[편집자주] IT제품 설계 시 발생하는 전자파 노이즈는 제품 성능 저하와 오작동 등 치명적인 결함을 유발한다. 최근 자동차의 전동화와 각종 IT 디바이스의 소형화, 5G·6G 통신으로의 패러다임 전환 등으로 전자파 환경에서의 노이즈가 증가하고 있으며, 각종 기기와 시스템의 오작동으로 이어지고 있다. 이에 기획연재 시리즈인 ‘EMI/EMC 명사(名士) 대담’을 통해 안전하고 신뢰성 높은 첨단 IT 제품 개발을 위해 EMI·EMC 설계의 중요성을 조명하고, 각계각층에서 활동하는 EMI/EMC 전문가들을 만나 최신의 이야기를 듣는 자리를 마련했다.
▲Professor Jin-Guk Kim of UNIST
“Passive EMI Filters Face Limits, Active EMI Filter Semiconductor Mass Production Preparations in Progress”
EMI/EMC Industry Impacted by Explosive Demand for AI Semiconductors
Power Electronics Conductive Noise Reduction, Passive Filters Are Not Enough
Development of Active EMI Filter to Overcome Passive EMI Filter Limitations
EMCORETEK, Solving Rash and Reliability Issues...Customer Testing in Progress
[Editor's Note] Electromagnetic noise generated during the design of IT products causes fatal defects such as product performance degradation and malfunction. Recently, noise in the electromagnetic environment is increasing due to the electrification of automobiles, miniaturization of various IT devices, and paradigm shift to 5G and 6G communications, leading to malfunctions in various devices and systems. Accordingly, through the planned serial publication series 'EMI/EMC Expert Talks', we have highlighted the importance of EMI/EMC design for the development of safe and reliable cutting-edge IT products, and have created an opportunity to meet EMI/EMC experts from all walks of life and hear their latest stories.
We had a conversation with Professor Jin-Guk Kim of UNIST and CEO of EMCoreTech, a renowned EMI/EMC expert, to learn about his recent activities and EMI active filter technology.
[Reporter] Please introduce yourself briefly.
[Professor Jin-Guk Kim] He completed his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees at KAIST from 1996 to 2006, and after working as a senior researcher at Samsung Electronics' DRAM design team and a postdoc at the University of Missouri, he has been a professor at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) since 2011.
During my research, I developed active EMI filter technology and founded EMCoreTech to commercialize it, of which I concurrently serve as CEO.
[Reporter] What have you been up to lately?
[Professor Jin-Guk Kim] I am continuing to lecture and conduct research mainly as a UNIST professor. Nowadays, EMCORETECH is focusing a lot on the advanced research necessary to maintain continuous technological leadership in the industry.
I have been serving as the CEO of EMCoreTech since its establishment in 2018, and it has been difficult for me to run the company for a while, but starting in 2022, we have hired a co-CEO, and the co-CEO will be in charge of the main operations of the company, so I can fully focus on my lectures and research.
[Reporter] If there are any issues related to EMI/EMC that have recently become hot topics or technologies that you are watching with interest, please introduce them.
[Professor Kim Jin-guk] The EMI/EMC industry is also being greatly affected by the explosive demand for artificial intelligence, which is the hot topic of all technologies, and semiconductors related to it.
In other words, since artificial intelligence technology requires high integration of semiconductors and fast data transmission in terms of hardware, it requires high know-how and technology regarding fast electromagnetic signal transmission and minimization of electromagnetic interference.
This is a traditional EMI/EMC technology, but the need for more advanced and integrated design measures is increasing.
In addition, as GPUs and artificial intelligence semiconductors operate, they require very high power, and the so-called power electronics EMC problem that occurs when power conversion circuits supply power is becoming more prominent. To increase power efficiency, switching frequency and operating speed must increase, which naturally increases EMI/EMC problems.
As a countermeasure to the global environmental and climate change issues that have become major issues these days, the process of producing and converting eco-friendly energy is increasing, which is also making power electronics EMC problems more serious.
[Reporter] At the previous
e4ds analog day, you raised the issue of conductive noise due to high power consumption, suggesting the limitations of EMI passive filters and a paradigm shift to active filters. Could you briefly explain what this is?
[Professor Kim Jin-guk] EMI noise is largely divided into conductive noise and radiated noise. Both must be reduced below the legally prescribed regulatory values before a product can be sold.
EMC issues are becoming increasingly important in power electronics systems, and primarily there are many difficulties in reducing conductive noise caused by large currents. Traditionally, EMI filters made up of passive components have been used to reduce this conductive noise, but as the power handled and switching speeds increase, the burden of increased size, weight, and heat generation of passive EMI filters is becoming increasingly significant.
Examples of systems that first encountered the limitations of passive EMI filters include: △electric vehicles with high current, △ESS energy storage devices, △various eco-friendly generators such as solar power, △industrial air conditioners, washing machines, and dryers, and △various industrial facilities.
Of course, even in general home appliances such as home air conditioners and TVs, EMI filters are an eyesore that increases the size and weight of the system. There have been attempts to overcome the limitations of these passive EMI filters with active circuit technology, but because of the many disadvantages in price and reliability, they have remained in academic research and have not been commercialized.
[Reporter] Professor, you are not just focusing on academic research, but are also commercializing active filters through EMCoreTech. Please introduce your company to e4ds news readers.
[Professor Kim Jin-guk] EMCoreTech is a company that was founded in 2018 to commercialize the circuitry of active EMI filters, which has made significant technological progress in implementing them as semiconductor integrated circuits to overcome the limitations of passive EMI filters mentioned earlier.
Currently, we are preparing for mass production by installing active EMI filter semiconductors in several customer products, and we are striving to become a total EMI solution company that develops various semiconductors and circuits for monitoring and reducing EMI in addition to active EMI filter semiconductors.
The headquarters is located in Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, and the branch office is located in Dongtan. A total of 16 people work together, including Co-CEO Koh Young-wook and CTO Jeong Sang-yeong.
[Reporter] What is the technological level of the currently developed EMI active filter?
[Professor Jin-Guk Kim] In 2021, EMCoreTech launched the world's first active EMI filter semiconductor. By implementing it as a low-voltage integrated circuit, we were able to significantly reduce the mass production price, while securing the reliability of the semiconductor from high-voltage disturbance signals through a uniquely invented insulation structure. We hold approximately 35 registered patents in Korea and abroad.
[Reporter] Are there any competing products?
[Professor Kim Jin-guk] For a while, there were no competitors in the active EMI filter semiconductor market, but in 2023, Texas Instruments (TI), a famous global semiconductor company, also launched an active EMI filter semiconductor.
For reference, TI's active EMI filter uses a non-insulating structure, which basically means that high-voltage reliability is weak. Currently, TI and EMCoreTech's active EMI filter semiconductors are being installed in mass-produced products of several customers, such as electric vehicles and home appliances, and are being compared and analyzed through experiments. EMCoreTech wants to be selected by customers and prove its technological superiority over TI's semiconductors.
[Reporter] How big do you expect the active filter market to grow in the future?
[Professor Kim Jin-guk] In terms of target market size, active EMI filters are applicable to all commercial electrical products that utilize electrical energy. First, considering the △home appliances △smart home △ESS market, the global market size is estimated to be approximately 300 trillion won. If we assume that the electromagnetic wave-related parts market is 1% and all filters are converted to active filters, the market size will be approximately 3 trillion won.
[Reporter] You mentioned earlier that active circuits have difficulties in commercialization due to their shortcomings in price and reliability. I remember
you saying something similar at e4ds Analog Day . In your presentation, you mentioned challenges such as surge test durability issues, noise amplification, and oscillation issues. Has EMCoreTech solved these technical challenges?
[Professor Kim Jin-guk] All primary issues related to rash and reliability, as well as those necessary for product installation, have already been resolved. We are currently using a structure that does not fundamentally cause rash issues, and as for reliability issues, we are using an insulated invention structure, so there are no fundamental major issues.
In fact, the main challenge of EMCORETECH right now is not in technology but in business. We are a startup that develops new technologies and new parts that have never been used before in the world, and any customer company is reluctant to be the first in the world to apply new technologies.
It is quite difficult to get our technology into our customers' mass-produced products for the first time, as they want to use proven components that have already been applied.
In my personal opinion, I think that our country, as an advanced country with technological prowess, needs to challenge itself by proactively applying new technologies rather than remaining in a follower position.
[Reporter] What is your outlook for the future of the EMI/EMC field?
[Professor Kim Jin-guk] I think that the EMI/EMC field is an essential technology for the proper operation of electrical and electronic products, but it is not a technology that usually comes up as a hot topic or receives attention. It feels very similar to air or water, which are essential for survival but are so familiar that they are unnoticeable.
As with the AI hardware example, whenever a new technology becomes hot, new related EMI/EMC issues arise, and many EMI/EMC engineers have been researching and solving these issues behind the scenes.
As hardware complexity and electrical energy usage continue to increase in the future, I believe the role of EMI/EMC engineers and the technical capabilities required for them will only increase.
[Reporter] Lastly, if you have any plans or goals for the future, please tell us a little bit.
[Professor Kim Jin-guk] Active EMI filter semiconductors are now a new technology that stands out, but I believe they will soon become components that exist everywhere, like air. Until then, my plan and goal is to continue research at school and help Emcoretech grow into a total EMI solution company that uses various new technology semiconductors.
thank you