South Korea Unveils Quantum Nano-Fab in Ulsan for Full-Cycle Device R&D

In Ulsan, UNIST unveiled its Quantum Nano-Fab, a national core research infrastructure aimed at strengthening Korea’s quantum technology capabilities. The project commits a total budget of 30 billion won and is designed to carry out the full lifecycle of quantum device development—from design through fabrication, analysis, verification, and demonstration—within a single facility.

The Quantum Nano-Fab is part of a national program supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Institute for Information & Communications Technology Planning and Evaluation (IITP). It integrates advanced processing equipment and analytic systems to enable researchers to move seamlessly from concept to validated quantum devices in one space.

Built on UNIST’s 18-year experience running an open nano-fab, the new facility expands its scope from general nano-processing to quantum-device fabrication. UNIST’s open nano-fab has supported roughly 60 institutions nationwide, delivering about 33,000 research engagements per year and producing about 800 autonomous users annually, alongside a team of around 30 technical staff.

By adding quantum-specific tooling and a dedicated support framework, UNIST says the Quantum Nano-Fab will extend its role from nano- to quantum-device research and help position Ulsan as a Southeast Korean innovation hub that connects the region’s large-scale manufacturing with emerging quantum and semiconductor industries.

The project also reflects broader regional aims. Ulsan is a major industrial center known for automotive, shipbuilding and petrochemicals, but it has historically lagged in advanced semiconductor capabilities. Officials see the Nano-Fab as part of a broader shift to build a high-tech ecosystem in the area, leveraging new facilities to diversify the local economy toward quantum and semiconductor-driven industries.

UNIST outlined three operating principles for the Quantum Nano-Fab: One-Stop, Open, and Vision. One-Stop emphasizes end-to-end research in a single campus environment; Open denotes a shared-use model involving more than 60 institutions; Vision signals a strategic shift of Ulsan’s economic base from traditional heavy industry toward quantum- and semiconductor-based high-tech sectors.

UNIST President Park Jong-rae said the 30-billion-won investment represents a milestone for Korea’s quantum capabilities and that the Quantum Nano-Fab will serve as a core platform for a broader ecosystem in Ulsan, helping research outcomes translate into technological advances and industrial value in a virtuous cycle.

At the opening ceremony, Park Jong-rae distributed remarks alongside other leaders. Professor Jeong Il-seok, who heads the Open Quantum Infrastructure Project, described the Nano-Fab as a mid-sized, open laboratory model that can become a global exemplar for researcher-led access to advanced quantum equipment and analysis, reinforcing industry–academic–research collaboration and strengthening domestic quantum research.

About 80 delegates attended the event, including IITP Director Hong Jin-bae and Ul-San City Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs Ahn Hyo-dae. The program featured a scientific symposium and a Fab Tour, offering participants a glimpse of the latest quantum technologies and a tour of the facility’s fabrication lines.