About

Kyung-Suk Kim is a Professor of Engineering at Brown University. His research interests include nano- and micro-mechanics of solids, adhesion, and experimental mechanics. He is also a concentration advisor in Mechanical Engineering. Professor Kim has been recognized for his contributions to the field, including being honored with a special symposium at the 2022 SES Meeting.

Research topics

• Materials science
• Composite material
• Nanotechnology
• Mechanics
• Computer science

Selected publications

• Mesoscale Characterizations of Micro-Slip Friction between Rough Surfaces with ESPI

  Experimental Mechanics · 2025-12-10 · 1 citations

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Multiple PDN Design Optimization Using Deep Reinforcement Learning for Low PSIJ in PCIe Gen6.0 Interfaces

  2025-08-18

  article

  This paper introduces a multiple PDN optimization method for merging power rails within SSDs, addressing both interactions between merged rails and noise coupling from printed circuit board (PCB) or package (PKG) power delivery network (PDN) layouts. The method aims to meet target power supply-noise induced jitter (PSIJ) requirements while minimizing the use of components such as decoupling capacitors (decaps) and ferrite beads by optimizing their PCB placements. To effectively optimize complex systems, we enhance the Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) algorithm by applying an adaptive parameter noise (APN) techniques to the actor/critic network. We validate our approach by comparing self and coupling peak-to-peak jitter, as well as component counts, against a baseline PDN designed by engineers and a standard PPO without an APN technique, demonstrating superior performance.

  PublisherDOI

• Cost-Efficiency and Effectiveness of Implementing Inspection Robot for High-Speed Railway Vehicle Maintenance

  Journal of the Korean society for railway · 2025-09-22

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Since their opening in April 2004, high-speed railway vehicles have constituted a crucial component of transportation infrastructure, requiring continuous maintenance efforts. The high-speed railway vehicle has adopted a time-based preventive maintenance system initially introduced with the KTX through technology transfer from overseas; high-speed railway vehicles developed with domestic technology have also followed this system. However, the prevailing traditional labor-intensive maintenance inspection method is costly and dangerous, and demands substantial labor and expertise. This study focuses on the cost-benefit and economic mplications of deploying inspection robots for the maintenance of high-speed railway vehicles, specifically for inspection of the underbody and running gear components. The analysis revealed that the basic maintenance duration was reduced by approximately 30% for a 10-car train, enabling increased train availability. Economic analysis of implementation of inspection robots indicated that the net present value would attain $5,000,000 by the fifth year, relative to an initial investment of $2,400,000. Furthermore, the benefit-cost ratio would exceed 3.0, demonstrating that benefits exceed costs, and the internal rate of return would reach 53%, indicating strong economic viability.

  PublisherDOI

• Methodology for Digitalizing Railway Vehicle Maintenance Training Using Augmented Reality

  Informatics · 2025-09-23

  articleOpen access

  The axle box of a railway vehicle is a critical component, and its maintenance involves complex procedures that are difficult to convey with traditional, document-based manuals. To address these challenges, augmented reality (AR)-based educational content was developed to digitize maintenance training and enhance its effectiveness. The content’s implementation was guided by a systematic storyboard, which was based on interviews with skilled staff. It also utilized specialized algorithms to improve the accuracy of mechanical measurement work and the efficiency of User Interface (UI) generation. The user experience of the developed content was comprehensively evaluated using a combination of two methods: a formative evaluation through direct observation of work performance and a post-survey administered to 40 participants. As a result of the evaluation, the mean work success rate was 62.5%, demonstrating the content’s high efficiency as a training tool. The overall mean score from the post-survey was 4.11, indicating high user satisfaction and perceived usefulness. A one-way ANOVA was performed and revealed a statistically significant difference in post-survey scores among the four age groups. The developed content was found to be more effective for younger participants. The results confirm the high potential of AR as a digital educational method for complex maintenance work.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Deepfakes: Challenges to Intellectual Property Rights in South Korea

  GRUR International · 2025-05-07 · 1 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Abstract Deepfake technology has rapidly evolved, enabling the seamless manipulation of facial expressions, voice tones, and lip movements, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish real from fake content. While deepfakes offer creative potential in entertainment, they also present significant challenges to intellectual property rights. This article explores the legal landscape of deepfakes in South Korea, focusing on copyright infringement, the right of publicity, and regulatory measures. It examines how deepfakes exploit copyrighted materials without authorization, raising concerns about unauthorized reproduction and derivative works. Additionally, the article discusses the misuse of deepfake technology for commercial gain and personal violations, such as deepfake pornography. South Korea has responded by enacting the AI Basic Act, inspired by international regulations, to mitigate these risks through transparency requirements and labeling obligations. The study highlights the urgent need for proactive legal frameworks and enforcement strategies to address the growing challenges posed by deepfakes.

  PublisherDOI

• Dendrite suppression in garnet electrolytes via thermally induced compressive stress

  Joule · 2025-12-15 · 9 citations

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  PublisherDOI

• Application of CAMM2 Connector on PCIe Gen 6.0 SSD Host Interface for Low Near-End Crosstalk

  2024-10-06

  article

  The M.2 connector has been widely adopted in the host interface of client Solid State Drives (SSDs) for high-speed data storage in consumer electronics. The pin arrangement of the M.2 connector, where transmitter (TX) and receiver (RX) lines are positioned adj acent, can lead to issues such as near-end crosstalk (NEXT). Particularly, with the upcoming PCI Express (PCIe) Gen 6.0 standard, concerns arise over the potential degradation of NEXT in M.2 connectors, which could negatively affect SSD performance and reliability. This paper analyzes the signal integrity (SI) requirements for connectors to ensure the host interface of SSDs operates reliably at PCIe Gen 6.0 speed. We investigate whether the NEXT in existing M.2 form factors for client SSDs meets these requirements and experimentally examine its impact on PCIe Gen 6.0 64 Gb/s PAM-4 eye diagram at the system level. Furthermore, by applying Compression Attached Memory Module 2 (CAMM2) to the SSD PCIe interfaces, we experimentally demonstrate the capability to reduce NEXT by over 50 % compared to M.2 and limit PAM-4 eye degradation to less than 1 %. This illustrates how CAMM2 connector can overcome the limitations of M.2 connector and enhance performance in PCIe Gen 6.0.

  PublisherDOI

• PCIe Gen 6.0 SSD PSIJ Estimation Based on Early Design Stage Jitter Sensitivity Measurements

  2024-10-06 · 2 citations

  article

  This paper estimates and analyzes the power supply noise induced jitter (PSIJ) caused by system-level power noises in high-capacity PCI express (PCIe) Gen 6.0 SSDs. To guide optimal design of the hierarchical power distribution network (PDN) with consideration of PSIJ before mass production, a measurement-based jitter sensitivity function (JSF) is employed during the PCle PHY IP chip-level verification stage. For accurate JSF measurement, it must be ensured that the 64 Gbps PAM-4 eye of the PCle interface is open during operations. In this paper, we propose a test architecture that can measure signal jitter with PAM-4 eyes opened while removing decoupling capacitors (de-caps) at the off-chip level so that single tone power noise applied to the off-chip test point (TP) can be transmitted safely to the on-chip stage without filtering. Using a hierarchical PDN model of the proposed test architecture, JSF was extracted in the 300 kHz to 300 MHz frequency range, considering the voltage transfer ratio (VTR) from TP to the target die bump. We confirmed, for the first time, that PSIJ caused by worst-case system power noise in a high-capacity PCle Gen 6.0 SSD operating at full performance is estimated to be 1.32 ps, which corresponds to 42.2 % of the eye width specification of the PCle Gen 6.0 base specification.

  PublisherDOI

• On inherent hyperelastic crease

  Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids · 2024-05-31 · 2 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Criteria for Recognizing Exhaustion of Distribution Right to Imported Copyrighted Products: Focusing on the Supreme Court, Judgment of 7 December 2023, 2020Do17863

  Korea Copyright Commission · 2024-06-30

  article1st authorCorresponding

  The doctrine of exhaustion of rights asserts that intellectual property rights, such as patents, trademarks, and copyrights, are exhausted and no longer applicable once a product embodying these rights is released into the market with the permission of the rights holder. In Korea, the principle is explicitly stated only in the Copyright Act, whereas it is not specifically mentioned in the Trademark and Patent Acts. Consequently, the standards and theories of rights exhaustion regarding trademark and patent have been primarily developed through case law and academic discourse. Given the ease of distributing intellectual property goods internationally, rights exhaustion is a significant consideration in global transactions. In the context of copyright exhaustion, although the Copyright Act explicitly addresses the exhaustion of rights, there were no significant cases dealing with the parallel import of copyrighted works until the Supreme Court’s decision on December 7, 2023 (Case No. 2020Do17863), which is the focus of this paper. Prior to this ruling, there was considerable debate over whether Korean copyright law permitted only domestic or also international exhaustion of distribution rights. This judgment is pivotal as it establishes the legal basis for the exhaustion of distribution rights, specifies the criteria for domestic exhaustion, and determines that Article 20 applies to international exhaustion by clarifying the conditions for the parallel import of genuine goods. This paper will analyze the requirements for both domestic and international exhaustion, drawing on the insights from this landmark decision.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Discovery of Nanoscale Folding Properties of Atomically-Layered Materials by Atomic Lattice Interferometry and Simulation

  NSF · $380k · 2015–2018

• Fundamental Study of Friction with Hierarchically Ruga-controlled Surfaces

  NSF · $375k · 2016–2019

• The Search for Noble Multifunctional-Nanocrystal Architectures

  NSF · $562k · 2019–2023

• Nano-Mechanics of Solid Surface Suspension and Imprinting

  NSF · $180k · 2005–2008

Frequent coauthors

• Hanxun Jin

  Brown University

  20 shared

• Surya Prasad Adhikari

  Nepal Development Research Institute

  20 shared

• Mrityunjay Kothari

  Providence College

  18 shared

• Ganesh Prasad Awasthi

  Institute of Science and Technology

  18 shared

• Mazen Diab

  Sandia National Laboratories California

  17 shared

• Huajian Gao

  Institute of High Performance Computing

  16 shared

• R. J. Clifton

  Brown University

  16 shared

• Cheol Sang Kim

  Jeonbuk National University

  15 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Division of Engineering

  Brown University

  1980

Awards & honors

• Special symposium at 2022 SES Meeting