As semiconductors become more microscopic than the ability to analyze impurities, and impurity analysis reaches its limit, it has been suggested that analysis management starting from semiconductor materials is necessary to overcome this.

The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) held the '2022 Gas Analysis and Measurement Club Workshop' at the Ocean Suites Jeju Hotel from September 15 to 16.

In this workshop, the latest issues were shared on the topic of 'Major Issues in the Post-Corona Gas Sector', including the status of gas purity analysis in the atmospheric environment and semiconductors, development of related gas detectors, technology, and establishment/status of analysis centers.

At this workshop, SK Materials Group Leader Chi-Bok Park introduced the ‘Semiconductor Gas Integrated Analysis Center’ and explained the latest trends in special gas analysis for semiconductors.

Group leader Park Chi-bok said that in the case of semiconductors, memory has entered the era of 14-10 nm and system semiconductors have entered the era of 7-3 nm, but particles cannot be measured below 14 nm yet, and that below 7 nm, there are some impurities that can cause problems.He said it was difficult to predict what problems might arise.

Accordingly, he mentioned that in order to analyze the purity of semiconductors, it is necessary to analyze and manage the semiconductor materials first.

In particular, semiconductor materials are becoming increasingly dangerous and their analysis is becoming more difficult, requiring collaboration with outside experts, he said.

In the case of special gases for semiconductors, analysis must be performed from 3 nm to 1 nm, but this is difficult with current technology, and it is expected that equipment capable of analyzing up to 2.5 nm will not be developed within three years.

Next, Dr. Oh Sang-hyeop of the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, who presented on the topic of semiconductor gas purity analysis technology development, announced that a quality evaluation system for high-purity gas materials is being developed through ▲establishment of infrastructure ▲development of analysis technology ▲establishment of a quality evaluation system in order to verify the quality of high-purity gas materials.

We introduce various purity analysis methods and share information on the corrosion experience of experimental equipment and the establishment of a safety device system during the development of technology for hydrogen fluoride (HF) purity analysis.

In particular, in the case of high-purity special gases for semiconductors, it is impossible for pipes, valves, and gas cells to avoid corrosion, and he emphasized that material compatibility is important in the case of special gases for semiconductors.

Accordingly, he mentioned that when building a special gas analysis system for semiconductors, it is necessary to consider what materials to use for cylinders, pipes, etc.

Next, Team Leader Woochan Jeong of DIG Air Gas Technology Research Institute presented on ‘Inert Gas Production and Analysis.’ Team Leader Woochan Jeong shared the production and analysis methods of rare gases such as neon, xenon, cryptogram, and helium, which have recently become issues.

Regarding gas detection equipment, Director Jeong Han-jun of Gastron presented the ‘Status of Gas Detector Development.’ Director Jeong Han-jun said that accurate measurement and explosion-proof safety are essential for industrial gas detectors, and introduced the company's products that have domestic and international explosion-proof certifications and international performance. He also introduced the Gastron Calibration Technology Center, saying that it helps to ensure accurate gas detection through calibration of gas detectors.

As special lectures, CEO Jeong-geun Choi of Deokyang Gas and Director Seong-gyun Kim of the National Institute of Meteorological Sciences gave presentations on the topics of ‘Areas of Interest in the Atmospheric Environment’ and ‘Climate Change and Climate Change Monitoring.’

Choi Jeong-geun, CEO of Deokyang Gas, said that as the energy paradigm changes from fossil fuels to green energy, we must pay attention to environmental pollution, and that standard gas for accurate measurement is essential for automobile exhaust gas and atmospheric measurement, and that someone must manufacture and supply the accurate standard gas that serves as a standard.

Kim Sung-kyun, the director of the National Institute of Meteorological Sciences, said that he is a typical user of the aforementioned standard gas and that he is using it to monitor climate change.

He introduced climate change monitoring stations and commissioned observation stations in Anmyeondo, Gosan, Ulleungdo, and Dokdo, and stated that we should break away from a response system that focuses solely on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and implement policies that adapt to change or mitigate damage from a long-term perspective.

Meanwhile, the Gas Analysis and Measurement Club Workshop, held for the first time in three years due to COVID-19, is a representative domestic event that shares technologies for manufacturing and distributing standard gases, and gas measurement and analysis.

A standard gas is a gas that serves as a reference for qualitative and quantitative analysis, various tests, and inspections, and it determines the reliability of materials manufactured based on this gas.