KOSDAQ-listed HM Nex shares were strong early on the 9th. Buying gathered on news that a photothermal sensor developed by its subsidiary had finally passed Micron's qual test.
As of 9:17 a.m., HM Nex was trading at 1,432 won, up 330 won (29.95%) from the previous session. It hit the upper price limit (the daily price increase cap) right after the open.
HM Nex said the previous day that its subsidiary SMI had localized photothermal sensors for the first time in Korea and finally passed the qual test at Micron's Singapore plant. The monthly usage of photothermal sensors at Micron's Singapore plant is estimated at around 1,200 units.
A photothermal sensor is a precision sensor that measures temperature by using changes in the properties of light instead of electrical signals inside a semiconductor plasma etching process chamber.
On this news, HM Nex shares hit the upper limit the previous day. The stock was also strong on the morning of the day.
SMI said it will supply more than 10% of monthly usage this year, and projected orders to expand to 50%–60% after 2027. Actual order intake is expected to begin in the first quarter of this year.
An SMI official said, "We plan to expand development of customized optical sensor systems into various industrial fields that require high-temperature, high-risk environments beyond the semiconductor industry."