Conference: The 18th U.S.-Korea Forum on Nanotechnology: Sensors Related to Human Cognition and Sustainability in Semiconductor Manufacturing

Since 2003, the Forum on Nanotechnology between the U.S. and Korea has been held annually in alternating countries, except during the COVID-19 pandemic years. This joint forum facilitates networking between the research communities and agencies of both countries, enabling each side to exchange information and to explore opportunities for research collaboration in the field of nanotechnology. This year, the forum will address sensors related to human cognition and sustainability in semiconductor manufacturing. Two keynote speakers, eight senior presenters, and eight early-career presenters from the U.S. will be invited, and a roughly equal number of Korean presenters will participate. The organizing committee strives to emphasize the diversity of the early-career participants. The primary contribution of this forum is its ability to bring together a bi-national community of expert researchers who are working on the leading edge of sensors, sustainable electronics, and semiconductor manufacturing. The outcomes of this forum will lead to tangible milestones and vigorous research collaboration among researchers in both countries. Sustainability in semiconductor manufacturing will generate great economic and social impact in the U.S. Forum proceedings and findings for 2024 and previous events are available on Carnegie Mellon’s website. Entering the fourth industrial revolution, which is characterized by a fusion of technologies that blur the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres, the rapid increase in data processed and stored requires emerging technologies related to human cognition. As a continuing effort from the fourteenth forum, sensors including wearables for human interface will be examined. Semiconductor technology is the most important thrust area in economic development, defense, and security for nations during the upcoming decade. To promote a paradigm shift for next-generation semiconductors, cost and performance gains, including advanced packing processes, in the continued pursuit of Moore’s law in the future will be examined. As chip sizes continue to decrease, novel environmental, health, and safety solutions should be reexamined. Developing novel devices using nanotechnology for the evaluation of chemistry for materials of high concern and environmental impacts during current and future semiconductor fabrication will be discussed. In semiconductor manufacturing, cost-effective processes using nanotechnology are needed to assure that wastewater effluents and air emissions have minimal environmental impact. Significant amounts of ultra-pure water and energy are required in the semiconductor manufacturing processes; thus, novel reduction, reuse, and recycling techniques for water in manufacturing and chemical mechanical planarization will be discussed. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.