Better than Japanese products... Development of semiconductor packaging materials

Domestic Alternative to Japanese Epoxy Material Developed
Achieves World-Class Thermal Expansion Properties
Technology Transferred to Samhwa Paint for Mass Production Preparation

Epoxy resin developed by the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology and an epoxy resin prototype produced by Samhwa Paints Industrial Co., Ltd. using it

[Asia Economy Reporter Junho Hwang] A domestic research team has succeeded in localizing epoxy sealing materials used in the packaging process, the final stage of semiconductor manufacturing. This material is expected to contribute to reducing semiconductor defect rates as its performance surpasses that of the Japanese materials currently used in production processes. The research team has completed commercialization efforts, which is anticipated to significantly enhance South Korea's material competitiveness.

On the 16th, the research team led by Dr. Hyun-ae Jeon of the Fiber Convergence Research Division at the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology announced that after 10 years of research, they independently designed and developed an epoxy resin with a new chemical structure.

Development of Domestic Epoxy Sealing Material... Superior to Japanese Products

Dr. Jeon Hyun-ae, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology

The material developed by the research team is an epoxy resin used as a sealing material to protect semiconductor chips from heat and moisture. It is also a material with about 87% dependence on Japan. Minimizing the thermal expansion property of the epoxy sealing material is crucial, and the team adjusted the thermal expansion coefficient through structural changes in the epoxy resin itself to a level similar to that of semiconductor chips (3 ppm/°C). In contrast, existing Japanese products have a higher thermal expansion coefficient than semiconductor chips, causing defects such as warping of the entire component during the packaging process.

In particular, the developed material can be used in all forms of epoxy materials used in semiconductor packaging and can be synthesized in large quantities. It also enables large-area packaging over 12 inches, which was a limitation of Japanese products, and is expected to be widely used in the production of high-performance semiconductors required for artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles in the future.

Technology Transfer to Samhwa Paint

On the 6th, amid ongoing economic provocations including Japan's export restrictions, employees at Seodaemun-gu Office in Seoul are urging the discontinuation of Japanese products by unveiling Japanese items placed in a time capsule. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

The research team has registered 14 domestic patents and 28 overseas patents in the US, Japan, China, and Europe for this material. They subsequently transferred the technology to the paint manufacturing specialist Samhwa Paint Industrial Co., Ltd. Samhwa Paint currently has established a high-purity, high-yield ton-scale production system, enabling the production of four new types of epoxy resins.

Dr. Hyun-ae Jeon stated, "This is one of the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology’s representative 'Key-Tech' achievements and a unique core technology that can overturn the technological dominance of Japanese companies in the semiconductor materials sector." She added, "We will provide close support to ensure that the mass-produced products are successfully launched and established in the market."