OYAMA, a maker of lightsources for cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing processes, announced today that on September 25, 2026, it installed its L300KZ KrF excimer laser for pulsed laser deposition (PLD) at a domestic manufacturer of high-temperature superconducting wire. Developed under Goal 10 of Japan's Moonshot Research and Development Program, which is overseen by the Cabinet Office, the laser evaluation has started with a view to volume manufacturing of high-temperature superconducting wire.
Gigaphoton is among the participating institutions in the Moonshot Goal 10 R&D project under "Fundamental Superconducting Technology to Realize Various Innovative Fusion Reactor Concepts." (Grant Number JPMJMS24A2). The project seeks to establish high-quality, low-cost mass-production technology for high-performance rare-earth barium copper oxide (REBCO) wire, a vital component material for the superconducting magnets used in fusion reactors. Within the project, Gigaphoton is in charge of developing the excimer lasers used in PLD processes. The L300KZ installed for this evaluation is a high-pulse-energy laser designed for PLD thin-film deposition of high-temperature superconducting materials, built by applying technologies developed through Gigaphoton's excimer lasers for semiconductor lithography.
Of the lightsources used in PLD processes, excimer lasers deliver high pulse energy and are widely used to create high-quality thin films. The company is applying technologies gained through its long experience with excimer lasers for semiconductor lithography, including those that enable stable operation and high availability. Gigaphoton aims to help improve productivity and equipment availability in PLD processes in the future.
With this installation, the project moves into the evaluation phase within a real PLD thin-film deposition process environment. Working together with the project's related organizations, Gigaphoton will verify how laser operating conditions relate to the deposition process, which will help improve the quality of high-temperature superconducting wire and establish high-volume production technology.
Tatsuo Enami, President and CEO of Gigaphoton, said, "Installing an excimer laser for PLD in a real thin-film deposition process environment and beginning the evaluation phase are important milestones for Gigaphoton. Beyond high-temperature superconducting wire, we anticipate applications across a wide range of advanced materials fields that use PLD technology, including functional thin films, advanced electronic materials, and optical materials. Through ongoing collaboration with related organizations, Gigaphoton will help establish mass-production technology for high-temperature superconducting wire, while striving to create new value in the advanced materials industries."
