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What is the concept of this exhibit called the future of light sources?
Hamamatsu is famous for its high-sensitivity optical sensors, but it also has achieved many results with its light sources.
This exhibit shows the future which light sources can help create.
By light sources, do you mean lights like fluorescent lights?
Fluorescent lights are indeed light sources. But Hamamatsu develops light sources used for high-precision analytical devices. Compared to general florescent lights, Hamamatsu’s light sources emit highly stable light.
Is there such thing as stability for lights?
Light intensity is seen as stable with the eyes, but it actually varies slightly. Stable light intensity is very important for measurement devices using light, to ensure precise measurement.
How can you achieve stable light intensity?
We achieve it by optimizing the lamps’ electrode structure, the electrode’s position accuracy, and the power supply for light emission.
Is there anything else important for lamps?
Yes, their longevity. The longevity of a lamp determines the maintainability, reliability, and operating cost of the devices in which a lamp is installed.
We have sincerely worked towards meeting customers’ needs for the lamps with a long life, a lifelong high stability and a lifelong high emission intensity.
How can you achieve the long life of a lamp?
The electrode of a lamp is vital in achieving the long life of a lamp. The electrode gets consumed as the lamp is used. We continue our own R&D to reduce the electrode consumption.
Do you also make other light sources, like LEDs which we often see nowadays?
Yes, we do. Today, LEDs are used not only for consumer products but also for industrial applications. Hamamatsu develops high power UV-LEDs with a long life, and they are widely used in industry.
Specifically, those LEDs are used in the process of manufacturing liquid-crystal displays and in the printing field for gluing, ink drying, and coating agent drying.
Smartphones and tablets have liquid-crystal displays. Are UV-LEDs used also in the process of manufacturing those products?
That’s right. Hamamatsu’s photonics technology contributes to the manufacturing process of familiar products, too.
I see. This exhibit changed my perception of light sources. Now what are the future plans for Hamamatsu’s light sources?
We will continue to pursue high stability, long life, and the utmost performance of light sources used for analytical devices.
We have the mission to achieve both higher stability of light sources and higher performance of photodetectors. Because we pursue both of them, we are experts in light.
Experts in light sound reliable. Can you tell me about Hamamatsu’s future initiatives?
We will work on two projects. One is about the ultimate miniaturization of light sources and the other is about visualizing with light.
For ultimate miniaturization, we’re interested in real-time monitoring using products like a pill-size diagnostic instrument or a smart watch for monitoring physical condition.
For visualizing with light, we will continue to research the principles and applications of light. We’d like to see soil analyzers that work just by inserting them in the ground, and devices that can detect bacteria simply by irradiating light, for example.
What is the motivation behind these technological goals?
We are aiming to create safe society and make contributions to society.
The future of light sources looks bright. Thank you.