positioned at the forefront of technological innovation, driving global industrial growth and contributing to a more sustainable future.