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The 19th
U.S.-Korea Forum on Nanotechnology:
Sustainability
in Semiconductor Manufacturing by Design and
Neuromorphic & Quantum
Sensors on a Chip
Kintex, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
Adopted on July 4, 2025
The first quarter of the 21st century
has witnessed a surge of convergence of nanotechnologies and their applications in a broad spectrum of
science and technology areas. This has been accompanied by numerous
interdisciplinary research initiatives aimed at promoting the rapid advances toward
the fourth industrial revolution. To further promote development of new
technologies, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Repuplic of Korea
Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) have been promoting and encouraging a common
venue for the exchange of ideas and research collaboration in nanotechnology
through Forums established via the recommendations made by the Korea-U.S. joint
committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, held on October 31, 2002,
in Seoul, Korea.
Since 2003, our Forums have been extremely
successful, promoting development in nanotechnology. These Forums have been a
testimony to the transformative power of identifying a concept or trend and
laying out a vision at the synergistic confluence of diverse scientific
research areas. Our Forums have successfully provided a common platform for
effective networking between research communities and industries in both
countries by identifying emerging areas in nanotechnology which generate significant
impacts. This is evident from major collaboration initiatives between the U.S. and
Korea established via our Forums. Organizing the Forums has expedited the
generation of cutting-edge technologies for thrust areas in both
countries. To our knowledge, our Forum
between the U.S. and Korea is the longest Forum of its kind. Our Forum, publicized
through the Carnegie Mellon website: http://www.cmu.edu/nanotechnology-forum/
has also served as a benchmark for other international
forums.
With this mission, we established the 1st
U.S.-Korea Forum on Nanotechnology, via NSF funding, on October 14th
-18th of 2003, in Seoul. As the Korean counterpart to NSF,
participation was overseen and funded by MSIT. The topics in the subsequent
Forums were recommended by the advisory committee members depending on the needs
of both countries at that time, and the locations of these Forums have
alternated between Korea and the U.S. We organized the 2nd Forum, on
nanomanufacturing research and the development of educational programs covering
the field of nanotechnology. The 3rd Forum focused on active devices
and systems research, unlike the passive systems studied during the first two
Forums. The focus of the 4th Forum was on sustainable nanoenergy
with emphasis on the design and characterization of materials as well as devices
and systems for energy applications. The 5th Forum focused on the
emerging area of nano-biotechnology emphasizing novel nano-biomaterials,
instrumentation technologies, and integrated systems for overcoming critical
challenges in biomedicine and delivery of healthcare, as well as their
environmental, health & safety (EHS) and toxicity issues. The 6th
Forum dealt with nano-electronics with emphasis on fundamentals as well as
integration with applications including convergence technology with
biotechnology. The 7th Forum oversaw discussions ranging in
nanotechnology convergence with current and future energy technologies to
provide environmentally friendly solutions to the crippling challenges facing
the energy sector. These seven Forums culminated in a seamless developmental
and feedback process documenting the advent of nanotechnology convergence in a broad
spectrum of science and technology areas for the first decade of the 21st
century (NANO1). The 8th Forum in 2011, on nanotechnology
convergence in sustainability, heralded new horizons in nanotechnology for the
next decade (NANO2) by addressing critical problems faced by an ever-increasing
global population, with an emphasis on environmentally friendly technologies
for the future on nanotechnology for sustainability, focusing on water reuse
and desalination, greenhouse gas capture and conversion, and sustainable
natural resources. The 9th Forum focused on channeling
nanotechnology to the masses to responsibly address broad societal challenges
such as nanoscience fundamentals, sustainability, and state-of-the-art
applications for the new generation of nanotechnology products. The 10th
Forum focused on laying out a roadmap for a new generation of nanotechnological
products and processes. The 11th Forum focused on nanomanufacturing,
nanocomposite, and nanoinformatics. This Forum provided an opportunity to
realize the potential of nanotechnology through the development of innovative
and sustainable nanomanufacturing technologies for producing novel strong,
light, and smart nanocomposites and their management via nanoinformatics which
will likely lead to paradigm-shifting next-generation enhanced performance of
products in a broad range of existing industries including aerospace,
automotive, energy, environmental remediation, information, and power
industries as well as the development of new industries. The 12th Forum
focused on laying out a roadmap for a new paradigm in nanoscience-convergence
in 2-D materials and for water purification via exploring improvements to
technological tools for the application of nanotechnology and functional and
novel nanomaterials to water-related topics. The 13th Forum focused
on a new paradigm in nanoscience-convergence in brain-inspired (neuromorphic) computing
and water & energy. The 14th Forum focused on laying out a
roadmap for a new paradigm in nanoscience-convergence including nanosensors and
neuromorphic computing. The 15th Forum was focused on nanomedicine at
the single-cell level as well as continuing efforts on nanosensors including internet
of things (IoT) devices. The 16th Forum held in 2019 focused on realizing
the promise of nanotechnology through the development of novel nanomedicine
focusing at the single-cell level as well as sensors related to human cognition
and brain research. We could not hold the Forum for three years due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. The 17th Forum held
in 2023 explored next-generation semiconductors and the environmental
implications of semiconductor manufacturing. In this Forum, we discussed the
development of advanced semiconductor devices for emerging neuromorphic
in-memory computing, future CMOS nodes, monolithic 3D (M3D) integration, advanced
packaging (design, manufacturing, and technology), and heterogeneous
integration.
This 18th Forum held in 2024 further
explored advanced semiconductor and sensor technology by examining
sustainability in semiconductor manufacturing and sensors related to human
cognition.
This 19th Forum was held at
Kintex, Korea, on July 3 & 4, 2025. Eighty-seven eminent scientists and
policy-makers in the field of semiconductors and nanotechnology attended. During this Forum, Welcoming
Remarks were provided by Taek-ryeol Jeong, the Director General of Ministry of
Science and ICT, and Seongsin Margaret Kim, Program Director of the National
Science Foundation. The main event of the Forum consisted of four different sessions, described below.
Keynote Session: The 19th Korea-U.S. Forum on
Nanotechnology opened with Professor John A. Rogers of Northwestern University setting
the tone by discussing his study of 3D and transient semiconductor
nanomaterials. He showed wafer-scale assemblies that fold like kirigami to
create mechanically compliant, high-performance electronics able to laminate
onto curved or moving surfaces. Equally compelling were “microfliers”: grain-of-sand-sized
sensor platforms that ride on the wind and dissolve in rainwater, leaving no
environmental trace. On the biomedical front, he unveiled the world’s smallest,
fully bioresorbable pacemaker, already in first-in-human trials, that melts
harmlessly after a post-operative healing window. Rogers stressed that
sustainability in nanotechnology is not only about cleaner fabs but also about
designing devices whose entire life cycle, including end-of-life, honors
ecological constraints. Dr. Seongsin Margaret Kim, Program Director in the
National Science Foundation’s Electronics, Photonics, and Magnetic Devices
program, spoke next. She shifted the conversation towards quantum networking
and quantum sensing, which are poised to do for data acquisition what classical
communications did for data transport. She traced how entanglement-enabled
magnetometers and gravimeters are already breaching classical sensitivity
limits, then sketched NSF’s cross-agency roadmap for moving laboratory
prototypes into deployable field systems. By coupling quantum sensors to
emerging photonic network backbones, she forecast real-time, distributed
measurements that could transform biomedical diagnostics, climate monitoring,
and secure defense platforms. The next address was delivered by Dr. Heung Soo
Park, President of Korea’s National NanoFab Center (NNFC). Dr. Park reframed
quantum ambition in the practical language of manufacturing capacity. Public
nanofabs, he argued, are the connective tissue between discovery and
deployment. Detailing NNFC’s 5,000 m² open-access clean-room, he showed how
Korean startups and university researchers prototype silicon, MEMS, biosensor,
and display technologies at wafer-scale without the prohibitive capital costs
borne by private fabs. He highlighted a new bilateral program that stations
Korean graduate students at IMEC and U.S. faculty at NNFC, along with a just-signed
agreement with NY CREATES that gives American small businesses time-critical
test-bed access in Daejeon. Dr. Park closed by pledging that NNFC will expand
into heterogeneousintegration, quantum‐compatible cryo-CMOS, and
“green-chemistry” process lines—all under a “safety-first,
sustainability-always” ethic. A keynote address from Professor Kwabena Boahen
of Stanford University tackled the soaring energy requirements of artificial
intelligence (AI). He contrasted today’s synapse-centric AI accelerators—where
communication energy rises quadratically with multiplier count—with the human
brain, whose dendrite-centric architecture scales energy nearly linearly with
neuron count and runs on just 25 W. He introduced a “dendrocentric” computing
model that sparsifies signals via sequence detection rather than dense
dot-products, allowing knowledge processing to migrate from 2-D chips toward 3-D,
brain-like substrates. In Boahen’s projection, reaching human-scale AI systems
(10¹⁵ parameters) within the decade is feasible—but only if architects embrace
vertical integration, sparse interconnects, and new learning rules that slash
inter-die traffic. In the final keynote, Dr. Victor Zhirnov, Chief Scientist of
the Semiconductor Research Corporation, tied the week’s scientific aspirations
back to industrial imperatives. Citing surging global demand and the CHIPS and
Science Act’s $280 billion investment, he argued that digital twins are the
linchpin for re-establishing U.S. leadership in high-volume, high-mix
manufacturing. He outlined the SMART USA Manufacturing Institute, a proposed
public–private consortium that will stitch together unit-process models,
fab-floor sensors, supply-chain analytics, and workforce training into
hierarchical virtual replicas—from individual deposition chambers up to global
logistics networks. These twins, he contended, can cut development cycles in
half, flag yield excursions before wafers scrap, and give engineers “X-ray vision”
into the nanoscale physics of every step.
Session #1: Professor Ahmed Busnaina introduced an
environmentally friendly approach to electronics manufacturing that uses
nanoparticle assembly to dramatically reduce production costs by as much as 10-to-100
times compared to traditional semiconductor methods. His process operates at
room temperature and eliminates the need for toxic chemicals or corrosive
substances. It offers high precision in nanomaterial production and is
especially well-suited for advanced 3-D heterogeneous integration, all while
significantly lowering environmental impact. Professor Hak-Sung Kim presented
groundbreaking work in ultra-fast flip-chip bonding using intense pulsed light.
This millisecond-scale process reduces energy consumption by 40% and improves
mechanical reliability by 30% compared to conventional reflow techniques. It
also significantly decreases the thickness of intermetallic compounds,
shrinking them from 6 micrometers to just 800 nm. Professor Paul Westerhoff
addressed major challenges in recycling semiconductor wastewater, particularly
the presence of trace organic contaminants that hinder reuse. His research
demonstrated innovative advanced oxidation processes using sulfate and bromide
radicals. These techniques effectively break down stubborn compounds like urea,
TMAH, and acetone, making previously unusable wastewater viable for reuse in
chip manufacturing. Professor Jin-Seong Park introduced a data-driven framework
for creating more sustainable area-selective atomic layer deposition processes.
By leveraging density functional theory to optimize molecular inhibitors and
developing a novel S-factor metric, his approach connects theoretical
predictions with actual results. This helps reduce material waste and avoids
the need for etching after deposition. Professor Fazleena Badurdeen explored
how circular economy strategies can advance sustainability in semiconductor
manufacturing. She examined issues in the industry's fragmented supply chains
and highlighted emerging initiatives focused on collecting, recovering, and
repurposing end-of-life microelectronic components. Her work identifies key
intervention points to improve sustainability across the full manufacturing
lifecycle. Professor Jungwan Cho discussed electro-thermal co-design techniques
for high-power semiconductor devices where local power densities can reach
several megawatts per square centimeter. His research employs advanced
thermoreflectance methods to build predictive models that support the
development of thermally-aware device structures, improving both performance
and reliability. Professor Sung Kyu Lim showcased AI-driven co-optimization
techniques for heterogeneous AI chips. His work demonstrates how machine
learning models can predict the relationships between manufacturing parameters
and system performance, enabling simultaneous optimization of fabrication
processes and chip design for next-generation technologies. Professor Jiyoung
Kim highlighted the use of machine learning to accelerate optimization of atomic
layer deposition. His deep neural network framework helps reduce the need for
extensive experimental testing while accurately predicting film quality,
offering a more efficient and cost-effective path to process development.
Finally, Dr. Pascal Oberndorff concluded with insights into the growing
importance of electronic packaging in enabling future semiconductor
technologies. He emphasized its role in miniaturization and cost-effectiveness,
especially for edge computing systems, and shared practical examples of
material selection and modeling strategies that support advanced heterogeneous
integration.
Session #2: Professor Elias Towe’s talk discussed
Solid-state Quantum Magnetometers, noting that diamond and SiC are perfect for
making magnetometers. His group’s goal is to create a sufficiently small SiC magnetometer
that can be made in array format for integration into wearable cap to measure brain magnetic fields.
Professor Gyoujin Cho discussed his work on Organo-Array, disposable quantum
sensors, large-scale additive manufacturing, and roll-to-roll platform (LAMP)
for sticker-like computers, microfluidic chip, to detect protein sequences for
in-situ detection, for digital PCR and Q-spin sensor for DNA sequencing, all to
be done in an on-skin patch. Dr. Darmindra Arumugam discussed how remote
sensing is constrained by data throughput, specifically from satellites. He
highlighted the need for high spatial and temporal resolution. His talk
addressed that Rydberg states/architecture enable high-sensitivity, dynamic,
and tunable radar remote sensing throughout the entire radio frequency window
and hence can be used as reconfigurable/reprogrammable, active & passive
sensor. Professor Douglas Weber presented a talk entitled “Sensing and
Stimulating the Brain to Restore Neurological Function,” featuring two topics related
to clinical applications of brain-machine interfaces (BMI): (a) brain-sensing
devices and (b) brain-stimulating devices. For brain-sensing devices, he
discussed a focus on intracortical BMI implants, used for patient training,
signal pre-processing, before BMI use. He showed a video of patients with ALS
that have BMI implants using a cell phone to control other devices. Related to
brain-stimulating devices, he discussed results of implants used to stimulate
motor neurons weakened by stroke. Professor
Yang-Kyu Choi’s presentation was entitled “Rethinking Transistor Operation for
Oscillating and Spiking Behavior,” where he discussed capacitor-less, single
transistor dynamics. His CMOS artificial neuron is based on a single transistor
latch (STL). He discussed the operation principle of a leaky-integrate-and-fire
neuron, based on a channel slowly charging, and then rapidly discharging. He
showed neurons used for sensing: pressure (touch/tactile, triboelectric), gas
(olfactory, H2, NH3), light (visual), breath (sound;
triboelectric – Al/PTFE/PI), molecule (taste: vinegar, brine), for in-sensor
computing, and also used as a random-number generator. Professor Euisik Yoon discussed
electrophysiology and optimal neuromodulation at cellular resolution. He
discussed his research on deep-brain interfaces and aims to address its very
invasive nature. He developed sensors with optical waveguides integrated onto a
Si wafer with laser diodes (of blue and red color). He discussed his results with
bi-colored electrodes, used to turn neurons on and off (he showed videos
showing LEDs synchronized to Mozart and Beethoven’s music). Professor Dmitri
Strukov’s talk provided the mathematical basis of optimization, relevant equations,
and the resulting algorithms to demonstrate their use in combinatorial optimization. His work addressed
the task of solving problems that are natively of high-order functions, and how
these can be solved on hardware using hardware acceleration, for example, using
crossbar memory circuit in the form of memory-resistor (memristor), or on 256x128 10-transistor bi-directional SRAM array. While his approach
did not produce faster or more energy-efficient solutions, he believes it is
scalable to larger problems, making it advantageous. Professor Seong Jun Kang discussed
the band structure of oxide semiconductors for optical neuromorphic devices to
realize highly efficient and accurate machine vision. He discussed how to
control band structure (gap states, wide bandgap oxides: IGZO vs IGZO:Cd300) in
oxide structures for neuromorphic computing, and in-sensor computing
photodetectors. He used persistent photoconductivity (PPC) effects to make an
optical synapse and showed that Cd-doped IGZO works better than IGZO because of
the amount of PPC. He also showed that excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC)
and paired-pulse current, modulating the number of defects, allows tunable photocurrent. He showed preliminary
results using this device for machine
vision where the data is processed optically instead of electrically. Emeritus
Professor Bruce Gnade discussed neuromorphic vision sensors (neuromorphic
sensors merely looking for and detecting change, which should be low power and
low, data band but are very noisy because the FET is run in analog state, and
then amplified). His approach uses a
task specific hardware-in-the-loop testing system, as well as its requirements,
behavior, and the measurements of the temporal and spatial response for the
neuromorphic sensor.
Poster Session: Professor Hongseok Oh introduced
physical reservoir computing using photonic synapses with fading memory for
efficient time-series processing. Professor Mikael P. Backlund explored
nanoscale quantum imaging using nitrogen-vacancy centers and fluorescent dyes
for correlative magnetic resonance and fluorescence microscopy. Professor Guesuk
Lee demonstrated thermoreflectance-based temperature profiling and structure
analysis for multilayer ICs, providing insight into thermal behavior in 2.5D/3D
packaging. Professor Robert Nawrocki presented flexible organic spiking
neuromorphic circuits that emulate biological neural activity, enabling
embodied AI in soft robotics. Professor Hyunjeong Kwak discussed a
monolithically integrated 4K electrochemical RAM (ECRAM)-based analog AI chip
capable of on-chip training with high energy efficiency, marking a breakthrough
in neuromorphic hardware scalability. Professor Youjin Reo developed
high-performance tin halide perovskite transistors via thermal evaporation of
CsSnI3, achieving high mobility (~33.8 cm2/V·s),
excellent stability, and large-area uniformity, bridging the gap between
solution-based processes and industrial scalability. Professor Matthew T. Flavin
introduced bistable, self-sensing wearable haptics that transmit information
through the skin, with applications in neurorehabilitation. Professor Jaeduk
Han revealed a PAM-8 transceiver for ultra-fast communication and LAYGO, an
AI-augmented automated layout tool that boosts productivity in chip design,
offering solutions for the growing complexity of AI-driven system-on-chip (SoC)
designs. Professor Jung-Hoon Lee introduced a novel tin precursor for ALD-based
SnO2 fabrication, enhancing gas sensor performance. Professor Inhee
Lee presented millimeter-scale neuromorphic vision systems using CNNs and
dynamic neural fields, driving intelligent sensing in ultra-small IoT devices. Professor
Sung Beom Cho integrated DFT, MD, FEM, and AI to build predictive multiscale
models for Ga2O3 processing, addressing polymorph control
and device reliability. Professor Dong-Woo Jee presented in-sensor processing
for biomedical devices, including a PPG sensor and retinal prosthesis chip that
embed neural computation directly within pixels. Professor Jihoon Seo emphasized
sustainability in semiconductor manufacturing through eco-friendly CMP slurry
formulations and life-cycle assessments. Professor Hyejin Park developed a
printed NIR image sensor label inspired by locust vision, offering low-cost
collision avoidance for robotic arms. Professor Joonhee Choi highlighted
advances in solid-state quantum sensing with rare-earth ions and 2-D materials
for probing quantum many-body interactions. Professor Younsu Jung showcased the
world’s first roll-to-roll (R2R) printed 4-bit flexible microprocessor using
SWCNT-based transistors, paving the way for sustainable and scalable
electronics.
To explore semiconductor and sensor
technology further, we intend to organize the 20th Forum next year
to be held in Raleigh, North Carolina. The topic is energy-efficient
neuromorphic and quantum-sensing systems on a chip. We are confident that the 20th
Forum will provide a gateway for opening a new paradigm in semiconductors, AI, and
quantum applications for the future as both the new governments of the U.S. and
Korea have been heavily supporting these technologies as a prioritized economic
development area. We also believe that the continuation of these technologies during
the 20th Forum will further promote collaboration between scientists
in both countries.
The following are the detailed
recommendations made by the two sessions during this Forum:
Session
1: Sustainability in Semiconductor
Manufacturing by Design
1. Sustainability in
Semiconductor Manufacturing
1.1. Life Cycle
Assessment Framework Development
Business case development for sustainability measurement Water identified as the largest chemical/solvent component Need for comprehensive assessment metrics and frameworks
1.2. Recycling and
Reuse Challenges
Post-consumer recycling difficulties, particularly for packaging Reuse potential for legacy chips Business case challenges for recycling due to chip design specificity Balance between performance requirements and sustainability goals
1.3. Systemic
Approach and Collaboration
International framework and organizational structure needs Energy vs. water tracking challenges (local policy vs. financial considerations) Supply chain collaboration requirements (suppliers, vendors, users) Business model development necessity
The focus has evolved
from identifying sustainability areas (last year) to developing practical
implementation frameworks: specifically life cycle assessment, business cases,
and collaborative ecosystems.
The emphasis has shifted
toward sustainability by design with performance balance and the development of
assessment matrices for materials replacement.
2. E-Waste: recover, reuse, recycle
Focus on designing chips for better end-of-life management Recognition that logistics is a major missing component with significant impact potential Redesigning chips for improved recovery, reuse, and recycling capabilities, and rethinking efficiency and energy use while maintaining performance standards Sustainable materials and packaging: Focus on new materials during design phase, recognition that current packaging approaches are not suitable for end-of-life management Implementation of AI models for sustainable manufacturing and chip design processes, leveraging existing investments in chip technology
The focus has evolved
from end-of-life treatment (last year) to design-phase integration (this year):
(1) New focus on supply chain and logistics as critical missing elements, (2)
Introduction of AI models for sustainability optimization, (3) Evolution from
traditional recycling focus to comprehensive circular design approaches.
3. Opportunities for
additive manufacturing (AM) - Specifically, its current state, potential
applications, and challenges in nanotechnology and semiconductor fabrication.
Now capable of printing metals and polymers, even for critical components (e.g., military and aerospace parts) Materials and Process Innovations: Focus on achieving single-crystal or polycrystalline metals via AM Challenge: Additive manufacturing of semiconductors still requires single crystal structure for performance, unlike dielectrics where amorphous is acceptable Desire to achieve properties equivalent to CVD/PVD-deposited materials using AM
Session 2: Neuromorphic & Quantum Sensors on a Chip
Discussions
on Sensor Topics
More time designated for discussion More short talks + discussion, fewer lectures Broad collection of topics was a great thing Need more time to digest, perhaps have discussions hours or day after talks Rearrange so not all keynotes on one day and discussion on second day --> redistribute between days More discussion of background on various topics is needed – pedagogical intro to different fields Description of open questions in various fields Some parallelization (separate rooms) could make room for more discussion
- Others liked having everyone together Technology talks—hard to tell how far from application, a primer ahead of time perhaps could help Invite a couple people from industry
- Industry people may be hesitant to discuss emerging technology
- Management might not allow
On
collaboration
Summary of areas and bios will facilitate collaboration NSF views US-Korea collaboration favorably, will continue in long run NSF has mechanisms in place for collaboration with agencies in different countries (UK, Israel, Switzerland) but some hurdles to establishing such a program with Korea Impetus for collaboration has often come from Korean agencies, with specific incentives for foreign collaboration Student exchange program can stimulate collaboration U.S. Air Force has similar collaboration mechanisms. ONR Global, other US agencies Industry partners to support research? IP law makes dually supported research complicated Should we do some government outreach as part of this meeting? From NSF side, creating a collaborative program with Korea is much more likely if it focuses on NSF’s ~5 stated research area priorities. Literature summarizing previous successful programs along these lines would be helpful
Possible
topics for next years’ meeting
Shall
we keep the same topics for next year? Benefits might be derived from continuity
Energy-efficient
neuromorphic and quantum. Energy ties all topics together.
Summary:
We suggest a redistribution of the agenda between the two days, including more time for discussion. Generally, everyone is positive about the breadth of topics. It would be helpful to include more pedagogical introduction to the various topics, as well as a description of open questions in the field. A summary of previous collaboration to emerge from this Forum, or of previous programs supporting similarly spirited collaboration would provide some helpful perspective. Hearing from previous participants would also help along these lines. Funding uncertainty complicates what specific actions NSF can commit to, but explicitly connecting to stated “priorities” would be helpful. Some continuity in the topics from this year to next would likely be more impactful than an entirely new slate.
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On behalf of the U.S participants
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On behalf of the Korean
participants
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Myung S. Jhon, Professor
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Jinho Ahn
Korea Nanotechnology Research Society
Seoul, Korea
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