The 37th International Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors (ICPS2026) brought together more than 800 participants at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Tokyo, Japan, from 16 to 21 August 2026.
Held every two years, ICPS is a major international forum for the semiconductor physics community, covering electronic, structural, optical, magnetic and transport properties and presenting the latest developments in the field.
IUPAP was represented throughout the conference by Professor Gloria Platero (CSIC, Spain), Chair of the IUPAP Commission on Semiconductors (C8).
Women and Physics
Ahead of the official opening, a special Women and Physics session was held on Sunday, with the participation of Prof. Platero and Professor Junko Ishi-Hayase of Keio University.
The session provided an opportunity to discuss the role and participation of women in physics within the international semiconductor community.
Opening Ceremony
The official Opening Ceremony took place on Monday, 17 August, in the presence of Her Imperial Highness Princess Aiko, together with representatives of the scientific community and Japanese institutions, including Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and ICPS2026 Chair Professor Yasuhiko Arakawa.
During the ceremony, Prof. Platero addressed participants on behalf of IUPAP, introducing the Union and its role in supporting the international physics community.
Princess Aiko also addressed the conference, highlighting the growing importance of semiconductor technologies and the value of scientific cooperation across disciplines and national borders.
The Opening Ceremony was followed by a special plenary session featuring Nobel Laureate Klaus von Klitzing and Professor Hiroshi Amano.
Recognising Early Career Scientists in Semiconductor Physics
IUPAP also played an important role in the scientific programme through a session dedicated to the IUPAP C8 Early Career Scientist Prize in Semiconductor Physics.
The session was presented by Prof. Platero, who awarded the Prize to Kenji Yasuda of Cornell University and Natalia Kopteva of TU Dortmund University. The two awardees received their diplomas and medals and presented their research to the conference participants.
With parallel scientific sessions, poster presentations and plenary lectures, ICPS2026 provided an important opportunity for researchers at different career stages to present their work, exchange ideas and strengthen international collaboration in semiconductor physics.
The successful 2026 edition continued the long tradition of ICPS as a global meeting point for the semiconductor physics community.
