Hiroshima University’s synchrotron radiation facility, the Research Institute for Synchrotron Radiation Science (HiSOR), has long supported cutting-edge materials science and life science as a compact synchrotron light source specializing in the ultraviolet region—an uncommon capability worldwide. HiSOR is a global leader in fields such as spin-angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (SARPES), which simultaneously measures the energy, wavenumber, and spin of electrons, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, which elucidates the structures and functional mechanisms of biomolecules/biopolymers. Through these strengths, the institute has contributed significantly to advances in superconductivity, spintronics, and biomolecular science.

In recent years, society has seen increasing demand for “game-changing new functional materials” and “dynamic structural analysis of biomolecules that directly contribute to drug discovery.” At Hiroshima University, the growing convergence of quantum materials science and life science is evident in initiatives, as exemplified by the WPI Chiral Knot Super-Materials Center and J-PEAKS-adopted projects. Achieving these research goals requires high-speed, high-precision measurements using temporally stable, high-brilliance synchrotron radiation.

However, HiSOR has now been in operation for more than 25 years, and synchrotron radiation science has already entered an era of a new generation of light sources that pursue brighter, more precise, and faster performance. In particular, to meet next-generation research needs that capture the moment when matter and life change, a fundamental upgrade of the light source itself is necessary, rather than simply extending the life of the existing light source.

Against this background, the HiSOR-II project was conceived. This project involves a comprehensive upgrade of the electron storage ring, increasing synchrotron radiation brightness by approximately 100 times and enabling top-up operation that maintains a constant storage current. This will dramatically improve the stability of synchrotron radiation intensity, making it possible to observe instantaneous changes in electronic states in materials and the precise moments when biological molecules function with high precision and reproducibility.

Furthermore, HiSOR-II will also focus on developing next-generation measurement systems capable of capturing weak signals with high sensitivity and speed, as well as enhancing measurement techniques under extreme conditions such as strong magnetic fields and cryogenic temperatures. Unlike large-scale synchrotron facilities, HiSOR-II will remain a flexible university-based facility, enabling rapid beamline upgrades, the development of new measurement techniques, and the optimization of experimental conditions. In this environment, students and young researchers will gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge measurement technologies while developing a comprehensive understanding of light sources, instrumentation, and data analysis, empowering them to design and refine their own measurement methods.

HiSOR-II will provide a new research and development environment that supports a wide range of needs, from fundamental to applied research, while serving as an educational and research platform that cultivates practical and independent talent for the next generation of synchrotron radiation science. Through this project, we aim to create a “co-creation space” where science, technology, and human resources grow together, establishing a center that will sustainably lead Japan’s synchrotron radiation science and quantum and biofunctional research.

Kenya Shimada