Central Research Laboratory

Principles and organization of our Central Research Laboratory

Life photonics

A future where the Earth, its people, and all living things coexist in a harmonious balance - Hamamatsu Photonics aims to make this dream a reality through research into “light” which is the source of all matter.

What will our future be like 20 or 30 years from now? How about a future where all people can enjoy comfortable and active lives with peace of mind and where an optimal balance is maintained among the Earth, its people and all living things? To make this dream a reality we will have to overcome many obstacles and challenges.
Our Central Research Laboratory is conducting R&D work that conforms to “sustainability” values. We call this work “Life Photonics” which is based on the theme of “life” encompassing a broad range of areas such as life, living things, human life, vitality sources, and ways of living. We will continue researching a diverse spectrum of photonics and optical technologies taking “Life Photonics” as our motivating theme.

What is light? What can we do with light? Technology development at Hamamatsu always starts as a dialogue with light. In this process, our Central Research Laboratory and a number of specialized research facilities play fundamental roles and conduct basic research into light, while pursuing applied research across a diverse range of fields including Optical information processing and measurement, Health and medical care, biotechnology, material science, and energy.

Exploring the possibilities of light

Research fields

Optical information processing and measurement

To achieve the grand dream of “optical computers” as well as an understanding the “complex systems” and “interactions between light and matter,” we have conducted extensive research and created technology for generating and applying so-called new light. We are progressing step by step toward an entirely new type of information processing achieved through research into highly sophisticated light control and measurement on the spatial axis, time axis, and wavelength axis of light.

Health and medical care

What can photonics technology do to bring ”true health” to all of us? A wide variety of approaches have been continually applied in this field to provide people with a full and healthy life. These include development of PET systems and PET applied research, biomedical measurement using near-infrared light and even biotechnology-related research. These research approaches also serve to expand the future potential of photonics technology itself.

Biophotonics

Biotechnology research is the best possible field for following up on the possibilities offered by photonics technology. We have been doing applied research in this field in a continual search for what can only be revealed by light and in areas where light is of critical importance. This field offers unlimited possibilities for applying photonics technology and we are doing our utmost to propose new photonics technology combining diverse technical areas including light sources and sensors as well as bioassay technology.

Optical materials

In the interaction between light and matter, when the structure of a substance is the same or smaller than the nano-region or in other words the target light wavelength, then that material behaves completely different than it would in the macro region. We refer to this interaction between light and matter and also the interaction between light and electrons in the nano-region as nanophotonics. Our current research in this field focuses on new materials and optical devices that utilize the interaction between this new type of light and matter.

Energy

Laser fusion converts deuterium contained in inexhaustible seawater into enormous energy, and it is expected to be the ultimate carbon-free power that supports our digitalized society for sustainable human development.
On the long-term theme of laser fusion, we are developing research projects including next generation manufacturing, new materials, and advanced measurement analysis using various photon energies. We will nurture their seeds and maximize their potential that contribute to the creation of new industries and innovations by photonics.

Facilities

The Central Research Laboratory in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Pref. is home to a host of specialized research facilities including the Research Center, the Material Center, the PET Center, the Medical Imaging Center, and the Biotechnology Center. In the Central Research Laboratory, a wide range of research is carried out ranging from basic research which pursues the nature of light to applied research in which the knowledge and technology acquired through basic research is applied in industries.

At our Industrial Development Research Center located in Hamamatsu City, we are setting our sights on creating new industries that utilize light for fields including power generation, medical care, and material modification, while working on our core research of “laser fusion” that has the potential to extract energy from hydrogen isotopes in seawater always available in endless quantities.

Tsukuba Research Laboratory in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Pref. primarily conducts research on bio-photonics in which opto-technology is applied in the field of life science.

Research Center
(completed in November 1989)

Material Center
(completed in August 1993)

PET Center
(completed in November 1991)

Biotechnology Center
(completed in December 1994)

Medical Imaging Center
(Health Screening Center and Positron Medical Center were unified in April 2012)

Tsukuba Research Center
(Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Pref.)

Industrial development Center
(Industrial development Laboratory)

Part of the research results is being introduced in "Virtual showroom"

We'd like to introduce R&D of spatial light control technology for performing high-throughput and high-quality laser processing, which was adopted as a national project by Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP) "Photonics and Quantum Technology for Society 5.0".
Various contents, such as working principle, concept movie and application examples are included in the virtual showroom. Please come visit our virtual showroom!

*A part of this work was performed for Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (CSTI), Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP), "Photonics and Quantum Technology for Society 5.0"(Funding agency: QST).

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Central Research Laboratory

Principles and organization of our Central Research Laboratory

Life photonics

Exploring the possibilities of light

Research fields

Facilities

Part of the research results is being introduced in "Virtual showroom"

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