Professor Kim Dae Hwan of the Department of Electrical Engineering at Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) has been named to the “2026 World’s Top 2% Scientists” list, jointly announced by Stanford University and Elsevier. The “World’s Top 2% Scientists” list identifies the top 2% of researchers with the highest research impact in each academic field, based on a comprehensive analysis of researchers’ citation metrics and research achievements using Elsevier’s Scopus database.
 
Professor Kim has accumulated a body of research in the field of physical analysis of oxide semiconductor (IGZO) devices, which are key materials for next-generation memory and displays. To date, he has published 484 papers in international academic journals and at major conferences, with a cumulative citation count of 7,926 (Scopus, as of October 2026). In particular, he has pioneered techniques for electro-optically extracting the distribution of microdefects (state density within the bandgap) inside oxide semiconductors, as well as device analysis and simulation models based on these findings, thereby contributing to technological advancements that enable the prediction of semiconductor device lifespan and stability at the design stage.
 
Recently, building on basic research that elucidates the principles of next-generation semiconductor devices, he has expanded his research scope to include AI semiconductors and the fields of circadian rhythm and sleep healthcare. The team is studying the reliability of oxide semiconductor transistors used in 4F2 DRAM cells, stacked circuits, and display drivers, and is expanding its research to include transistors stacked layer by layer on memory chips, memory devices operating at ultra-low temperatures for quantum computing, and stacked memristors that accelerate AI training and inference.
 
In the field of AI semiconductors, the team is implementing “memristors”—devices that process memory and computation in a single location, similar to the neural connections (synapses) in the human brain—using oxide semiconductors. This technology reduces the power required for data transfer, thereby lowering the power consumption of AI computations, and is expected to be utilized in the development of next-generation low-power semiconductors.
 
The team is also continuing to achieve research results in the fields of circadian rhythms and sleep healthcare. Professor Kim led the “Circadian ICT Research Center,” supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT (2016–2022), and developed technology to estimate melatonin rhythms using only heart rate signals, light pollution sensing technology, and “Melight,” a light-purification device that modulates blue light—which affects melatonin secretion—according to the time of day. These achievements are being translated into precision services for circadian-rhythm-tailored light purification and sleep management through Circadian Co., Ltd., the first subsidiary of Kookmin University’s technology holding company, and are expected to be utilized for the health management of shift workers and individuals with sleep issues.
 
Professor Kim’s research is also linked to “KMU VISION 2035: EDGE,” the development plan being pursued by Kookmin University. Kookmin University has designated advanced materials and semiconductors, AI+X, and biotechnology as eight key areas of specialization and is strengthening its capabilities in interdisciplinary research in these fields. In particular, Professor Kim’s research is significant in that it extends basic research on the physics of semiconductor devices to next-generation memory, display, and AI semiconductor technologies, and connects this to the healthcare sector by utilizing sensor and LED technologies to address everyday health issues such as circadian rhythms and sleep.
 
Professor Kim Dae Hwan stated, “It is an honor to be selected as one of the world’s top 2% researchers, and I owe this recognition to the faculty and students of the SiLK Lab, my co-researchers, and our industry partners.” He added, “I believe that research that delves deeply into the principles of semiconductor devices ultimately leads to technologies that transform people’s lives.”
 
He went on to express his aspirations, saying, “Moving forward, we will deepen our research into AI semiconductors and next-generation memory while advancing technology that uses semiconductor sensors to monitor circadian rhythms and regulate them with light, so that everyone can enjoy good health in their daily lives.”

△ Photo courtesy of Professor Kim Dae Hwan, Department of Electrical Engineering, Kookmin University