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Research

Infrastructure

POSTECH

Research
Infrastructure

Synchrotron Radiation Accelerators (PLS-Ⅱ, PAL-XFEL)

The POSTECH PAL (Pohang Accerlerator Laboratory) is home to Korea's only facility that houses both the 3rd-generation synchrotron, PLS-II, and the 4th-generation synchrotron, PAL-XFEL. Each year, approximately 6,000 researchers utilize the third-generation synchrotron, while around 300 researchers use the fourth-generation synchrotron. Among all universities, POSTECH ranks first in the utilization of the PLS-II and PAL-XFEL, offering unparalleled opportunities for cutting-edge synchrotron research.
Synchrotron Radiation Accelerators
Classification 3rd Generation
Circular Synchrotron Radiation Accelerator
4th Generation
Linear Synchrotron Radiation Accelerator
Status Operation Ended In Operation In Operation
Name PLS PLS-II
PAL-XFEL
Construction
Period
1988.4. ~ 1994.12. 2009.01. ~ 2011.12.
(Performance Enhancement Project)
2011.01. ~ 2015.12.
Budget KRW 150 billion
(about $1.04 billion)
KRW 100 billion
(about $0.69 billion)
KRW 403.8 billion
(about $2.80 billion)
Beam Energy 2.5 GeV 3.0 GeV
10.0 GeV
  • PLS-II (Pohang Light Source-II)

    Originally the fifth synchrotron accelerator in the world and the only one in Korea at the time of its construction, the Pohang Light Source (PLS) is a national research facility known as the "Heart of Korea's Advanced Science." It enables the study of various structural properties of materials using light and serves a wide range of applications in basic research and advanced industrial fields. In 2012, the successful performance enhancement project (PLS-II) elevated the facility to a world-class research environment, attracting thousands of scientists annually for their experiments. Currently, it operates a total of 36 beamlines.

    View Pohang Light Source II devices
  • PAL-XFEL (Pohang Accelerator Laboratory X-ray Free Electron Laser)

    Completed in Pohang in 2016, the fourth-generation synchrotron is the third facility of its kind globally, following installations in the United States and Japan. This advanced accelerator produces light that is 100 million times brighter than third-generation synchrotrons and an astonishing 10 quintillion times brighter than sunlight. Its ultra-short pulses, which are 1/1000th the length of those from the third generation, enable the study of phenomena occurring within femtoseconds (10⁻¹⁵ seconds). The fourth-generation synchrotron is set to drive groundbreaking discoveries and generate new knowledge across nearly all scientific and technological fields, including medicine, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, materials science, nanotechnology, chemistry, and physics.

    View PAL-XFEL Devices
  • Max Planck POSTECH/Korea Research Initiative: MPK

    View MPK

    POSTECH has established the Max Planck POSTECH/Korea Research Initiative in collaboration with the Max Planck Society (MPG), one of the world's leading institutions for basic scientific research. Through this partnership, POSTECH has successfully attracted world-class research centers focused on basic science, including the Center for Complex Materials, the Attosecond Science Center, and the XFEL Quantum Research Center, all of which aim to secure core technologies for next-generation materials development. Together with the Max Planck Society, POSTECH has developed cutting-edge research infrastructure valued at over KRW 14.5 billion. This includes state-of-the-art equipment for ultrafast (attosecond/femtosecond) molecular spectroscopy, ultrafast (attosecond/femtosecond) electron spectroscopy, and middle-energy soft X-ray magnetic spectroscopy (housing the world's 3rd Soft X-ray Beamline).

    View MPK
  • The Asia-Pacific Hub for Theoretical Physics, APCTP

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    Located in POSTECH's MuEunJae Memorial Hall, the Asia-Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics (APCTP) is Korea's first and only international institute for theoretical physics. Established in June 1996 in Pohang, South Korea, with Nobel laureate C.N. Yang as its founding director, the APCTP was created to advance basic science in the Asia-Pacific region. The center serves as a hub for basic research in the Asia-Pacific, enhances global leadership, and provides an academic platform for the theoretical physics community in the region. Currently, it has 19 member countries, including Taiwan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Vietnam, Singapore, Uzbekistan, India, Japan, China, Kazakhstan, Canada, Thailand, the Philippines, South Korea, Australia, Kyrgyzstan, Indonesia, and Cambodia, with plans to further expand its membership to align with its status as an international organization. Researchers at POSTECH have the opportunity to grow as global scholars by participating in APCTP's research support programs and various academic activities held throughout the year.

    View APCTP
  • C5

    [CREATIVE・COLLABORATIVE・CULTIVATING CONVERGENCE・CENTER]

    POSTECH's C5 is a convergence research complex designed to promote interdisciplinary education and research, nurture creative global leaders, and lead innovative research. The name C5 reflects its core values: Creative, Collaborative, Cultivating, Convergence, and Center. Completed in 2015 with a budget of KRW 31.5 billion, the 16,000 m² facility includes seven above-ground floors and one basement level. It houses the School of Convergence (IT Convergence Engineering) and Korea's first Apple Developer Academy

  • Advanced Biotechnology Infrastructure, POSTECH Biotech Center: PBC

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    Established in 2000, the Life Science Research Center serves as a hub for industry-academia collaborative technology development, linking POSCO and other partners. The center aims to evolve into a world-class research hub contributing to national biotechnology research and industrial development by developing and applying cutting-edge biotechnologies for innovation and commercialization. The center is equipped with essential facilities for biotechnology research, including an Experimental Animal Room It has achieved global recognition in advanced biotechnology fields such as molecular medicine and drug development.

    View PBC Equipments
  • Nanotechnology Research Infrastructure, National Institute for Nanomaterials Technology: NINT

    View NINT Equipments

    The National Institute for Nanomaterials Technology (NINT) is a nanotechnology research institute dedicated to advancing and industrializing nanotechnology, including the development of next-generation semiconductor materials and display technologies. It is equipped with 181 state-of-the-art instruments, providing one-stop services that support researchers from both academia and industry, covering everything from R&D to commercialization. NINT also takes a leading role in facilitating collaborative nanotechnology research within POSTECH, ensuring that university researchers can actively engage in cutting-edge studies related to nanotechnology.

    View NINT Equipments
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Last Updated Date: February 14, 2025