1982 - 1996
The advent and commercialization of AFM
In 1985, Sang-il Park, the CEO of Park Systems, was a PhD student and integral member of Professor Calvin Quate’s team at Stanford, which invented the atomic force microscopy (AFM) together with the researchers at IBM. In 1988, Dr. Park upon his graduation took this technology out of the lab and founded Park Scientific Instruments (PSI), where it pioneered the commercialization of AFM. After releasing a series of AFM products that were sold into both academia and industry, PSI was acquired by Thermo Spectra in 1997.
1997 - 2007
The next generation AFM and Park Systems
Recognizing the potential of AFM, Dr. Park returned to South Korea and founded Park Systems (prev. PSIA) with a vision to develop the next generation AFM that would solve the shortcomings of conventional systems the monolithic scanning architecture that produced bowed images, and crosstalk phenomena that generated data artifacts and make True Non-Contact AFM a reality.
Furthermore, Park Systems developed the industrial AFM systems and succeeded in selling them to the world’s largest data storage makers. This provided a platform for the subsequent development of automated AFM for the semiconductor market.
2008 - 2015
Market lead and the IPO
Park Systems grew rapidly through the introduction of new AFM series, and expansion of the product lines. It provided the most comprehensive line of AFMs from research desktop to fully automated AFM systems integrated with robotic arms.
Park Systems signed the first and second joint development projects (JDP) with imec, a world-leading R&D and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies. These collaborations were aimed to enhance developments toward next-generation in-line AFM metrology solutions. The company signed the first JDP in 2015, through which it officially joined and established itself as a member of imec's Industrial Affiliation Program (IIAP). Through the JDPs, the two organizations developed the new AFM metrology solutions for the wafer semiconductor sector and supplied 200 in-line AFM units to major semiconductor production lines worldwide.
The company received AA ratings from two separate financial agencies on advanced technologies, becoming the first company to be listed on the KOSDAQ in 2015.
2016 - 2023
Accelerated growth
Park Systems has accelerated its growth through expanded geographical coverage by adding new regional headquarters in Germany, UK, France, Singapore, India, China, Taiwan and Mexico, in addition to Korea, Japan and the US.
Moreover, the successful penetration of its AFM systems into semiconductor fabs, and subsequent domination of this market has catapulted Park Systems onto the position of the world’s leading AFM manufacturer. In 2020, Forbes recognized Park Systems as the emerging top 200 companies under $1 Billion in Asia.
In 2022, Park Systems expanded its business portfolio by acquiring Accurion GmbH, a Germany-based company that develops and manufactures imaging spectroscopic ellipsometers (ISE) and active vibration isolations (AVI).
Outlook 2025 and 2030
Long-term growth opportunities
Park Systems remains dedicated to perpetual advancement, consistently refining its product roadmap to align with the evolving industrial landscape. Through strategic acquisitions and equity investments, the company has consistently bolstered the synergy within its product offering. Furthermore, Park Systems is committed to enhancing its capabilities through mergers and acquisitions, with a focus on companies that offer clear potential product and value synergies.
The pursuit of long-term growth opportunities places Park Systems at the forefront of innovation, boasting a comprehensive suite of automated AFMs meticulously tailored to cater to diverse needs. In the dynamic semiconductor and display sector, where precision reigns supreme, Park AFMs play a pivotal role in semiconductor fabrication metrology, device failure analysis, and various industrial applications. The significance of nanometrology in optimizing device fabrication and performance cannot be understated, and Park Systems stands poised to lead in this critical aspect.
The convergence of Park Systems’s advanced nanometrology portfolio with the demands of the semiconductor and display sectors strategically positions the company to harness enduring growth opportunities.