April 09, 2024 – According to recent media reports, Samsung Electronics has announced the completion of technology verification for its 16-layer hybrid bonding HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) process. The company has successfully manufactured a working prototype of a 16-layer stacked HBM3 memory using this hybrid bonding technique, indicating that the technology will be utilized in the mass production of HBM4 memory in the future.
Hybrid bonding, a novel memory bonding method, offers substantial advantages over traditional processes. It eliminates the need for adding bumps between DRAM memory layers, instead relying on a direct copper-to-copper connection for interlayer linking. This innovation significantly boosts work efficiency, enhances signal transmission rates to better meet the high-bandwidth demands of AI computing, and effectively reduces the DRAM layer spacing. As a result, the overall height of the HBM module is notably decreased, improving its integration and portability.
Despite ongoing concerns about the maturity and cost of hybrid bonding technology, Samsung Electronics is addressing these challenges through a diversified strategy. While advancing the research and application of hybrid bonding, the company is also developing the traditional TC-NCF (Thermal Compression – Non-Conductive Film) process to diversify its technology portfolio, mitigate risks, and strengthen its overall competitiveness.
Samsung has set a goal to reduce the wafer gap in HBM4 to less than 7.0 micrometers. This ambitious target aims to further elevate the performance and reliability of HBM4, laying a solid foundation for future computing applications.
Industry experts believe that Samsung’s breakthrough in 16-layer hybrid bonding technology will undoubtedly propel the development of HBM memory technology, providing more powerful memory support for future computing applications.
