Global niche top manufacturing enabled by nanofabrication technology

Abstract

Synchrotron radiation facilities, which are compared to giant microscopes, are used for cutting-edge researches in various fields because the characteristics of the emitted X-rays enable observation with extremely-high resolution that cannot be achieved with laboratory scale analytical equipment. High-precision optical elements are indispensable to obtain this high resolution, and the authors are the only company that provides a stable supply of X-ray total-reflection mirrors with surfaces smoothed to a remarkable accuracy of less than 2 nanometer. This paper describes existence of unique nanofabrication technology behind this global niche top business, its successful practical application and commercialization, and introduces an example of an application development of a new technology.