OYAMA, JAPAN -- Gigaphoton Inc. (Head Office: Oyama, Tochigi; President and CEO: Tatsuo Enami), a manufacturer of lightsources for semiconductor lithography, announced its participation in the Moonshot Research and Development Program led by the Cabinet Office of the Government of Japan.

The Cabinet Office's website outlines that the Moonshot Research and Development Program sets ambitious goals to attract people, and promotes challenging R&D projects with the aim of resolving difficult societal issues while bringing together the wisdom of researchers from all over the world.
Among its goals, Goal 10 focuses on realizing a dynamic society in harmony with the global environment and free from resource constraints, through diverse applications of fusion energy, by 2050.

Gigaphoton is participating in the Goal 10 R&D Projects “Fundamental Superconducting Technology to Realize Various Innovative Fusion Reactor Concepts” led by Project Manager Ph.D. Takanobu Kiss. This project aims to establish mass production technology for high-performance REBCO* wires, at high-quality and low costs, which are essential components in superconducting magnets used in fusion reactors.
Gigaphoton is engaged in the development of the excimer laser for Pulsed Laser Deposition. With its expertise in excimer lasers widely used in semiconductor lithography process worldwide, Gigaphoton contributes to enhancing the performance of PLD equipment while achieving high availability.

Tatsuo Enami, President and CEO of Gigaphoton said, “High-temperature superconducting wires used in fusion reactors represent a promising and compelling field with immense potential. Moreover, tackling this challenge is critical for achieving carbon neutrality. Gigaphoton is dedicated to contributing to the realization of carbon neutrality and a sustainable society through our efforts in this project.”

* REBCO: Rare Earth-Barium-Copper-Oxide — an abbreviation for a high-temperature superconducting material composed of rare earth elements and copper oxide. It enters a superconducting state (zero electrical resistance) at temperatures below liquid nitrogen (-196°C).