Known as the darling of the 21st Century science and technology, nanotechnology has been hailed as one of the core research projects in major countries. It¡¯s all because nanotechnology has the potential to revolutionize the science, society and culture, expected to form a gigantic market.

Nanotechnology is a war against the size. The sizes of semiconductor devices have been also being reduced, resulting in the development of faster devices. However, with the current technology, the manufacturing of semiconductor devices will face technological and manufacturing limits in five to ten years. With the requirement for technological development based on new approaches, The National Program for Tera-level Nanodevices was launched as part of the 21st Century Frontier R/D Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology in 2000, aiming to develop ultra fast, highly integrated, and ultra low-power nano devices to overcome such limits.


 


Six years after, we were able to deliver many fruits of the world's first and best technological breakthrough. In the third-phase starting in April 2006, some 500 researchers from the industry, academia and research institute are striving at this very moment to build the nation as one of the foremost nanoelectronic device powers, based on Korean technological capacity.

With pan-national backing, the unwavering enthusiasm of the researchers, and the fervent support of the public, the promising indices indicating Korea could lead the world in the field of nanotechnology are thrilling us. As of 2005, Korea is ranked at the fifth in terms of the Science Citation Index in the field of nanotechnology, the first in terms of the growth rate thereof, and the fifth in terms of the number of the relevant patents, following the European Union. Korea has the highest competitive edge in the field of nano devices, which has substantial significance in the aspects of the securing of fundamental technology as well as the creation of national wealth through the taking of the supremacy in semiconductor technology.

Nanotechnology is probably the only field of research where the US, Japan and other developed countries did not have a head start than Korea. For the first time in Korean history, the country is about to seize a providential opportunity to compete in technological development on equal terms with developed countries. The National Program for Tera-level Nanodevices is ready and willing to make our dream come true by preoccupying nano device technology in the global competition.

Lastly, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Minister of Science and Technology as well as other supporters who have been lending assistance for the successful completion of the second-phase project, and ask for further advice and support so that we all could sustain further progress.


Thank you.

Jo-Won Lee Director
The National Program for Tera Level Nanodevices