Research Team Supported by Samsung Unveils World's First Principle of Nucleation Core Formation

Securing and Utilizing Core Technologies in Semiconductor Materials, Components, and Equipment
Research Paper Published in the World-Renowned Journal Science

From the left) Park Jung-won, Professor at Seoul National University; Jeon Seong-ho, PhD at Hanyang University ERICA Campus; Lee Won-chul, Professor at Hanyang University ERICA Campus
[Photo by Samsung Electronics]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] Domestic and international researchers supported by the Samsung Future Technology Development Program have succeeded for the first time in the world in directly observing the nucleation process at the atomic level. It is expected to aid future research aimed at securing fundamental technologies in semiconductor materials, components, and equipment fields.

On the 29th, Samsung Electronics announced that Professor Jungwon Park of Seoul National University (Research Fellow at the Institute for Basic Science Nano Particle Research Group), supported by the Samsung Future Technology Development Program, along with Professor Wonchul Lee of Hanyang University ERICA Campus and the U.S. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, experimentally verified the nucleation process of crystal formation, which is the beginning of material growth. The research results were published on the 28th (local time) in the world-renowned journal Science under the title "Reversible transition between amorphous and crystalline phases during atomic nucleus crystallization," recognized for presenting the long-standing unresolved principle of nucleation in academia.

For atoms to gather and form a material, a nucleation process is necessary. However, the nucleation process occurs too quickly and the size of atoms is about a few angstroms (1 angstrom = 1/10 billionth of a meter), making direct observation difficult until now. The joint research team succeeded in observing the nucleation process by synthesizing gold (Geum) nanocrystals on a graphene film as thin as a single atom and using the world's highest-performance ultrafast transmission electron microscope.

Nucleation process observed with an ultrafast transmission electron microscope
[Photo by Samsung Electronics]

Atoms repeatedly transition between a disordered cluster structure (amorphous phase) and an ordered crystal structure (crystalline phase). The joint research team revealed the nucleation process in which, as the crystal size grows, atoms gradually maintain an ordered structure and form the crystalline phase. This presents a new theory different from the existing nucleation theory, which suggested that atoms form crystals by arranging regularly from the beginning.

Professor Jungwon Park explained the significance of the research, saying, "We discovered the process of crystal nucleus formation and experimentally verified it, revealing the fundamental principle of solid material formation." Professor Wonchul Lee said, "We experimentally reproduced the very early stage of thin-film deposition processes," adding, "This can be applied in the future to secure fundamental technologies in semiconductor materials, components, and equipment fields."

Professor Park conducted this research with support from the Samsung Future Technology Development Program and the Institute for Basic Science research group project, while Professor Lee received support from the Korea Research Foundation's 4th phase Brain Korea 21 (BK21) program. Samsung Electronics has been implementing the Samsung Future Technology Development Program since 2013, investing 1.5 trillion KRW to foster and support scientific and technological research. So far, it has supported 634 projects with research funds totaling 812.5 billion KRW.

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