As a state-of-the-art facility, NRD-K broke ground in 2022 and is set to become a key research base for Samsung’s memory, system LSI and foundry semiconductor R&D. With its advanced infrastructure, research and product-level verification will be able to take place under one roof. Samsung plans to invest about KRW 20 trillion by 2030 for the complex in an area covering about 109,000 square meters (m²) within its Giheung campus. The complex will also include an R&D-dedicated line scheduled to begin operation in mid-2025.

▲ Young Hyun Jun, Vice Chairman and Head of the Device Solutions Division at Samsung Electronics, gives a speech at the tool-in ceremony for Samsung’s new semiconductor research and development complex (NRD-K) in Giheung, Korea.

“NRD-K will bolster our development speed, enabling the company to create a virtuous cycle to accelerate fundamental research on next-generation technology and mass production. We will lay the foundation for a new leap forward in Giheung, where Samsung Electronics’ 50-year history of semiconductors began, and create a new future for the next 100 years,” said Young Hyun Jun, Vice Chairman and Head of the Device Solutions Division at Samsung Electronics.

“At a time when the importance of win-win partnerships is greater than ever, Applied Materials is committed to accelerating innovation velocity through deep collaboration with Samsung Electronics, working together to drive a new wave of growth for the semiconductor industry,” said Park Gwang-Sun, Head of Applied Materials Korea.

▲ Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Young Hyun Jun, center, poses for a photo with executives during a tool-in ceremony at the Giheung Campus. * (left) Wanwoo Choi Head of People Team, Taeyang Yoon Chief Safety Officer, Jiwoon Im NRD-K P/J group head, Siyoung Choi Head of Foundry Business, BongHyun Kim DRAM Process Development Team, Jung-Bae Lee head of Memory Business, r, Young Hyun Jun, Vice Chairman and Head of the Device Solutions Division, Yong In Park Head of System LSI Business, Yujin Lee Flash Process Development Team, Seok Woo Nam Corporate President in charge / FAB Engineering & Operations, Jaihyuk Song Device Solutions CTO, HongGyeong Kim Head of Corporate Office.

Samsung’s Giheung campus, located south of Seoul, is the birthplace of the world’s first 64-megabit (Mb) DRAM in 1992, marking the beginning of the company’s semiconductor leadership. The establishment of the new R&D facility will usher in the latest developments in process technology and manufacturing tools, extending the site’s legacy at the forefront of innovation.

▲ Samsung Electronics executives poses for a photo during a tool-in ceremony at the Giheung Campus.

NRD-K will be set up with High NA extreme ultra-violet (EUV) lithography and new material deposition equipment aimed at accelerating the development of next-generation memory semiconductors such as 3D DRAM and V-NAND with more than 1,000 layers. In addition, wafer bonding infrastructure with innovative wafer-to-wafer bonding capabilities is also planned to dock.

Samsung invested a record KRW 8.87 trillion in R&D in the third quarter of this year, and continues to push boundaries to secure competitiveness in future technologies, such as advanced packaging for high bandwidth memory (HBM) production.

Samsung Electronics plans to invest about KRW 20 trillion by 2028 for the complex in an area covering about 109,000 square meters within its Giheung campus. The new facility will lead advanced research on next-generation devices and processes for memory and system semiconductors, as well as development of innovative new technologies based on a long-term roadmap.

Today’s groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee, President and CEO Kye Hyun Kyung, President of the Memory Business Jung-Bae Lee, President of the Foundry Business Siyoung Choi and President of the S.LSI Business Yong-In Park, along with more than 100 employees.

“Our new state-of-the-art R&D complex will become a hub for innovation where the best research talent from around the world can come and grow together,” said President Kye Hyun Kyung, who also heads the Device Solutions (DS) Division. “We expect this new beginning will lay the foundation for sustainable growth of our semiconductor business.”

With the establishment of the new R&D facility, Samsung Electronics is seeking to overcome the limits of semiconductor scaling and solidify its competitive edge in semiconductor technology.

Samsung Electronics’ Giheung campus, located south of Seoul near the DS Division’s Hwaseong campus, is the birthplace of the world’s first 64Mb DRAM in 1992, marking the beginning of the company’s semiconductor leadership.

The new Giheung R&D facility, together with the R&D line in Hwaseong and the world’s largest semiconductor production complex in Pyeongtaek, is also expected to elevate the synergy among Samsung’s three main semiconductor complexes in the metropolitan area.

After the ceremony, Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee visited the Hwaseong campus to meet with employees of the DS Division, where they discussed ways to promote innovation within the company. At a separate meeting with executives of the DS Division, discussions involved current issues in the global semiconductor industry, progress of next-generation semiconductor technology R&D and ways to secure technology to expand semiconductor leadership.

To help make this spring extra special, the centers, known for their strict protocols and security, organized their first official photo contest. Held from April 6 to May 3, the contest offered employees across four Samsung semiconductor campuses a chance to soak in the sun, admire blooming cherry blossoms, and share snapshots of the beauty that surrounds them every day.

Take a look at some of the contest’s standout submissions below.

“Canola Flowers, Pinwheels and Onyang” by Myeong-ho Lee

Budding flowers are a sure sign that spring has finally come. Viewers of this vibrant image of canola flowers and pinwheels may be surprised to learn that it was snapped not on Korea’s picturesque Jeju Island, but at Samsung’s Onyang Campus.

“Symphony of Spring” by Dae-young Kim

Dae-young Kim’s photograph, captured while strolling around the Hwaseong Campus at lunchtime, depicts rows of beautiful tulips lining a tranquil stream in front of the campus’s cafeteria.

“Cherry Blossom Road” by Sang-hun Kim

For Sang-hun Kim, the contest offered an excellent opportunity to enjoy the spring weather with colleagues. One day, when crossing the cherry blossom tree-lined road that leads to the Onyang Campus’s dormitory, Kim was reminded of the iconic cover of the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” album.

Inspired, Kim returned to the crosswalk with his colleagues to snap a fun, Abbey Road-esque photo. His usual route to work had instantly transformed into a scenic setting for an unforgettable shot.

“Spring, Colorful Pinwheels, and Us” by Sang-hun Kim

Elsewhere on the Onyang Campus, colleagues pose for a playful photo amongst pinwheels spinning in the warm spring breeze.

“Smiles in Spring” by Young-ho Shin

Employees at the Onyang Campus are all smiles as they pause for a photo beneath blooming cherry blossoms. As you can see from their beaming smiles, the team is enjoying the relaxing time together.

“Let’s Run Together” by Youngjong Yoon

Each spring, the Giheung and Hwaseong Campuses organize their annual employee fun run, the Spring Race for Love. Proceeds from the race go toward efforts to enrich the campuses’ respective communities. A Giheung Campus employee Youngjong Yoon captured this candid shot of race participants using his camera.

“Beautiful R&D Center” by Il-jin Shin

For Il-jin Shin, the all-glass exterior of the Onyang Campus’s R&D Center proved the perfect canvas for capturing the beauty of a bright spring sky.

“Building Flowers” by Il-jin Shin

Here we have another submission from Il-jin Shin, taken in front of the Onyang Campus’s TP Center. The bright pastel colors adorning Buildings 1, 2 and 3 reminded Shin of spring flowers in bloom.

“Night View of MR 1 Building at Hwaseong Campus” by Hyeon-gang Heo

The photo contest showcased the unique and creative perspectives of Samsung employees.

Light trails created by car and bus headlights symbolize the dynamic nature of Samsung’s semiconductor business. It took Hyeon-gang Heo quite a bit of time to find the perfect moment to take the photo. However, as he notes, the end result was well worth the wait.

“Line 17 at Night” by Dong-jin Lim

Lastly, we have the contest’s grand prize-winning entry, captured by Dong-jin Lim at the Hwaseong Campus. The image depicts two employees as they head back to work at the Line 17 building – the campus’s latest production facility.

The summer heat may be on its way, but the talented individuals at Samsung’s semiconductor manufacturing sites will continue to greet each day with the zeal of spring, and do their part to help usher in a brighter future.

Samsung Electronics has been a major player in the semiconductor industry since the early ‘80s and has strived to deliver advanced technologies that bring meaningful changes to our everyday lives.

In this two-part series, we will take a closer look at our semiconductor operations in Giheung and Hwaseong in Korea, where most of its state-of-the-art semiconductors are developed and made.

Samsung’ Semiconductor Business has recently seen unprecedented success, largely owing to surging demand in advanced memory products for both consumer and enterprise, as well as a diversified IT landscape with critical drivers such as IoT, automobiles and AI.

The shift towards these data-intensive and hyper-connected platforms has spurred expanded investments in data centers, enterprise servers, network systems and HPC (high-performance computing) that require the highest level of performance and energy efficiency in large capacities. Samsung’s high-capacity memory solutions such as DRAM, V-NAND SSDs and HBM2 (high bandwidth memory) address this growing trend while mobile memory solutions with fast and efficient V-NAND technology continue to power today’s smart mobile devices.

Along with Samsung’s memory chips, CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) image sensors are also among the S.LSI business’ flagship products for Samsung. Its proprietary ISOCELL® technology separates each pixel with a physical barrier that hugely boosts image quality and enables smaller pixels. Consumer demand for DSLR-quality pictures and dual-lens cameras are spurring growth in the high-performance image sensor market. In addition to image sensors, display driver ICs (DDI), mobile processors and connectivity solutions also add to the business’ comprehensive product portfolio.

Our legacy all began with this—the 64Kb DRAM. About a decade later since its establishment in 1974, Samsung’s semiconductor business made its first mark in the industry with the chip. Its development narrowed the technology gap with industry forerunners from ten years to four. In 1992, Samsung became the top DRAM manufacturer with the development of the 64Mb DRAM and rose as the top memory manufacturer the year after.

Before there were smartphones, we flipped through phone books to look up a contact. Just when Samsung’s very first semiconductor was being developed, these company phone books from 1983 and 1984 “stored” valuable information that connected our organization. Just like the smartphones today, these fit comfortably in the pockets.

At the heart of the Giheung Campus is the Administration Building (left), Line 1 (right) and Line 2 peeking through in between, where Samsung’s semiconductor history began in the mid-‘70s. The Admin building and Line 2 stand as they did more than 30 years ago while Line 1 was rebuilt for upgrades.

In front of the Administration building stands the Muhantamgusang (Statue of Infinite Study) since Day 1 of Samsung’s semiconductor business. The statue symbolizes founder Byung-chul Lee’s vision and mission for the business, and the spirit of continuous curiosity, research and study is at the core of Samsung’s operations. The bronze statue was commissioned to sculptor Se-Jung Kim, who is famous for his statue of Admiral Yi Sun-sin in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Plaza.

The most recent addition to Samsung’s production lines in Korea is Line 17 in the Hwaseong Campus adjacent to Giheung. Since its opening in 2016, the line has been manufacturing logic chips for foundry customers along with DRAM. The Foundry Business has successfully been producing the industry’s first 10-nanometer (nm) mobile processor since earlier this year and is diversifying its product lineup to IoT, automobiles, home appliances and PCs.

One of the advantages of Samsung’s semiconductor manufacturing sites is that they are in clusters, which allows not only quick decision-making and real-time management around the clock but also tool sharing between manufacturing lines that maximize the efficiency of its resources. The bridge between fabrication lines shown above is an example of this kind of flexibility.

Approximately 23 percent of the industrial water used for Samsung’s semiconductor operations is recycled at wastewater treatment facilities as shown above. Internal pollutant discharge standards are set 30 percent lower than the law requires, and discharged water temperatures are strictly controlled to minimize the impact on the ecosystem and redirect the heat for energy reuse.

Semiconductor fabrication uses a variety of chemicals in large amounts which demand strict and safe management of these materials. Samsung’s Central Chemical Supply System (CCSS) is where chemicals used in manufacturing are stored and supplied to their destination. Supply systems are enclosed within chambers equipped with local ventilation as a safety precaution.

All piping and joints at the CCSS are doubled and sealed in case of any leakage.

The CCSS are monitored 24-7 in real time for chemical input/output as well as any abnormalities such as shortage, leakage or spill.

Semiconductor technologies are moving ahead at light speed, but that doesn’t mean that we are exempt from the responsibility to ensure that the technologies and materials we use are safe. Before a new chemical substance is introduced, it is analyzed for physical and chemical characteristics, potential health hazards and any associated risks. We also established the Samsung Health Research Institute, a research organization to safeguard healthy working environments, improve employees’ well-being and raise the standard for assessing workplace health and safety.

Semiconductors have been a major precursor to the growth of the IT industry and will continue to inspire innovation in the digital devices of tomorrow. To sustain its edge in the IT landscape, Samsung opened the Device Solutions Research (DSR) center in 2014 to spur collaboration and collective synergy among its semiconductor research and development teams working on numerous projects. The complex is comprised of three 27-story towers and is currently home to more than 10,000 employees.

It is no secret that innovation cannot be done alone. The Samsung-SAP Research Center (SSRC) within DSR is an example of Samsung’s collaborative efforts and open partnerships with a wide spectrum of industry innovators. Shown above is one of SSRC’s test servers, SAP HANA (High-performance Analytic Appliance), for in-memory platform development. With 24TB of memory based on 128GB TSV and NVMe SSDs, as well as hardware/software optimization support, this database server solution has the muscles to test next-generation systems especially for banking, enterprise and national defense.

As we move forward to the fourth industrial wave, Samsung’s semiconductor business continues to push boundaries and looks ahead for the next technological leap that will fundamentally change our way of life and enrich our everyday experiences.