KRISS Top 10 News of 2024

The voting for the "KRISS Top 10 News of 2024" was conducted this December. The vote was carried out through the KRISS survey, with a total of 199 employees participating. Here are the selected news stories for the KRISS Top 10 News of 2024!

1. KRISS Successfully Develops Domestic 6G Antenna Measurement System

▲ KRISS researchers are testing the performance of a 6G antenna prototype using the new measurement system

KRISS succeeded in developing domestically produced equipment to evaluate the performance of 6G communication antennas.

 

To evaluate the performance of antennas, electromagnetic waves emitted from the antenna are measured at a certain distance using sensors. Traditional metal sensors caused measurement distortions due to electromagnetic wave reflection, but the research team solved this issue by replacing them with non-metallic sensors the size of a grain of rice.

 

To evaluate antenna performance, the sensor is placed at a certain distance to measure the electromagnetic waves generated by the antenna. Previously, metallic sensors were used, which caused measurement distortions due to the electromagnetic wave reflection properties of metal. However, this problem was easily resolved by replacing them with non-metallic sensors the size of a grain of rice.

 

The distance between the sensor and the antenna during measurement has decreased from several meters to a few millimeters, with measurement time has been reduced by more than 1/10. Moreover, unlike previous measurements that required very large, fixed facilities such as anechoic chambers, the measurement equipment developed by KRISS is lightweight, and similar in size and weight to a computer tower, making it portable and suitable for use in standard laboratories.

 

KRISS has transferred this technology to East Photonics Co., Ltd., a company specializing in fiber optic communication and repeaters, for a royalty of KRW 300 million, and a signing ceremony was held on April 8 at the KRISS administrative building.

2. KRISS Breaks Limits of Optical Measurement Using Quantum Entanglement

▲ KRISS researcher is performing optical alignment with the pump laser of the composite interferometer experiment device

KRISS has developed a novel quantum sensor technology that allows the measurement of perturbations in the infrared region with visible light by leveraging the phenomenon of quantum entanglement.

 

When a pair of photons, the smallest unit of light particles, are linked by quantum entanglement, they share an associated quantum state regardless of their respective distance. The recently developed undetected photon quantum sensor is a remote sensor that utilizes two light sources that recreate such quantum entanglement.

 

This latest KRISS research has allowed the use of visible light detectors to measure the light states in the infrared band, enabling efficient measurement without requiring costly and power-consuming equipment. It can be used in various applications, including the non-destructive measurement of 3D structures, biometry, and gas composition analysis.

 

Another critical element in precision optical measurement is the interferometer, a device that obtains signals by integrating multiple rays of light that travel through separated paths. The sensor developed by KRISS implements a hybrid interferometer that can flexibly change the light paths depending on the target object, greatly improving scalability. Thus, the sensor is suitable for adaptation to various environmental requirements as it can be modified based on the size or shape of the measured object.

 

The research was reported in the January 2024 issue of the international journal Quantum Science and Technology, IF: 6.70.

 

(Joint) 3. KRISS to Pursue Securing Next-Generation Quantum Technology for National Defense

▲ Group Photo of the Defense Quantum Center inauguration Ceremony

  

On January 23rd, KRISS held an event to announce the establishment of the "Defense Quantum Computing & Sensing Technology Research Center"

 

The center aims to advance future defense quantum technologies by overcoming the limitations of traditional techniques, while also nurturing experts in this emerging field.

 

As the hosting and leading research institution, KRISS will lead the largest and first-ever foundational research project in the defense quantum field, investing 24.4 billion KRW by 2029.

 

The center will focus on four key research areas: defense quantum computing technology, breakthrough quantum receivers for remote sensing, ultra-precision quantum Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) technology, and small-scale composite quantum sensors for guidance and detection.

 

Upon completion of the project, the development of indigenous core technologies for national defense encryption communication systems will be achieved. Additionally, it is expected to enhance defense feasibility analysis through quantum computing, as well as improve detection capabilities and security through quantum radar and communication technologies.

(Joint) 3. KRISS Paves the Way for Room-Temperature 2D Topological Spin Structure Technology

▲ KRISS researchers are testing the 2D Skyrmion Devices

 

KRISS, for the first time in the world, has successfully generated and controlled skyrmions at room temperature in two-dimensional (2D) materials. This achievement reduces power consumption compared to previous three-dimensional (3D) systems while maximizing quantum effects, making it a core technology for the development of room-temperature quantum computers and AI semiconductors.

KRISS succeeded in generating and controlling skyrmions in 2D magnets at room temperature. By applying a very fine voltage and magnetic field to the surface of the magnet, skyrmions were created and then driven in the desired direction with a current.

 

The experimental results showed that the power consumption for controlling skyrmions in 2D was approximately 1/1000 of that in 3D, and their size was reduced by more than ten-fold, providing significant advantages in terms of stability and speed. Although room-temperature skyrmion Creation in 2D has been reported by the US and China at around the same time, KRISS is the first to succeed in both formation and electrical control.

 

This research results were published in the renowned journal Advanced Materials (IF: 29.4) in May 2024.

5. KRISS Develops Green Hydrogen Production Catalyst

▲ KRISS researcher is operating the electrolysis system with the catalyst they developed

  

KRISS has developed a high-performance non-precious metal catalyst for anion exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolysis*. This catalyst is not only more cost-effective than traditional metal catalysts but also offers superior performance, accelerating the commercialization of green hydrogen.

 

* AEM Water Electrolysis: Among various water electrolysis methods, AEM electrolysis is drawing attention as a next-generation technology. It theoretically allows the use of cost-effective non-metallic catalysts to produce large quantities of hydrogen.

 

The catalyst demonstrated four times better durability and over six times higher activity compared to existing commercial materials. It also achieved a high solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of 22.8% when used in water electrolysis with perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells, confirming its excellent compatibility with renewable energy.

 

Additionally, the catalyst also showed high activity and stability in water electrolysis with simulated seawater, successfully producing high-quality hydrogen.

 

The findings were published in the July edition of Applied Catalysis B: Environmental and Energy (IF: 20.2), a leading journal in the field of chemical engineering.

6. KRISS Develops Real-Time Diagnostic System for Semiconductor Process Component Lifespan

▲ KRISS researcher is observing the interior of the measurement system

 

KRISS Emerging Material Metrology Group has developed a system to diagnose the lifespan of components used in semiconductor plasma processes in real-time.

 

The system consists of a test sample holder, a capture device, and an analysis sensor. After attaching a test sample inside the equipment, the film of the component peeled off due to plasma exposure is captured and analyzed by the sensor. The system is capable of analyzing thousands of fine particles of a few micrometers (μm) or less generated during the process, enabling real-time diagnosis of the status and remaining lifespan of the components.

 

Based on the system, KRISS will also serve as a testbed for domestic semiconductor equipment and component manufacturers to test the performance of prototypes and issue certified test reports.

 

This technology is ready for immediate commercialization, and has already been transferred to a semiconductor equipment company and is being used in actual semiconductor production sites. The results of this study were accepted for publication in September 2024 in the Journal of the European Ceramic Society (IF. 5.8, top 5%), a top-tier journal in the field of materials science.

7. KRISS Sets Standard for MRI and CT Diagnosis of Fatty Liver

▲ KRISS researchers are applying an emulsion reference material they developed in the form of a phantom to the laboratory CT equipment

 

KRISS has developed the world’s first reference material to improve the accuracy of body fat measurements conducted through MRI and CT scans.

 

This newly developed reference material for medical imaging systems is an emulsified substance created by mixing water and fat. When inserted into a phantom* and applied to medical imaging systems, it can serve as a reference for fat measurement. The principle is to analyze the water content within the reference material to calculate the fat amount.

 

* Phantom: A tool used to evaluate, analyze, and calibrate the performance of medical imaging systems. It is inserted into equipment instead of the human body and serves as a reference for measurements, similar to a "dummy" used in automobile crash tests.

 

The reference material developed by KRISS is free of additives that affect measurement values, ensuring precise fat content measurement. It also offers high stability and homogeneity. This development is the result of collaborative research across three departments within KRISS, integrating chemical water measurement technology and ultrasonic emulsification techniques in the field of medical imaging.

 

The newly developed reference material and phantom are expected to be distributed to medical institutions, improving the validity of medical imaging system measurements and the reliability of diagnostic results. In addition, they can serve as reference points for multi-center and multi-device data in clinical trials for new drug development, including obesity treatments.

 

This research was published in the international journal Metrologia (IF: 2.4) in January.

8. Human Toxicity of Nanomaterials Verified with ‘Organoid,’ an Artificial Organ

▲ KRISS researchers are distributing the organoids into a 96-well plate

 

KRISS has developed the world’s first organoid culture method capable of accurately assessing human toxicity of nanomaterials. By overcoming the limitations of conventional culture methods, this new technology is expected to accelerate the commercialization of organoid-based safety assessments for nanomaterials and nanomedicine.

 

In the newly developed organoid culture method, the extracellular matrix is directly mixed with the culture solution to culture organoids in a floating manner. This method is well-suited for commercialization, as it enables the production of organoids in relatively uniform sizes and allows for easy division into identical quantities.

 

Moreover, unlike the conventional culture method, the absence of the extracellular matrix dome allows each nanomaterial to reach the organoids. The nanomaterial penetration rate is the same as that in the two-dimensional cell model currently used in industrial applications.

 

The results from this study may allow for rapid and accurate safety assessment of nanomaterials and nanomedicine using organoids, contributing to the safe utilization of nanomaterials in various strategic technical fields.

 

The results were published in Nano Letters (IF: 10.8), an internationally renowned journal in nanotechnology, in January.

9. KRISS Develops International Standard for Sunscreen Toxicity Analysis in Collaboration with NIST

▲ KRISS researchers are measuring the phototoxicity of nanomaterials

 

The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS, President: Lee, Ho Seong) has developed a safety evaluation technology for nanoparticles* used in UV-blocking cosmetics and has listed it as an international standard.

 

* Nanoparticles: Particles with a diameter of 1 to 100 nm (nanometers; 1 nm is about one 100,000th of the hair thickness). Thanks to its tiny size, nanoparticles have superior physical and chemical properties to existing materials.

 

The ‘acute nanoparticle phototoxicity* assay’ method, jointly developed by the KRISS Nanobiometry Group and the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), has been adopted as the international standard for nanotechnology (ISO 4962). With the establishment of an international standard that manufacturers and testing institutions around the world can trust and follow, it is expected that consumers will be able to use safer cosmetics.

* Phototoxicity: A phenomenon in which a specific substance causes a toxic reaction in living tissue when exposed to light.

 

With the establishment of this internationally recognized testing methods, the safety of UV-blocking cosmetics is expected to increase significantly. Manufacturers can improve the phototoxicity and side effects of developed products through preliminary testing, and testing institutions can effectively manage the hazards of marketed cosmetics on the human body.

 

Meanwhile, KRISS and NIST have been conducting research cooperation for the development of measurement technology in the field of nano-safety in accordance with the ‘Korea-US Joint Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation’ agreement in 2014. In 2019, through joint research, ‘Measurement method for photocatalytic activity of nanomaterials’ was listed as an international standard (ISO/TC 229), and as a result of steadily expanding international cooperation research, they achieved the feat of listing their second international standard.

10. Harvesting Unused Micro-vibration to Generate Electricity

 

▲ KRISS researcher is analyzing the power generated by a piezoelectric device in the vibration amplification region of the metamaterial

KRISS has developed a metamaterial that traps and amplifies micro-vibrations in small areas. This innovation is expected to increase the power output of energy harvesting, which converts wasted vibration energy into electricity, and accelerate its commercialization.

 

The metamaterial developed by KRISS traps and accumulates micro-vibrations within it and amplifies them by more than 45 times. This allows the generation of large-scale electrical power relative to the small number of piezoelectric elements that are utilized. By applying vibration harvesting with the developed metamaterial, the research team has succeeded in generating more than four times more electricity per unit area than conventional technologies.

 

In particular, the newly developed metamaterial has a thin, flat structure roughly the size of an adult’s palm, allowing it to be easily attached to any surface where vibration occurs. As its structure can be easily modified to fit the object to which it will be attached, its range of applications is diverse, from diagnostic sensors that check for damage in high-rise buildings or large bridges to small biosensors that monitor health conditions of individuals.

 

The findings were published in the international journal Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing(IF: 8.4) in February 2024.