Samsung Electronics Expands Semiconductor Ecosystem... Leading the 'K-Chip Era'

Support for Semiconductor All Fields by Equipment and Parts Partners
Investment in Future Semiconductor Generations through Industry-Academia Collaboration
Strengthening Eco-Friendly Management and Community Win-Win Activities

A Samsung Electronics employee (left) and an EO Technics employee (right) are examining the semiconductor laser equipment jointly developed by both companies.

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] Samsung Electronics is strengthening the domestic semiconductor ecosystem by supporting small and medium-sized partners in developing semiconductor equipment components. Through collaboration with partners, academia-industry cooperation, and its own eco-friendly coexistence activities, Samsung Electronics aims to enhance the competitiveness of all sectors of the domestic semiconductor industry and usher in the 'K-Chip era.'

On the 25th, Samsung Electronics announced that its efforts to nurture the domestic semiconductor ecosystem in cooperation with partners have recently borne fruit.

EO Technics successfully co-developed high-performance laser equipment, which had previously relied on imports, with Samsung Electronics, resolving chronic defect issues occurring during the DRAM miniaturization process. Synos developed ceramic powder necessary for semiconductor etching process efficiency and succeeded in internalizing recoating technology, contributing to reducing manufacturing costs and improving productivity in the etching process.

Solbrain also announced that through collaboration with Samsung Electronics, it developed the world's first 'high selectivity phosphoric acid,' a key material in the 3D NAND flash etching process, significantly improving the quality of Samsung Electronics' next-generation products.

Samsung Electronics is actively promoting activities to strengthen the semiconductor ecosystem together with its partners. In April, it signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with major domestic equipment partners such as Wonik IPS, TES, Eugene Tech, and PSK, as well as second- and third-tier component partners, and plans to officially start joint development of equipment components from next month.

When equipment companies select necessary components, Samsung Electronics, equipment companies, and component companies jointly develop them. Samsung Electronics supports the development and mass production evaluation of equipment components. Additionally, it provides consulting to small and medium-sized equipment and component companies, transferring semiconductor manufacturing and quality know-how. For 24 partner companies that applied to Samsung Electronics, comprehensive management consulting will be conducted across nine fields, including development, manufacturing, quality, environmental safety, human resources, planning and management, sales and marketing, information security, and procurement.

Samsung Electronics is also fully operating domestic fabless support policies to foster the system semiconductor ecosystem. Since October last year, the government, Samsung Electronics, and the semiconductor industry have established a 100 billion KRW 'System Semiconductor Win-Win Fund,' through which they plan to discover and invest in promising domestic fabless and design house companies.

Moreover, the MPW program, essential for product development activities of domestic small and medium fabless companies, has been expanded to 3-4 times per process annually, supporting not only 8-inch (200mm) but also 12-inch (300mm) wafers for cutting-edge processes. This month, Samsung Electronics began providing the 'Cloud Design Platform (SAFE-CDP),' enabling small and medium fabless companies to design semiconductor chips without servers, actively supporting the competitiveness of the domestic system semiconductor ecosystem.

A solar power generation facility with a total of 3,600 panels and a capacity of 1,500KW installed at the parking tower of Samsung Electronics Giheung Campus

Since 2010, Samsung Electronics has operated an incentive system for excellent partners stationed at each semiconductor business site. The total amount paid to date reaches 347.65 billion KRW.

Samsung Electronics is also committed to nurturing future semiconductor talents who will lead the 'K-Chip era' through academia-industry cooperation. First, it donated semiconductor Asher (process equipment) and AFM (measurement equipment) to the Korea Polytechnic University Anseong Campus, a national semiconductor specialized university, supporting students to directly practice semiconductor manufacturing processes.

This year, to cultivate outstanding talents with expertise in core fields of the 4th Industrial Revolution such as AI (artificial intelligence), Samsung Electronics established the 'Artificial Intelligence Semiconductor Engineering Joint Major' in collaboration with Seoul National University. The company will provide students in the joint major with various support, including ▲industry internships ▲hands-on practice in semiconductor devices, circuits, and system fabrication ▲participation in short-term semiconductor design education programs ▲special lectures by domestic and international semiconductor experts.

Samsung Electronics' win-win efforts also extend to protecting the global environment. Although semiconductor business sites consume large amounts of electricity, research and efforts continue to use renewable energy even in small parts.

In particular, since the end of 2019, solar power panels with a capacity of 1,500KW have been installed at the parking tower of the Giheung Campus, and from July, they will replace electricity in some office spaces at Giheung. The DS Division's 'Environmental Safety Research Institute' is actively researching to reduce waste generated in semiconductor production processes and increase recycling rates.

Since 2018, research has been conducted in response to global waste reduction movements, resulting recently in obtaining the 'Zero Waste to Landfill' Gold certification for all semiconductor business sites domestically for the first time from a global safety certification company. To increase waste recycling rates, Samsung Electronics supported a significant portion of investment costs for expanding treatment facilities at partner companies, creating a successful case where partners discovered new revenue sources and reduced their own landfill costs.

Samsung Electronics continues to invest in wastewater treatment facilities, resulting in clean water being discharged in abundant quantities from business sites, contributing to purifying local streams and preserving ecosystems. Recently, Eurasian otters, a natural monument, were found in Osancheon, where Samsung Electronics' discharged water flows.

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