A researcher at a prominent South Korean university's industry-academic cooperation foundation has been indicted on charges of stealing next-generation extreme ultraviolet (EUV) process technology that could be applied to cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing, obtained during a joint research project with Samsung Electronics.
The Serious Crimes Prosecution Division 5 of the Seoul Central Prosecution Office, headed by chief prosecutor Park Kyung-taek, indicted the researcher, identified only as A, without detention on the 26th for violating the Act on Prevention of Divulgence and Protection of Industrial Technology, according to reporting by The Seoul Economic Daily on the 27th.
A is accused of transferring semiconductor process data to a personal cloud account without authorization while employed at Samsung Electronics, and of using the material during the joint research project. A is also alleged to have exploited access to the company's internal technical information granted under Samsung Electronics employee status held for a period while serving as an industry-academic cooperation researcher.
The material taken without authorization consists of core technical information on the EUV lithography process for next-generation semiconductor products that Samsung Electronics has not yet released, including the type of photoresist (PR) used to form semiconductor circuits as well as detailed process conditions such as process temperature and solvents. EUV uses extremely short-wavelength light to etch fine circuits onto semiconductor wafers, playing a central role in raising chip density and reducing the number of process steps.
Prosecutors suspect that some of the technical information may have been passed outside the company. However, there is no confirmation that the material reached China or any other country abroad. Samsung Electronics detected the data transfer relatively quickly, allowing the investigation to proceed before the information could leave the country. Prosecutors sought an arrest warrant for A, citing the importance of the technology involved, but the court rejected the request on the grounds that A had cooperated with the investigation.
"This is a variant method that differs from conventional leak schemes," a legal source said. "The mere fact that process information was passed outside before actual commercialization can cause enormous damage to a company."