DB HiTek will transfer idle semiconductor equipment to public nanofabs free of charge.

The Ministry of Science and ICT held a signing ceremony on Wednesday at DB HiTek's Sangwoo campus in Eumseong, North Chungcheong province, for an agreement on transferring used equipment between DB HiTek and MoaFab. It follows a memorandum of understanding signed in March last year by the ministry and three chip companies: Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and DB HiTek.

Under the agreement, DB HiTek will transfer idle used equipment it holds free of charge to the National Nanofab Center and the Nano Convergence Technology Institute, which participate in MoaFab. The transferred equipment will be used for core semiconductor process R&D and support for technology demonstration.

An 8-inch high-temperature heat-treatment deposition tool will be installed at the National Nanofab Center. It is used to apply thin, uniform structural films to various sensors, including ultra-small precision parts, acoustic microphones, pressure sensors and infrared sensors.

An 8-inch dry etching and surface-coating tool will be transferred to the Nano Convergence Technology Institute. It can separate ultra-fine and ultra-thin components without damage compared with existing process methods, the ministry said, reducing process steps and improving component quality and completeness.

The ministry is pursuing a public-private cooperation model that transfers companies' idle equipment to public nanofabs based on the MoaFab platform, which links public nanofabs nationwide. Through the MoaFab used-equipment utilisation support programme, it will support participating institutions' equipment transfer and installation costs with a total of 75 billion won from this year through 2033.

Koo Hyuk-chae (구혁채), the ministry's first vice minister, said DB HiTek's transfer of used equipment was a cooperative model in which the public and private sectors joined forces to create a virtuous cycle in the semiconductor ecosystem. He said the ministry would upgrade research-support infrastructure at public nanofabs and underpin advanced semiconductor and nano-technology innovation and the training of specialised talent.