Coherent Launches Industry-First 600 W Excimer Laser for High-Volume HTS Tape Production
- First-to-market with 600W class excimer laser for HTS tape production
- Doubles power output and throughput compared to existing solutions
- Triples runtime with new on-the-fly active injection technology
- Successfully tested at leading HTS manufacturer
- Targets high-growth markets including fusion energy, medical imaging, and power grids
- Product won't be generally available until 2026
- Limited initial production starting late 2025
Insights
Coherent's new 600W laser doubles throughput for superconducting tape production, potentially accelerating revenue from emerging fusion energy markets.
Coherent's introduction of the LEAP 600C represents a significant technological advancement for the high-temperature superconducting (HTS) tape manufacturing sector. This 600W excimer laser operating at 308 nm wavelength delivers twice the power and throughput of existing solutions while extending runtime by a factor of three through novel on-the-fly active injection technology.
The timing is strategically important as HTS tapes are becoming critical components in multiple high-growth applications: magnetic confinement fusion (a rapidly expanding field following recent fusion breakthroughs), medical imaging systems, and next-generation power grids. The pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method enabled by this system produces superior film quality specifically required for these applications.
Most notably, this product addresses a key production bottleneck in the fusion energy sector, which has seen billions in investment following recent technological milestones. By enabling industrial-scale production of essential HTS components, Coherent is positioning itself as an infrastructure provider in the emerging fusion energy supply chain.
With the first unit already successfully tested at a leading HTS manufacturer and production scheduled for late 2025, Coherent has validated market demand. The company's extension of its proven LEAP platform to this higher-power application leverages existing expertise while addressing new markets, suggesting efficient R&D resource allocation and potential for strong margins when the product reaches general availability in 2026.
SAXONBURG, Pa., June 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coherent Corp. (NYSE: COHR), a global leader in photonics, introduces the LEAP 600C, the industry’s first 600 W class excimer laser operating at 308 nm wavelength, optimized for Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD). The LEAP 600C is being unveiled for the first time at Laser World of Photonics 2025 in Munich, Germany.
The LEAP 600C is engineered to address the accelerating demand for high-temperature superconducting (HTS) tapes used in magnetic confinement fusion, medical imaging, and next-generation power grids. Compared to current solutions, it delivers double the laser power and throughput and features a novel on-the-fly active injection technology that extends runtime by a factor of three in high-throughput production environments.
HTS materials are key to enabling magnetic confinement fusion, now a central pillar in zero-carbon energy strategies. Among deposition methods, PLD provides unmatched film quality for HTS applications. The LEAP 600C offers the power, uptime, and reliability required to scale global HTS tape production for use in fusion reactors, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems, accelerator magnets, and next-generation power grid components.
“The LEAP 600C enables the industrial scale-up of HTS tape production, which is critical to achieving net-energy fusion milestones within this decade,” said Dr. Kai Schmidt, Senior Vice President, Excimer Laser Business Unit.
The new system builds on the proven LEAP excimer platform, which is available in 193 nm, 248 nm, and 308 nm wavelength versions and supports output powers up to 600 W. Known for high duty-cycle performance and low cost of ownership, the LEAP platform serves a wide range of industrial manufacturing applications, including display production and reel-to-reel superconducting tape processing.
The first LEAP 600C unit has been successfully tested at a leading HTS manufacturer and is scheduled to enter production in late 2025. General availability is expected in 2026.
About Coherent
Coherent empowers market innovators to define the future through breakthrough technologies, from materials to systems. We deliver innovations that resonate with our customers in diversified applications for the industrial, communications, electronics, and instrumentation markets. Coherent has research and development, manufacturing, sales, service, and distribution facilities worldwide. For more information, please visit us at coherent.com.
Media Contact:
innovations@coherent.com
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