Batteries & Semiconductors

Guest speaker 1: Prof. Ungyu Paik
Title: Toward Sustainable and High-Energy Lithium Batteries: Materials and Manufacturing at the Energy Frontier
Abstract: The global shift toward electric vehicles and energy storage systems, driven by carbon neutrality targets and regulatory frameworks, has accelerated the demand for sustainable, high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Advances in electrode material design, interface engineering, and electrode microstructure have improved energy/power density, safety, and cost efficiency. Despite these achievements, continued innovation is required to further advance energy density, safety, sustainability and process economics, particularly in the context of scalable and sustainable manufacturing.
The lecture reviews the recent research efforts aimed at increasing energy density through the fabrication of thick electrodes. While electrode thickening is essential for enabling high-energy-density lithium rechargeable battery systems, conventional slurry-based wet processing presents inherent limitations due to the binder migration, which degrades electrode microstructure and leads to inferior electrochemical performances. To overcome these limitations, the roll-to-roll dry coating process has emerged as a promising, industrially scalable, and solvent-free manufacturing strategy, capable of fabricating thick electrodes with superior microstructural homogeneity and mechanical robustness. In this context, ceramic particle engineering plays a critical role in the successful implementation of dry coating—particularly by promoting uniform distribution of electrode components and enhancing mechanical integrity. In our work, we fabricated dry electrodes with homogeneous microstructure by implementing three main strategies: 1) enhanced fibrillization of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) binders for improved mechanical strength, 2) uniform pore structure and well-connected conductive networks, and 3) maintenance of the structural integrity of cathode particulates. These approaches offer a promising pathway toward the scalable production of next-generation LIBs. The lecture will conclude with an outlook on the extension of roll-to-roll dry coating processes beyond LIBs, including systems such as lithium–sulfur and all-solid-state batteries. Key technical barriers and future prospects for industrial implementation will be discussed, with an emphasis on the critical role of materials innovation and process optimization in the advancement of next-generation energy storage technologies.

Guest Speaker 2: Dr. Taeseup Song
Title: Interface Engineering for All-Solid-State Batteries
Abstract: All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) incorporating sulfide-based solid electrolytes with high ionic conductivity are recognized as the next-generation energy storage systems, offering superior safety and energy density through the use of metallic anodes. However, its practical deployment is challenged by various interfacial issues, including contact loss during cycling, which accelerates the growth of Li dendrites, as well as the chemical instability between Li and sulfide-based solid electrolytes. In this study, we first examine the key degradation mechanisms of ASSBs from both electrochemical and mechanical standpoints. We then present our approaches to enhancing the stability of the electrode/solid electrolyte interface. The designed ASSBs effectively inhibit Li dendrite formation and mitigate undesirable side reactions, resulting in significantly enhanced electrochemical performance.

Guest Speaker 3: Dr. Kangchun Lee
Title: The Role of CMP in Advanced Semiconductor Interconnect Patterning
Abstract: The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has dramatically accelerated the demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM), placing unprecedented emphasis on the precision and reliability of copper (Cu) interconnect patterning. In modern semiconductor devices, interconnect architectures have become increasingly complex, requiring nanometre-scale control to ensure both performance and yield. Among the various unit process techniques, the damascene approach, integrating deposition, lithography, etching, and chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), has become the industry standard for achieving high-density Cu wiring. In particular, CMP plays a critical role in removing excess metal while preserving underlying structures, enabling the global planarization essential for multilayer interconnect integration.
This seminar will begin with an accessible overview of semiconductor device scaling trends and the evolution of CMP technology. We will then examine the Cu damascene patterning process in depth, highlighting the interplay between mechanical abrasion and electrochemical reactions that govern CMP performance. Special emphasis will be placed on the challenges in next-generation Cu patterning, where aggressive scaling exacerbates corrosion, dishing, and defect formation. Finally, we will discuss recent advances in slurry chemistry and inhibitor design, illustrating how precise control over surface electrochemistry and colloidal particle behaviour can suppress corrosion, maintain high removal rates, and meet the stringent requirements of future interconnect technologies.