South Korea unveils Quantum Nano-Fab in Ulsan to accelerate quantum device development
UNIST has unveiled the Quantum Nano-Fab in Ulsan, a 30 billion won national research infrastructure designed to support end-to-end development of quantum devices. The facility is funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Institute for Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP) and aims to provide a one-stop, autonomous research environment for designing, fabricating, analyzing, verifying, and validating quantum components.
The Quantum Nano-Fab is built to integrate the entire research lifecycle in a single space, combining advanced processing equipment with a dedicated analysis and support framework. Its design emphasizes a researcher-centered workflow that can be used without traditional, facility-based barriers, enabling rapid iteration from concept to prototype.
The new lab expands on UNIST’s long-running open nano-fab program, which has operated for 18 years and serves as a national resource. Historically, the UNIST nano-fab has supported roughly 60 institutions nationwide, handling about 33,000 research processes annually and producing around 800 autonomous researchers each year. The Quantum Nano-Fab adds quantum processing capabilities to this open-access platform.
Officials frame the project as a strategic effort to position Ulsan as a Southeast Korean hub that links quantum and semiconductor industries. Ulsan, traditionally known for heavy industry such as automotive, shipbuilding and petrochemicals, has sought to diversify into advanced technologies. UNIST has previously advanced this transition through a semiconductor-focused program and nano-fab expansion, laying groundwork for a broader high-tech ecosystem.
The university’s leadership outlined the facility’s guiding principles: One-Stop, Openness, and Vision. They described the One-Stop concept as researchers being able to perform design through fabrication and analysis in one place; Openness as a model where roughly 60 institutions share access to the research infrastructure; and Vision as a plan to shift Ul-san’s industrial base toward quantum and semiconductor-driven advanced industries.
President Park Jong-rae called the investment a milestone for Korea’s quantum technology capabilities, stressing that the Quantum Nano-Fab will become a core platform for an ecosystem in Ulsan where research outcomes translate into technological advancement and industrial results. Professor Jeong Il-seok, who leads the open quantum infrastructure project, said the facility could become a global model for mid-sized open fabs, accelerating industry–academia–research collaboration and serving as a national hub for domestic quantum research.