Seoul: A South Korean research team has confirmed the potential application of a synaptic transistor, a key component for next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) chips, in high-radiation space environments, the science ministry said Thursday. The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute made the breakthrough in the synaptic transistor development project in collaboration with Chungbuk National University and Belgium-based IMEC under a project funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the researchers utilized indium-gallium-zinc oxide to build the synaptic transistor, which was tested using a proton accelerator and withstood radiation equivalent to 20 years in space. Although the device showed some performance degradation following the test, the science ministry said core functions remained stable.
The ministry said the results verified the possibility of its application to space-grade AI semiconductors, marking a meaningful step toward chips capable of operating in extreme conditions. It marks the world's first verification of such technology, it added.
"This achievement demonstrates the potential for AI systems to operate reliably in extreme environments such as space," the science ministry said in a release. "We will continue to develop core technologies for AI chips designed for the space and aviation industries to strengthen South Korea's technological independence."