SK hynix strengthens semiconductor ecosystem through Shared Infrastructure model

SK hynix is fostering a win-win ecosystem through its Shared Infrastructure program, which includes the Trinity Fab mini-fab to help partners verify technologies for mass production. The initiative also features an Analysis and Measurement Support Center that can provide high-quality data in approximately 72 hours, significantly reducing the months typically required for such analysis.

Due to the nature of the semiconductor industry, where no single company can maintain a monopoly, close cooperation between companies is a matter of survival rather than an option. The core lies in building an ecosystem where companies share technology and grow together within a complex and highly segmented supply chain.

This win-win cooperation model presented by SK hynix has evolved from past methods of simple support, such as large corporations compensating the research and development (R&D) costs of small-scale partners or increasing purchase unit prices. At its center is the "Shared Infrastructure" program, which shares knowledge and infrastructure to fundamentally improve the technical competitiveness of the partners themselves.

'Semiconductor Academy' builds practical skills and 'Youth Hy-Five' connects to employment

SK hynix operates the "Semiconductor Academy" to strengthen the technical capabilities of partner company employees. Through this training, employees working in the field can re-examine their existing knowledge in detail and develop the ability to derive practical solutions, such as process conditions or equipment operating conditions. One partner company employee who participated in the training said, "If I hadn't received this training, the scope of trial and error would have been much larger," adding, "By learning next-generation semiconductor technology knowledge, I have been able to consider the direction our company should take."

The "Youth Hy-Five" program for nurturing young talent acts as a bridge between education and employment. For job seekers who find it difficult to gain practical experience, it provides industry-wide education, field training, and connections to employment. A young person currently working as an engineer through the program shared, "I had many worries because of the lack of opportunities to gain vague practical experience, but Hy-Five became the link that turned the anxiety of my job-seeking days into confidence."

'Analysis and Measurement Support Center' provides high-quality data within 72 hours

Reducing the gap in analysis data generated during the technology development process is also a major task. SK hynix's "Analysis and Measurement Support Center" helps partners solve technical difficulties encountered during the product development process. While the time required to check for minute contaminants or scratches during product development typically reaches several months, using the support center can shorten the time to approximately 3 days (72 hours) for providing results.

A partner company official stated, "With existing methods, it required a lot of effort for analysis because we did not know the process environment accurately, but through the center, we are receiving unique help by quickly obtaining high-quality result data." This structure creates synergy by combining the experimental know-how of materials companies with the analysis experience and general semiconductor knowledge of SK hynix.

'Trinity Fab' overcomes mass production verification limits and creates a virtuous cycle

One of the biggest difficulties faced by materials, parts, and equipment companies is the lack of infrastructure to verify technology in actual mass production lines after development is complete. To resolve this, SK hynix operates "Trinity Fab," a mini-fab with an environment identical to mass production lines. Through this, materials, parts, and equipment companies can quickly commercialize developed technologies to the mass production stage.

This sharing of infrastructure ultimately benefits the demanding company, SK hynix. As the development and response capabilities of partners improve, product quality increases, creating a virtuous cycle that leads to the strengthening of SK hynix's global competitiveness. SK hynix expressed its commitment to the mutual growth of the overall ecosystem, stating, "The competitiveness of the semiconductor industry grows when large companies and small and medium-sized enterprises grow together."

Source: original video (YouTube)