Semiconductor physics

Shuji Nakamura: inventions and patents

Shuji Nakamura, born in Ikata, Japan, shared the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics for the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes. He is the named inventor on US Patent 5,290,393 for a gallium nitride crystal growth method, assigned to Nichia Chemical Industries, and was at the University of California, Santa Barbara, at the time of the award. He sued Nichia over compensation for his invention, and the case was settled at the Tokyo High Court in January 2005.^1,2,3

Patents

Inventions

• Efficient blue LED. Blue light-emitting diodes based on gallium nitride, which the Nobel Foundation said enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources.¹

Recognition

• 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics (one third share), for the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes¹

Disputes

• 2004 to 2005 Nakamura sued his former employer Nichia over compensation for transferring to the company his patent rights in a blue LED invention. In January 2004 the Tokyo District Court, with Presiding Judge Ryoichi Mimura, ordered Nichia to pay him 20 billion yen. Nichia appealed, arguing that its success came from a large team and substantial company investment, LEDs Magazine reported. Nakamura and Nichia settled at the Tokyo High Court in January 2005 for 843 million yen, The Japan Times reported. Nakamura said he was forced into reaching a settlement and that the high court practically did not read the reams of documents he presented.^4,5,3

Sources

1. Nobel Prize Outreach, Shuji Nakamura, Facts (accessed 2026-10-27)
2. Google Patents, US5290393A Crystal growth method for gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor (accessed 2026-10-27)
3. The Japan Times, Inventor of blue LED angry with settlement (13 January 2005)
4. The Japan Times, Creator of blue LED wins 20 billion yen patent payout (31 January 2004)
5. LEDs Magazine, Nichia settles patent dispute with former researcher (undated (2005))