In 2004, Gigaphoton adopted injection-locking technology and commercialized a twin-chamber mass-production ArF excimer laser before anyone　else.  Subsequently, as lithography tools evolve , Gigaphoton has introduced to the market a series of cutting-edge ArF excimer lasers specially designed for immersion lithography and double-patterning immersion lithography. Gigaphoton has also greatly contributed to the development of lithography technologies for gigabit-generation ultra-fine integrated circuits.

Gigaphoton’s excimer laser light sources have been introduced by most semiconductor device manufactures in Asia including Japan and have been rapidly accepted in Europe and the US as well. As the result, in just nine years, Gigaphoton has phenomenally increased its world market share to 50% today from a single-digit market share in 2000 when it was founded.

In 2009, the number of units shipped dramatically decreased (due to the “Lehman Shock”) but have recovered to an outstanding figure in 2010.

We at Gigaphoton will continue to achieve steady growth on a global scale, to establish the unchallenged position as the world’s No. 1 excimer laser supplier. Furthermore, we will strive to become a trusted partner of and contributor to our customers.

Gigaphoton has aggressively worked on development of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography as one of the next-generation lithography (NGL) technologies for advancing beyond the era of ArF lithography. Gigaphoton had participated in the Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography System Development Association (EUVA), formed with support from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), as an original member, and played an important role in the development of lithography light sources using the laser-produced plasma (LPP) method. Today, we at Gigaphoton are striving to develop our own LPP EUV light sources for high-volume production as the next-generation of lithography light sources.