AcuOptotech, founded in January 2023 by Professor Song Jeong-hoon (Department of Data Information Physics) of Kongju National University, has developed the world’s first ultra-high-speed, high-resolution visible light (Raman) thermal imaging measurement system and has declared its entry into the semiconductor equipment market.
CEO Song Jeong-hoon is an expert who worked in the semiconductor optical measurement field for 25 years at LG Electronics Technology Institute before coming to Kongju National University, and he noticed the limitations of existing infrared thermal imaging equipment.
Semiconductor devices are continuously getting smaller, such as GPUs and AI semiconductors, but infrared thermal imaging can only measure up to 20μm, and the problem was that it was meaningless, especially for power semiconductors where localized heat concentration occurs. The exact point where the temperature inside the semiconductor device rises is necessary for design, reliability, performance, and failure analysis.
In response to the need for high-resolution thermal imaging equipment that cannot be measured with infrared thermal imaging, the company developed visible light thermal imaging equipment. Visible light has a wavelength of 0.4 to 0.6 μm, which is shorter than infrared (3 to 8 μm), and its resolution is 0.3 to 1 μm, which is more precise than 20 μm.
The company has secured a patent for the implementation technology of an ultra-high-speed visible light (Raman) thermal imaging engine that combines a Fourier transform optical module that minimizes signal loss and high-performance signal processing technology.
The company’s measuring equipment, which has completed the thermal imaging measurement POC and is in the prototype development stage, has higher resolution than existing infrared thermal imaging and is capable of three-dimensional imaging. It can also measure at high temperatures over 300℃ and has high applicability to other fields such as ultra-precision measuring instruments.
Co-CEO Moon Young-bu joined ahead of the product launch. CEO Moon, who has 25 years of experience in the semiconductor device and material field, has established a cooperation process. The strategy is to minimize market entry barriers by selecting strategic partners for each chain and to have high versatility that can be applied to various supply chains in the power semiconductor field.
Since its establishment, the company has been selected for the Gyeonggi-do Semiconductor Technology Development Project and the SME Startup Growth Technology Development Project Stepping Stone Project, and was listed as a TIPS company at the end of last year.
Reporter Kim Dong-hong khw090928@viva100.com
Bridge Economy Original article sent 2025-02-07 12:43
