The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) announced on the 31st that it has independently developed a "robot-based ultra-precision electromagnetic wave measurement system" for defense, next-generation communications, and semiconductor applications, using its own design and control technologies.
The electromagnetic wave bands used in next-generation communication components, semiconductor package antennas, and aircraft radar have been diversifying in recent years. High-frequency bands above tens of gigahertz (GHz) have particularly short wavelengths, meaning even slight misalignment of a measurement target can significantly alter results, requiring precision measurement technology.
KRISS researchers introduced robotic technology capable of flexibly and precisely controlling the positions of both the electromagnetic wave measuring instrument and the target. Going beyond simply using commercial robots, the team built core measurement technologies in-house — from system design to control programs and position calibration — completing an ultra-precision electromagnetic wave measurement platform.
The system employs six-degrees-of-freedom (6-DOF) robotic technology enabling movement in all directions — up-down, left-right, forward-backward — as well as rotation, along with various scan geometries. It can measure electromagnetic waves across a broad range of frequencies up to 750 GHz. The team applied position measurement and calibration technology to control antenna alignment error to within 10 micrometers (μm), a world-leading level. This is approximately one-seventh the thickness of a human hair, enhancing measurement reliability in high-frequency bands that are sensitive to even the smallest errors.
The system also overcomes the spatial and economic constraints of conventional setups by leveraging the robot's flexible mobility. While traditional large-scale electromagnetic wave testing facilities required vast space and enormous construction costs, the KRISS system adopts an approach where the robot moves precisely around the target to scan, enabling high-precision tests to be performed repeatedly in confined spaces at low cost.
These advantages hold particular significance for weapons system evaluation in the defense sector. When assessing electromagnetic wave scattering characteristics using scaled-down models during weapons system development, minute shape and position errors have a substantial impact on results when extrapolated to full scale. KRISS's ultra-precision control technology can minimize errors in electromagnetic wave measurements on scaled-down models, raising the completeness of defense technologies.
Because the system design and control software were built entirely with proprietary technology, it is possible to apply optimized control, monitoring software, and measurement configurations for various industrial measurement targets. The system can be flexibly adapted to match the characteristics of measurement subjects ranging from complex-shaped aircraft radar to phased-array antenna modules and semiconductor antennas requiring ultra-precision control.
"This achievement is an electromagnetic wave measurement system that overcomes the limitations of conventional fixed measurement methods by combining the flexible mobility of robots with the precision control technology independently built by KRISS," said Kwon Jae-yong, a principal researcher in the KRISS Electromagnetic Wave Measurement Group. "Going forward, we will incorporate AI to further advance electromagnetic wave measurement technology in national strategic technology areas including defense, semiconductors, and next-generation communications."
The research results were published in the international journal *Composites Communications* and received the Best Antenna Measurement Paper Award at ISAP 2024, one of the most prestigious international conferences in the electromagnetic wave field.