Samsung Transfers Semiconductor Equipment and Operational Expertise to Public Nanofab

8-Inch Wafer Measurement Equipment Transferred to Korea Nanotechnology Institute
Fab Operations Manual Introduced; Model to Expand to Public Research Facilities

Samsung Electronics has transferred its semiconductor manufacturing expertise and idle equipment to a public research facility. The move aims to strengthen research and development (R&D) support by bringing the semiconductor manufacturing and management experience of private companies to public nanofabs, which are used by universities, research institutions, and materials, parts and equipment (MPE) companies.

The Ministry of Science and ICT said on the 11th that it had held a briefing on the results of consulting to improve public nanofab operations and a ceremony to transfer used equipment at the Korea Nanotechnology Institute in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. The initiative follows a business agreement signed in March 2025 by the ministry, Samsung Electronics, SK hynix and DB HiTek.

File photo for illustrative purposes. Provided by Yonhap News Agency.

Samsung Electronics' Device Solutions (DS) Division's Win-Win Cooperation Center provided consulting on semiconductor fab operations and management for the Korea Nanotechnology Institute from June through October 2026. The company adapted the consulting it has provided to MPE partners to meet the needs of a public research facility.

The consulting results were incorporated into standard operating procedures (SOPs) and inspection checklists for each piece of equipment, as well as training and operating standards. In particular, drawing on inspection methods used at semiconductor production sites, Samsung Electronics developed a customized "on-site inspection manual" for public nanofabs. The manual establishes standardized procedures for ongoing checks of facility safety and equipment condition.

Samsung Electronics also transferred idle equipment to the Korea Nanotechnology Institute. The equipment is an automated patterned thin-film measurement system that non-destructively measures the thickness and optical constants of 8-inch semiconductor wafers. The institute plans to use it to support semiconductor process research and provide technical assistance to companies, universities and research institutions.

Private-Sector Consulting Model to Expand to Other Public Nanofabs

The Ministry of Science and ICT plans to extend the results of the consulting to institutions participating in MoaFab, a shared-use system for public nanofabs. It plans to apply the operational improvement model in stages at the Specialized Semiconductor Technology Center of the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), Seoul National University's Inter-University Semiconductor Research Center, and the Next-Generation Sensor and Semiconductor Research Institute at the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST).

"We hope to contribute to a virtuous cycle of cooperation in which Samsung Electronics' accumulated manufacturing innovation expertise reaches researchers and MPE companies through public nanofabs," said Ji Hyunki, vice president and head of the Win-Win Cooperation Center at Samsung Electronics' DS Division. "We will also support the model's expansion to other MoaFab participating institutions."

"The importance of public-private cooperation, through which private-sector equipment and expertise are brought to public research infrastructure, is growing," said Gu Hyeokchae, First Vice Minister of Science and ICT. "We will extend this cooperation model across MoaFab participating institutions to support semiconductor technology innovation and the training of skilled professionals."

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