"Achieving One-Seventh Hair-Width Precision"... KRISS Develops 750GHz Electromagnetic Wave Measurement Robot [Reading Science]

From Defense Stealth to 6G and Semiconductor Antennas:
Achieving Ultra-Precise 10 μm Control

The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) has independently developed a high-precision robot-based electromagnetic wave measurement system that can be used to verify stealth performance for national defense, as well as for sixth-generation (6G) mobile communications and semiconductor antenna evaluation. By achieving an error control within 10 micrometers (μm)—about one-seventh the thickness of a human hair—the system is considered to have greatly enhanced the reliability of measurements in high-frequency bands.

On March 31, KRISS announced that it has established the "robot-based high-precision electromagnetic wave measurement system" based on its own design and precision control technology. As the electromagnetic wave frequency bands used in next-generation communication components, semiconductor package antennas, and aircraft radars have recently expanded to several tens of gigahertz (GHz) or more, even minute positional errors can result in significant differences in measurement results. This has emerged as a critical task in industrial settings.

Case Study on Aircraft Scale Model Scattering Characteristics Measurement Using KRISS Robot-Based Electromagnetic Wave Measurement System. (a) Aircraft Scale Model Measurement Platform on a Rotary Table. (b) Conceptual Diagram and Results of Scattering Characteristics Measurement Based on Electromagnetic Wave Transmission and Reception. The color distribution map shows the variation in electromagnetic wave scattering intensity according to the shape. Red and yellow indicate areas of high scattering, while green and blue represent areas of low scattering; the lower the scattering, the lower the radar detection probability. Provided by the research team

The core of this system is its six-degrees-of-freedom (6-DOF) robot technology, which enables movement up and down, left and right, forward and backward, as well as rotation. KRISS localized all technologies—including system design, control programs, and position correction—using its proprietary methods, making it possible to measure electromagnetic waves across a wide range of frequencies up to 750 GHz.

In particular, by applying position measurement and correction technology, the antenna alignment error was controlled to within 10 μm. This is approximately one-seventh the diameter of a human hair. As the frequency band increases and the wavelength becomes shorter, such ultra-precise control is regarded as a key competitive edge that determines the reliability of measurements.

Transforming Stealth and 6G Measurement in Defense

Unlike conventional large-scale electromagnetic wave testing facilities, which require vast spaces and significant construction costs, this new system adopts a method in which the robot moves precisely around the measurement target to perform scans. This allows for repeated, cost-effective, and high-precision testing even in limited spaces.

Senior Researcher Lee Sangsoo (left) and Principal Researcher Kwon Jaeyong (right) at KRISS are measuring the fine patterns and hidden designs of banknotes using a robot-based electromagnetic wave measurement system with sub-terahertz waves. Provided by KRISS

The system is especially useful in the defense sector. In the process of developing weapon systems, when evaluating the electromagnetic wave scattering characteristics of scale models, even small shape errors can lead to large performance differences at the level of actual equipment. KRISS's ultra-precise control technology can improve the accuracy of stealth performance verification and radar reflection characteristic analysis using scale models.

Additionally, the system can be flexibly applied to various measurement targets—including not only aircraft radars, but also phased array antenna modules and semiconductor antennas. It is also expected to have significant utility in the measurement of sub-terahertz (sub-THz) wireless communication components, which are considered potential candidate bands for future 6G technology.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.