Nuvoton Releases High-Power Ultraviolet Laser Diode (379 nm, 1.0 W)
KYOTO, Japan, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Nuvoton Technology Corporation Japan (hereinafter "NTCJ") announced on January 20 the start of mass production of its high-power ultraviolet semiconductor laser (379 nm, 1.0 W), which delivers industry-leading (*) optical output in a 9.0-mm diameter CAN package (TO-9). This product achieves short wavelength, high output power, and long lifetime -- three elements previously considered difficult for ultraviolet semiconductor lasers -- through NTCJ's proprietary device structure and advanced high-heat-dissipation packaging technology. As a result, it contributes to fine patterning and improved production throughput in maskless lithography for advanced semiconductor packaging.
(*) As of January 16, 2026, based on NTCJ's research of semiconductor lasers emitting at 379 nm in a TO-9 CAN package under continuous-wave (CW) operation at a case temperature (Tc) of 25C.
Key visual: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M108245/202601072090/_prw_PI1fl_x5FsfwAW.jpg
Image: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M108245/202601072090/_prw_PI2fl_038KkhpF.jpg
As demand grows for information-processing capabilities driven by the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI), there is increasing need for higher semiconductor performance. On the other hand, as transistor miniaturization approaches its physical and economic limits, semiconductor back-end package technologies and advanced semiconductor packaging, which allow integration by arranging multiple chips side by side or stacking them vertically, have been attracting attention.
One element supporting the evolution of these packaging technologies is maskless lithography. As a key light source in maskless lithography, semiconductor lasers have faced growing demands for shorter wavelengths closer to the i-line (365 nm) and higher output to enable finer wiring and improve equipment throughput. To meet these requirements, NTCJ has leveraged over 40 years of experience in laser design and manufacturing to develop and commercialize an ultraviolet semiconductor laser with a wavelength of 379 nm and an output of 1.0 W.
Ultraviolet semiconductor lasers generally suffer from significant heat generation caused by low wall-plug efficiency (WPE), and a tendency for device degradation caused by ultraviolet light, making stable operation at high output levels above 1.0 W difficult. To address this, NTCJ took a dual approach by focusing on both a "device structure that enhances WPE" and a "high thermal conduction package technology that effectively dissipates heat," enabling NTCJ to develop a product that successfully combines short wavelength, high output, and long lifetime: a 1.0 W ultraviolet (379 nm) device. As a result, NTCJ is contributing to extending the lifetime of optical devices that utilize ultraviolet light.
The product has been newly added to NTCJ's lineup of "semiconductor laser-based alternatives to mercury lamps," providing customers with a new choice.
Details of the new product will be showcased at NTCJ's booth at SPIE Photonics West 2026 in San Francisco, USA, and at OPIE'26 in Yokohama, Japan. NTCJ sincerely looks forward to welcoming visitors.
For more details about the product, please visit: https://nuvoton.co.jp/semi-spt/apl/rd/?id=1100-0172
About Nuvoton Technology Corporation Japan: https://www.nuvoton.co.jp/en/
SPIE Photonics West 2026, Nuvoton Booth Web: https://spie.org/ExhibitorDetail?ExpoID=5022&ExhibitorID=105454
OPIE (OPTICS & PHOTONICS International Exhibition): https://www.opie.jp/en/
SOURCE Nuvoton Technology Corporation Japan
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