The Institute for Basic Science (IBS) has appointed Professor SHIN Hyeon Suk (51), an expert in quantum materials, as a new director. Director Shin, who is based at Sungkyunkwan University, will lead the newly established Center for 2D Quantum Heterostructures starting from March 1.

Director Shin earned his Ph.D. in chemistry from POSTECH and conducted research at both POSTECH and the University of Cambridge in the UK. He previously served as a research professor at POSTECH, followed by positions at UNIST, and also a director of the Low-Dimensional Carbon Innovative Material Research Center. He has been serving as a professor in the Department of Energy Science at Sungkyunkwan University since this year.

Director Shin is acclaimed for his innovation in next-generation semiconductor microfabrication. To increase signal processing speed in line with the trend of semiconductor miniaturization, it is essential to reduce the dielectric constant (sensitivity to external electric fields) of insulators deposited between the wiring of integrated circuits. Shin's research team developed a new ultra-low dielectric material made solely of boron (B) and nitrogen (N), called amorphous boron nitride (aBN), with a dielectric constant more than 30% lower than conventional materials used in the semiconductor industry ('20, Nature). This research was also selected as one of the "Top 100 National R&D Achievements in 2021."

Furthermore, Shin's research team proposed a method for producing large-area multilayer single crystals of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), also known as "white graphene" ('22, Nature). Boron nitride becomes more insulating as it thickens, making it suitable for use as insulators. However, previous studies failed to synthesize it in the ultimate form of multilayer single crystals.

Based on these achievements, Director Shin has received various awards, including the "Science and Technology Award of the Month ('23)" and the "Knowledge Creation Award ('15)," and was selected as the "Basic Science Researcher of the Year" in 2020 and 2023.

Additionally, he has been active as a leader in academia. He served as vice-chairman and chairman of the Korean Graphene Society, and in 2023, he was appointed as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in the UK. Furthermore, he serves as an associate editor for the journal "NPJ 2D Materials and Application" and as an editorial advisory board member for several international journals in the materials field, including Nanoscale, Nanoscale Advances, ChemBioEng Reviews, and Nano Convergence.

The Center for 2D Quantum Heterostructures aims to synthesize new two-dimensional materials and heterostructures and study their quantum phenomena. Two-dimensional heterostructures refer to materials where different two-dimensional materials are arranged in-plane or vertically. Through the development, combination, and characterization of new two-dimensional materials, the Center expects to gain fundamental knowledge that will open up new horizons in the field of quantum information science.

Director Shin stated, "I will strive to explore various applications of two-dimensional materials based on the progress of previous research and lead fundamental research on key raw materials development in quantum technology and semiconductor breakthroughs." He added, "For Korea to lead the world in the quantum technology sector, much attention and investment are needed in two-dimensional quantum material research."

IBS President NOH Do Young commented, "Director Shin has achieved global success based on joint research with IBS even before his appointment." He continued, "Through enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration, I expect to further elevate the nation's material technology."

IBS Public Relations Team
William I. such