Chago Engineering engineers are inspecting the cooling device they developed independently.

Chago Engineering is a startup developing eco-friendly cooling equipment essential for semiconductor manufacturing processes. It spun off in 2019 through SK hynix's internal venture program ‘Hi Garage’. It was founded by CEO Kim Hyung-gyu, a highly skilled engineer who earned the title of ‘Youngest Master Technician’ at SK hynix.

Chago Engineering has developed its proprietary cryogenic cooling technology, the ‘Cryo Engine’, and is poised for commercialization. The Cryo Engine is characterized by its use of eco-friendly refrigerants. Instead of freon gas, a contributor to global warming, it utilizes helium. This enables rapid cooling of heat generated by advanced manufacturing equipment, such as semiconductors, without emitting greenhouse gases.

The company has also developed cryogenic cooling technology utilizing air circulation. This high-efficiency cryogenic cooling module, born from the ‘Cryo Engine + Air’ combination, can achieve temperatures as low as -200°C. It is notable for using absolutely no freon gases or perfluorinated compounds (PFAS). PFAS, dubbed ‘forever chemicals,’ are virtually impossible to biodegrade naturally, leading to increasingly stringent global regulations.

Kim Hyung-gyu, CEO of Chago Engineering, explained, “We've overcome the limitations of existing cooling systems used in post-processes like semiconductor testing. Its strengths—compact size, low power consumption, and high durability—enable its use in various processes such as semiconductor burn-in, socket testing, and handler testing.”

Chago Engineering's cooling device is smaller than conventional chillers. It can be built into post-process equipment like semiconductor testers. This means it maximizes space utilization in cleanrooms where semiconductor manufacturing occurs. Cleanroom efficiency is a major concern for semiconductor companies as it directly impacts production productivity.

Chago Engineering is also developing eco-friendly turbo-brayton technology. This technology has a global warming potential (GWP) of ‘0 (Zero)’, and there is no precedent for its commercialization in Korea to date. Chago Engineering aims to successfully complete the commercialization of this technology and lead the cryogenic cooling market.

CEO Kim emphasized, “Chago Engineering's goal is to overcome the limitations of existing chiller systems in the semiconductor back-end and test equipment market, leveraging our differentiated cryogenic cooling technology.” He added, “We plan to expand the supply of cryogenic solutions optimized for test processes like AI chips and high-performance memory, and extend our market reach into diverse sectors demanding eco-friendliness and high efficiency, such as medical, defense, and precision measurement.”

Kim Hyung-gyu, CEO of Chago Engineering

Kwon Dong-jun, Reporter djkwon@etnews.com