일본 수출규제 '불화수소', 평가 장비도 국산화

Japan's export curb on South Korea has led to increasing challenges faced by South Korean companies, especially in the sectors of materials, parts and equipment.
To this end, South Korean researchers have developed equipment capable of providing accurate quality assessment of high-purity gas materials including hydrogen fluoride.
Kim Hyo-sun reports.
South Korean researchers have successfully developed a set of equipment that can provide accurate assessment of high-purity gases like hydrogen fluoride,... which is used in semiconductor manufacturing.
Such an achievement is deemed significant as it follows months-long struggle after Japan imposed export restrictions on the material to Seoul.
"We have had limitations in carrying out objective quality assessment, but our new equipment will enable such assessment going forward."
The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science plans to provide quality assessment tests for some twenty high-purity gas materials,... starting off with hydrogen fluoride for semiconductors.
The test is conducted by turning liquid hydrogen fluoride into gas,... which will then go through assessment for some two dozen types of metallic impurities to determine its final purity level.
The development is also meaningful in that it has been done only with home-grown technology.
"We are carrying out research to provide support for diversifying South Korea's import sources and domestic production of gas materials used for manufacturing semiconductors."
The researchers now plan to establish a standard test method with the aim to enable Korean firms to develop related technologies without having to be reliant on foreign sources.
Kim Hyo-sun, Arirang News.