WPI-QUP will host an international conference, " Q-RadSemi2026," at the Tsukuba International Congress Center from Thursday, January 22 to Friday, January 23, 2026. Registration is now open.

Researchers in particle and nuclear physics experiments routinely handle charged particles and neutrons at accelerator facilities, where radiation-tolerant LSIs are indispensable. Over many years, extensive expertise has been accumulated in radiation-hard electronics and semiconductor sensors—particularly in ASICs for pixel detectors placed near interaction points. As accelerator beam intensities continue to rise, the required level of radiation tolerance has also become more demanding, driving a wide range of ongoing R&D efforts. In the satellite and spacecraft engineering communities as well, substantial knowledge has been gained through long-term experience in selecting and qualifying components and devices capable of surviving harsh space-radiation environments. In today’s environment, with a growing number of flight opportunities, it has become an urgent challenge to ensure the required radiation tolerance without relying exclusively on expensive radiation-hard components, by effectively incorporating commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) devices while controlling development costs.

At the same time, entirely new application domains are being discussed seriously including the possibility of semiconductor manufacturing in microgravity, the establishment of in-orbit data centers for large-scale data processing, and the development of lunar-surface infrastructure. These trends underscore that the impact of space environments on semiconductor technologies is broader and more significant than ever, and research and development aimed at real space applications is expanding across universities, research institutes, and industry.

Despite this wide range of knowledge related to radiation-tolerant devices, it cannot be said that these insights are sufficiently shared between researchers in the physical sciences and engineering—who primarily focus on semiconductor materials and device physics—and researchers engaged in particle, nuclear, and space-based experiments. To address this gap, KEK-QUP has organized this workshop, Radiation-Tolerant Semiconductors, adopting a different approach from existing semiconductor-sensor meetings. Our aim is to bring together semiconductor researchers who are newly entering the space domain with researchers experienced in particle, nuclear, and space experiments, and to provide a forum for substantive and practical cross-disciplinary discussion.

This workshop will cover a broad spectrum of topics—from Single-Event Effect studies at accelerators, to radiation-tolerant semiconductor materials, device physics, circuit design, sensor technologies, component screening and selection, and system-level design. Through discussions among researchers and engineers with diverse perspectives, we aim to promote cross-field knowledge sharing and collaboration. We expect that such efforts will lead to the creation of highly reliable semiconductor devices capable of operating in a wide range of space environments—including in orbit, on the Moon, and on Mars—and that the resulting technologies will also contribute to the development and practical deployment of high-reliability components on Earth. Another important goal of this workshop is to support those who are newly seeking to engage in space-related research and applications.

“Q-RadSemi2026” Web page
https://conference-indico.kek.jp/event/360/overview

Registration Deadline：Wednesday, January 14, 2026