Samsung, SK get in line as Korea’s proton accelerator runs 24/7

(MK database)

South Korea’s proton accelerator facility, located in Gyeongju and operated by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), welcomed the country’s media to witness the cutting-edge infrastructure that accelerates protons extracted from hydrogen atoms to nearly the speed of light on November 7th, 2024. Built in 2012, this facility became the world’s third proton accelerator, following those built in the United States and Japan.

The facility is a massive, high-tech complex, shielded by a 2.5-meter-thick concrete door to protect against radiation emitted during operation. Inside, a 100-meter tunnel houses the ion source that generates protons, along with an extensive 75-meter accelerator comprising 11 tubes. The interconnected cylindrical structures allow precise control and acceleration of particles, creating what Dr. Lee Jae-sang, head of the Proton Science Research Group at KAERI, calls “a critical scientific infrastructure” that can propel protons to speeds of 130,000 kilometers per second for controlled collisions with various materials. This facility, he noted, is set to play a pivotal role in determining Korea’s leadership in the semiconductor and space industries.

Dubbed the “alchemist” or “Midas touch” of modern science, the proton accelerator can alter material properties and generate new substances. When accelerated protons collide with target materials, they can interact with or split atomic nuclei, leading to various transformations, such as hardening plastics to the strength of steel or producing radioactive isotopes for cancer diagnostics.

The facility’s importance has grown as demand from semiconductor firms has surged. Companies including Samsung and SK hynix now rely heavily on the proton accelerator for research and testing. “The facility is fully booked this month,” Lee said, adding that the usage competition ratio for the facility, which was 1:1 in 2015, soared to 4.17:1 in the first half of 2024. Despite an increase in the service fee to 10 million won ($7,200) per eight-hour session, up from 2 million won initially, demand remains strong. In response, KAERI launched a pilot 24-hour service in August 2024, offering up to three evaluation sessions per day to accommodate more users.

A key reason for the high demand from the semiconductor industry is the growing need to address “soft errors” in ultra-miniaturized semiconductors, now at three nanometers. These errors, caused by cosmic radiation, are increasingly problematic as chips become more densely packed. The proton accelerator allows researchers to simulate a decade’s worth of cosmic radiation exposure in a second, providing critical data on soft error rates over extended periods, potentially spanning 100,000 years.

The intensifying global competition in the semiconductor sector is another factor driving demand. “Our companies often turned to Japanese accelerators in the past, but Japan has since restricted access. Given the recent U.S. policy landscape, including Donald Trump’s electoral victory and the Biden administration’s protective policies, it could also become more challenging to use U.S. accelerators,” Lee observed.

This facility is the world’s third proton accelerator and was built by Korea in 2012 following the United States and Japan. Its maximum acceleration energy is 100 mega-electron volts (MeV), equivalent to the energy of 67 million 1.5V batteries. The United States has a 1 giga-electron volt (GeV) accelerator, Japan has 3 GeV, and China, which built its facility after Korea, has a 1.6 GeV accelerator.

KAERI is planning an upgrade of the facility to 200 MeV, which would expand its applications and efficiency. This upgrade, estimated to cost 250 billion won, aims to bolster Korea’s standing in the space industry as well. Lee concluded that “upgrading this facility is essential to secure a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving space sector.”