S. Korea wins bid to build power semiconductor facility at Jordan research reactor

South Korea has again demonstrated its nuclear technology capabilities, winning a contract to build a key facility at Jordan's research reactor for the production of high-quality power semiconductor materials.

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute said Monday it and FNC Co. had been selected as the preferred bidder for a project to build a neutron transmutation doping (NTD) facility at the Jordan Research and Training Reactor (JRTR), operated by the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission.

NTD technology is a nuclear transmutation process in which neutrons are irradiated into high-purity silicon — the base material for semiconductor substrates — converting some silicon atoms into phosphorus. It is a core technology for producing high-quality power semiconductors.

Power semiconductors are critical components used in electric vehicles, high-speed rail, renewable energy equipment and industrial power devices, efficiently converting and regulating electrical power.

Research reactors are essential tools for developing new materials such as power semiconductors.

Through Hanaro, South Korea's only research reactor, the institute has built world-class NTD process technology and operational competitiveness, consistently supplying up to 25 tons of N-type semiconductor-grade silicon annually. Drawing on that expertise and the track record it demonstrated during the original JRTR construction, the institute has achieved the first overseas export of domestic NTD device technology.

The institute's Hanaro Utilization Research Division and FNC, a nuclear engineering firm, formed a consortium and submitted a project proposal in March. With their selection as preferred bidder, the two sides plan to sign a formal contract in October.

The project covers the design, construction, commissioning and operational training for NTD facilities at the JRTR — two units for 6-inch silicon and one for 8-inch silicon. The project period is 36 months from the date of final contract signing.

The institute will handle simulation program design and the design and manufacture of core irradiation devices, while FNC will be responsible for the design and manufacture of auxiliary facilities and their installation.

Kim Myeong-seop, head of the institute's Hanaro Utilization Research Division, said the contract win was "another global recognition of the excellence of South Korea's exported research reactor and its advanced neutron utilization technology." He added that the institute would "work closely with Jordan to carry out the project successfully and continue expanding the overseas reach of South Korea's nuclear technology."