Nanophoton Corporation

Nanophoton Corporation is a Japanese high-tech company founded in February 2003 as a start-up leveraging nanotechnology and photonics. Based in Minoh, Osaka, it develops, manufactures, and sells laser Raman microscopes and related optical products. The company's mission is to create new markets by developing equipment that has never existed before. Its first major product, the Laser Raman Microscope RAMAN-11, launched in 2005, was the world's first to achieve high-speed and high-resolution Raman imaging. Nanophoton's Raman microscopes are used in applications such as silicon semiconductors, secondary batteries, nano-carbon materials, inorganic/mineral materials, polymers/resins, medical supplies, life science, and foods. The company has a global customer base including major corporations and research institutions in Japan, China, South Korea, and the United States. In February 2024, Nanophoton joined the Bruker Group through an M&A, and in January 2025 it launched as 'Nanophoton – a Bruker Company'. The founder, Dr. Satoshi Kawata, is a renowned scientist who has received the Medal with Purple Ribbon and was selected as a Person of Cultural Merit by the Japanese government in 2024.

Nanophoton Corporation was founded in February 2003 as a high-tech start-up aiming to contribute to the world through cutting-edge nanotechnology and photonics. In April 2004, it established an R&D center at the Center for Advanced Science and Innovation at Osaka University. The company released its first product, the world's first laser scanning Raman Microscope RAMAN-11, in September 2005. This was followed by the Laser Raman Microscope RAMANplus in September 2008. In April 2006, Nanophoton was awarded the Japan Venture Award. In November 2007, founder Satoshi Kawata was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon by the Emperor of Japan. The company continued to innovate, releasing the Laser Raman Microscope RAMANtouch in September 2011, the Widefield Raman scope RAMANview in September 2012, and the Tip-Enhanced Raman Scattering Microscope TERSsense in September 2013. In March 2014, a Tokyo showroom was established, and in April 2014, Chairman Satoshi Kawata became President of the Japan Society of Applied Physics. In July 2016, Nanophoton Korea was founded and a Seoul showroom was established, along with a Beijing showroom. In August 2016, the Raman Microscope for 300mm wafer inspection RAMANdrive was released. In March 2018, the UV/DUV Microscopy RAMANtouch vioLa was released, followed by the Random walk scanning Raman Microscopy RAMANwalk in September 2019. In January 2020, Chairman Satoshi Kawata was appointed Vice President of OSA (Optical Society of America), and in January 2021 he served as President-elect, becoming President of Optica (formerly OSA) in January 2022. In December 2020, the Osaka R&D Center was moved and a showroom was established in Minoh City. In November 2022, the headquarters was moved to Minoh City. In February 2023, Nanophoton celebrated its 20th anniversary. In February 2024, the company joined the Bruker Group through an M&A. In October 2024, founder Satoshi Kawata was selected as a Person of Cultural Merit by the Japanese government. In January 2025, Nanophoton launched as 'Nanophoton – a Bruker Company' following the merger.

• Nanophoton Corporation is founded.

• R&D center is established at Center for Advanced Science and Innovation, Osaka University.

• World's first laser scanning Raman Microscope RAMAN-11 is released.

• Nanophoton is awarded Japan Venture Award.

• Satoshi Kawata Ph.D. is awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon from the Emperor of Japan.

• New product Laser Raman Microscope RAMANplus is released.

• Move the R&D center to Photonics Center building.

• New product Laser Raman Microscope RAMANtouch is released.

• New product Widefield Raman scope RAMANview is released.

• New product Tip-Enhanced Raman Scattering Microscope TERSsense is released.

• Tokyo showroom is established.

• Chairman Satoshi Kawata becomes President of the Japan Society of Applied Physics.

• Nanophoton Korea is founded; Seoul Showroom is established; Beijing Showroom is established.

• New product Raman Microscope for 300mm wafer inspection RAMANdrive is released.

• New product UV/DUV Microscopy RAMANtouch vioLa is released.

• New product Random walk scanning Raman Microscopy RAMANwalk is released.

• Chairman Satoshi Kawata appointed Vice President of OSA (Optical Society of America).

• Osaka R&D Center is moved and the showroom is established in Minoh City.

• Chairman Satoshi Kawata serves as President-elect of OSA (Optical Society of America).

• Chairman Satoshi Kawata serves as President of Optica (formerly OSA).

• Headquarters is moved to Minoh City.

• Nanophoton Corporation celebrates its 20th anniversary.

• Joined Bruker Group through M&A.

• Founder Satoshi Kawata was selected as a Person of Cultural Merit by the Japanese government.

Developer of world-first, high-speed, high-resolution Raman imaging microscopes for advanced materials analysis.

• RAMAN-11

  World's first laser scanning Raman Microscope, released in 2005.

• RAMANplus

  Laser Raman Microscope released in 2008.

• RAMANtouch

  Laser Raman Microscope released in 2011, detects Raman spectra at hundreds of points simultaneously.

• RAMANview

  Widefield Raman scope released in 2012.

• TERSsense

  Tip-Enhanced Raman Scattering Microscope released in 2013.

• RAMANdrive

  Raman Microscope for 300mm wafer inspection, released in 2016.

• RAMANtouch vioLa

  UV/DUV Microscopy released in 2018.

• RAMANwalk

  Random walk scanning Raman Microscopy released in 2019, based on stochastic process theory and information theory.

1. 1Nanophoton Official Websitenanophoton.net
2. 2History – Nanophotonnanophoton.net
3. 3Company of Scientists – Nanophotonnanophoton.net
4. 4About Nanophoton – Nanophotonnanophoton.net
5. 5Wikidata: Nanophoton Corporation (Japan)wikidata.org