A long-sought-after dream technology for a “large-size cylindrical lithography system for manufacturing nanostructures” has been developed for the first time in the world by a Korean research team. The original technology for the cylinder-shaped large-area nanopattern printing equipment, which had been regarded as an insurmountable barrier until recently, was finally developed by a research team of the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI). KERI is a state-funded think tank established in 1977, dedicated to providing companies and the Korean economy with short and long term tasks for development.
Dream Technology
For mass production of next-generation semiconductors, materials for high-luminance optical films for displays, and materials for next-generation solar cells, it is essential to develop and secure original technology to continuously print nanopatterns on a large-area substrate. Despite painstaking efforts to develop this technology, many think tanks in Europe and Japan, as well as Korea, had failed up until recently to produce this technology to a satisfactory degree. Under these circumstances, the KERI research team succeeded in developing such long-sought technology to the credit of Korea.
According to a press release on June 16, the research team led by Dr. Oh Hyeon-seok of the KERI’s Nanoprocessing Equipment Research Group succeeded in developing the original technology for a “large-size cylindrical lithography system for manufacturing nanostructures” or technology for the cylinder-shaped large-area nanopattern printing equipment for the mass production of the next-generation semiconductors, displays and solar cells.
The epoch-making development of this technology for an optical lithography system is expected to help Korea play a leading role in the global market of semiconductors and displays for many years by developing core materials for display panels, beginning domestic production of high-priced optical films, and speeding up development of products of original designs.
This new original technology was developed for cylindrical nanostages using magnetic levitation technology and a e-beam lithography system using this technology. The latest technology is expected to find a breakthrough in large-area nanopattern printing process. The KERI research team developed, first of all, a technology of floating, rotating and translating a cylindrical mold in a nano scale in vacuum, based on a proprietary magnetic levitation technology.
The team is now testing a e-beam lithography system, which can turn this cylindrical material into light and liberally create large-area nanopatterns on the seamless surface of the cylindrical mold. The KERI team’s development of this nanotechnology provided the possibility of developing a large-area printed electronics technology with nanometer precision, fulfilling the long-cherished desire of the domestic semiconductor and display industries.
Applicable to High-Value-Added Products
This core technology can be applied to high-value-added products using various large-area micro or nanopattern processing technologies, for which the country has so far relied on imports. They include high-luminance optical films, optical materials for next-generation displays, films for deluxe electronics devices, holographic security films for bank notes and gift certificates, high-efficiency solar and fuel cells, RFID tags, and high-brightness LED lamps.
The new technology will accelerate the advent of new applied industries and replace the existing production processes through development of a variety of original and innovative products. It is, therefore, expected to bring a big change to the global semiconductor, display, and solar cell industries, considering that it can drastically cut the production processes and improve productivity.
New Technology Brings Momentum
Dr. Oh said that the development of the latest technology “carries great significance in that we have gained momentum in taking a step ahead in the [worldwide] competition to develop next-generation semiconductors and displays by securing the original printed electronics technology, which is considered the core technology for the next-generation semiconductor chips and display panels.”
“Especially, the latest original technology is designed for various processes and related equipment, which are capable of carrying out the large-area nanopattern printing. It also provides an epoch-making turning point in the core equipment industry manufacturing semiconductors, displays and solar cells,” he added.
The latest technology was developed jointly by Sangjin Micron and 3SMK at the initiative and under the supervision of KERI, with a research fund of W10 billion (US$7.8 million) over three years. A total of eight patent applications have been filed association with this original technology. The research team is also jointly developing cylindrical e-beam lithography equipment at a clean room laboratory at Miryang Nano Center, which opened on June 16, with a view to producing the equipment based on this original technology by 2010.
Global Market Potential
The global market of high-luminance optical films for displays has been growing by about 11 percent annually from US$8.6 billion in 2008 to US$9.1 billion in 2009. It is also expected to expand to approximately US$9.5 billion in 2010. A new market for printed electronics worth US$25 billion is expected to arise by 2015, with expectations of growing at an annual growth rate of 10 to 15 percent.
Meanwhile, the domestic market for optical lithography equipment for displays drastically grew from W378.5 billion (about US$295.7 million) in 2006 to W529 billion (US$413.3 million). It is expected to expand to W724.2 billion (US$565.8 million) in 2010. Its overseas market was valued at US$985.6 million in 2006. Its value jumped to US$1.4 billion in 2008, and is expected to grow again to US$1.9 billion in 2010.
The global market for optical lithography equipment for semiconductors was valued at US$3.1 billion in 2005, but its value grew to US$4.4 billion in 2008. It will expand to US$4.8 billion in 2009 and US$5.3 billion in 2010.
In cooperation with Pusan National University (PNU), KERI opened Miryang Nano Center on the PNU’s Miryang campus in Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province on June 16, making public the technology for “large-size cylindrical lithography system for manufacturing nanostructures,” which Dr. Oh’s research team had developed after three-year research.
Miryang Nano Center
Invitation to the opening of Miryang Nano Center The opening of Miryang Nano Center was a success also for the City of Miryang Government, which has been pushing for the development of the nanoconvergence industry, a key new growth engine as a major municipal policy, since June 2007 when it outsourced feasibility study for the construction of such a state-of-the-art science park. It was part of a grand plan to launch an industrial cluster consisting of enterprises, colleges and think tanks. The city government believes that the opening of Miryang Nano Center will help the National Nanoconvergence Industrial Complex project gain further momentum. The Nanoconvergence Industrial Complex in Miryang is the only nanoconvergence industrial park of such a kind in Korea.
To prepare thoroughly for the launch of the nanoconvergence industrial park, the City Government of Miryang had signed agreements with the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) and Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), and PNU’s College of Nano Science and Technology, as well as with KERI. All in all, the city expects the opening of Miryang Nano Center to serve as momentum to revitalize the regional economy and pave the way for it to emerge as a global Mecca of nanoconvergence industry.
