- Human-Safe 216nm Far-UVC
SaniLux
The breakthrough in pathogen disinfection. Our proprietary nanoengineered 216nm Far-UVC technology is safe for continuous human exposure while destroying bacteria and viruses on contact. 70x more powerful than excimer competitors at 1/5 the cost.
70x
More Powerful
1/5
The Cost
216nm
Peak Emission
SaniLux Far-UVC Device
- The Science
Far-UVC in the Electromagnetic Spectrum
The electromagnetic spectrum spans from low-energy radio waves to high-energy gamma rays. Visible light sits in the middle, followed by higher-energy ultraviolet light. Shorter waves mean higher energy.
Electromagnetic Spectrum: Radio Waves → Gamma Rays
Radio
Microwave
Infrared
Visible
UV
X-Ray
Gamma
Electromagnetic Spectrum: Radio Waves → Gamma Rays
Radio
Microwave
Infrared
Visible
UV
X-Ray
Gamma
The Ultraviolet (UV) Spectrum
200-230nm
Far-UVC "Sweet Spot"
Safe for humans, deadly for pathogens
100-280nm
UVC
Germicidal but harmful to humans
280-400nm
UVB & UVA
Sunlight, tanning, vitamin D
The "Sweet Spot": 200-230nm
SaniLux operates at 216nm peak emission
vs. Vacuum UV (<200nm)
Wavelengths shorter than Far-UVC are absorbed by oxygen and nitrogen in the air before they can reach targets. They literally cannot travel through normal atmosphere.
vs. Conventional UVC (>230nm)
While effective for disinfection, conventional UVC (254nm) penetrates human skin and eyes, causing damage. It can only be used in unoccupied spaces.
- Human Safety
The Science of Safety
Why Far-UVC is safe when conventional UV isn’t. The physics of photon absorption protects human tissue.
Safe for Humans, Deadly for Pathogens
Skin Attenuation
Far-UVC wavelengths are "attenuated" (stopped) by the protein-rich outer layers of human skin and eyes. The photons never reach living cells or DNA.
Dual-Action Mechanism
Far-UVC has a unique secondary mechanism: it is preferentially absorbed by peptide bonds in proteins, providing additional antimicrobial efficacy beyond DNA damage alone.
Conventional UV vs. Far-UVC
254nm
Conventional UVC
- Penetrates skin to living cells
- Damages eyes and cornea
- Only usable in empty rooms
- Requires behavioral compliance
216nm
SaniLux Far-UVC
- Stopped by dead skin cells
- Absorbed by tear layer
- Safe in occupied spaces
- Zero compliance required
Far-UVC Dual-Action Mechanism
DNA/RNA Destruction
Breaks nucleic acid bonds
Peptide Bond Targeting
Disrupts protein structure
- The Breakthrough
Nanoengineered Materials. Massive Performance.
SaniLux leverages proprietary nanoengineered materials to overcome the fundamental limitations of excimer lamps.
70x
Power Output
1/5
Unit Cost
~$1,000 target vs $5,000+. Lower production costs enable deployment at massive scale across new markets.
10x
Lifespan
Proprietary Nanoengineered Technology
Unlike competitors relying on excimer gas lamps, SaniLux uses novel solid-state materials engineered at the nanoscale.
216nm Peak
Precise wavelength control without optical filtering
Monodisperse
Clean emission profile, no harmful sidebands
High Efficiency
More photons per watt of input power
Scalable
~$75 production cost at scale
Proprietary Nanoengineered Technology
Excimer Lamp (mW)
~5mW
70x
SaniLux (W)
350mW+
- Excimer Technology (Competitors)
- SaniLux Nanoengineered
- Industry Context
Current Industry Limitations
Until now, the industry has struggled to produce efficient Far-UVC light. Two approaches exist, both with fundamental problems.
- Current Standard
Excimer Lamps (KrCl)
Krypton-chloride gas discharge
Inefficient Output
Emit unwanted sideband peaks at harmful wavelengths that require expensive optical filters to attenuate.
Low Performance
Output measured in milliwatts. Disinfection cycles take 1+ hours. Falls far short of Far-UVC's potential.
High Cost
$5,000+ per unit. Complex manufacturing. ~1,000 hour lifespan requires frequent bulb replacement.
- Distant Future
LED Technology
Aluminum nitride semiconductor
Material Challenges
Requires aluminum nitride (AlN), a notoriously difficult semiconductor substrate to work with.
Timeline: 10-15 Years
Active research but immature technology. Practical realization is at least a decade away.
Uncertain Economics
No clear path to cost-effective manufacturing at scale. May never achieve commercial viability.
SaniLux: The Third Way
Proprietary nanoengineered materials that deliver the promise of Far-UVC today, not in 10-15 years. By emitting at a peak of 216nm, SaniLux achieves a massive leap in both performance and economic viability.
216nm
Peak Emission
70x
More Power
~$75
At Scale
Now
Not 10+ Years
- Competitive Analysis
Why Every Competitor is Structurally Limited
All Far-UVC competitors use KrCl excimer lamps licensed from a single Japanese supplier. This creates fundamental, unsolvable limitations.
Despite significant venture funding (R-Zero raised $170M) excimer-based Far-UVC has failed to achieve mainstream adoption. The technology is too expensive, too slow, and too limited for the applications that matter most. Every competitor faces the same core problem: they all license from USHIO.)
USHIO America
- The Licensor
Role
IP Owner
Technology
KrCl Excimer
Control
All licenses
R-Zero Systems
- USHIO License
Funding
$170M raised
Technology
Excimer lamps
Output
Low (mW)
Acuity Brands
- USHIO License
Position
Premium tier
Technology
Excimer lamps
Limitation
High cost
Far UV Technologies
- USHIO License
Stage
Early
Technology
Excimer lamps
Limitation
Same IP
The USHIO Dependency Problem
Every competitor faces the same structural limitation
Single Point of Failure
All Far-UVC companies outside Illumisoft license their core technology from USHIO. Supply chain, pricing, and roadmap are controlled by a single Japanese corporation.
No Differentiation Possible
When everyone uses the same underlying lamp technology, no one can achieve meaningful performance differentiation. Competition collapses to marketing and distribution.
Fundamental Technology Limits
Excimer lamps emit at 222nm with harmful sidebands. Optical filtering reduces already-low output further. The physics cannot be improved.
Economics Cannot Scale
Complex gas-based systems with expensive filtering, short lifespans (~1,000 hrs), and high replacement costs. Unit economics don't work for mass deployment.
Metric
Excimer (All Competitors)
SaniLux (Illumisoft)
Core Technology
KrCl gas + optical filter
Nanoengineered solid-state
Peak Wavelength
222nm (with sidebands)
216nm (monodisperse)
Power Output
Low (mW range)
70x higher (W range)
Disinfection Speed
1+ hours per cycle
< 1 minute
Unit Cost
Low (mW range) $5,000+
~$1,000 (target)
Production at Scale
High (complex filtering)
~$75
Lifespan
~1,000 hours
10,000+ hours
Maintenance
High (bulb replacement)
Minimal (solid-state)
Form Factor
Fixed, bulky
Flexible (bulb, panel, portable)
IP Dependency
All license from USHIO
Zero licensing dependency
Aviation Market
Cannot serve (too slow/expensive)
Enables entire market
Transit Market
Inadequate power density
Real-time disinfection
SaniLux: Zero USHIO Dependency
We own our technology. Our nanoengineered approach has zero licensing dependencies and enables market creation that excimer technology physically cannot achieve.
- 19+ Patents
- 100% Ottawa Manufacturing
- Market-Creating Performance
- Market Creation
$200B+ in New Markets
Excimer technology cannot serve these markets due to fundamental physics and economics limitations. Only SaniLux enables market creation at scale.
- NEW MARKET
Commercial Aviation
Category-Creating Opportunity
$200B
Annual Disease Burden
$200B
Annual Disease Burden
Why Excimer Cannot Serve This Market
Too slow (1+ hour cycles), too expensive ($5K+/unit for hundreds of aircraft), inadequate power density for rapid air exchange in pressurized cabins.
- NEW MARKET
Public Transit
Global Transportation Network
65B+
Rides per Year
NEW
Market Creation
Why Excimer Cannot Serve This Market
Power density too low for real-time disinfection. Transit vehicles need instant-on capability, not 1+ hour cycles. Maintenance costs prohibitive at fleet scale.
- NEW MARKET
Healthcare
Superior to Upper-Room GUV
$3.2B+
Addressable Market
184
eACH vs 20 for ORs
The SaniLux Advantage
9x better performance than upper-room GUV. Direct air and surface disinfection in the surgical field. No upper-room zone constraints.
- NEW MARKET
Schools & Commercial
Absenteeism Reduction = ROI
30-290x
Benefit-Cost Ratio
15,500+
Canadian Schools
Why Scale Requires SaniLux Economics
At $5,000+/unit, excimer doesn't pencil for schools or SMBs. At ~$1,000, Far-UVC becomes accessible to every classroom, office, and retail space.
- Product Roadmap
Three Form Factors, One Platform
Our nanoengineered technology enables flexible deployment across multiple form factors for different applications.
Q3 2026
Vacuum Tube
PAR bulb form factor for retrofit into existing fixtures. Drop-in replacement for commercial lighting.
Q1 2027
Flat Panel
Ceiling-mounted panel for new construction. Integrates with standard troffer systems.
Q3 2027
Portable
Battery-powered portable unit for temporary deployments, events, and emergency response.
Instant On
No warm-up time required
Silent Operation
No fans or moving parts
IoT Connected
Remote monitoring & control
Zero Maintenance
10,000+ hour lifespan
- Intellectual Property
19+ Patents Protecting Our Technology
Our proprietary nanoengineered Far-UVC technology is protected by a comprehensive patent portfolio. Unlike excimer competitors who all license from USHIO, we own our core technology outright with zero dependencies.
19+
Patents
Zero
License Dependencies
100%
Ottawa Manufacturing
Novel
Nanoengineered
Competitive Moats
Proprietary Technology
Novel nanoengineered materials not dependent on excimer gas or USHIO licensing
Patent Protection
19+ patents covering core technology, manufacturing processes, and applications
Made in Canada
100% Ottawa manufacturing. Zero tariffs. Government procurement preference.
First-Mover Markets
Only technology capable of serving aviation and transit markets at scale
- Third-Party Validation
Blueprint Biosecurity Report
Independent analysis of Far-UVC market opportunity and return on investment from the Blueprint Biosecurity Coalition.
“Far-UVC represents one of the most promising technologies for pandemic preparedness and endemic disease reduction. The benefit-cost ratios documented across applications are exceptional.”
Blueprint Biosecurity Coalition Report
$200B+
Addressable Value Creation
30-290x
Benefit-Cost Ratio
1,000%
Aviation Annual ROI
Category
Creating Technology
Strategic Validation
Chris Anderson
TED Curator
Rob Reid
After On Podcast
Blueprint Coalition
Biosecurity Think Tank
Ready to Reduce Energy Costs?
SaniLux represents a category-creating opportunity. We’re seeking strategic partners in aviation, transit, healthcare, and commercial real estate to bring this technology to market.