Jani Dushman
SK Hynix, a global leader in semiconductor manufacturing, has made a significant announcement at SEMICON Korea 2024, revealing its ambitious High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) roadmaps. Vice President Kim Chun-hwan disclosed plans to commence mass production of the cutting-edge HBM3E within the first half of 2024, emphasizing the delivery of 8-layer stack samples to clients.
HBM3E, the latest iteration in SK Hynix’s lineup, addresses the escalating demands for data bandwidth, offering an impressive 1.2 TB/s per stack and an astounding 7.2 TB/s in a 6-stack configuration. VP Kim Chun-hwan attributed the urgency for such advancements to the rapid rise of generative AI, projected to witness a staggering 35% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR). However, he cautioned about the “fierce survival competition” looming over the semiconductor industry, driven by escalating customer expectations.
As the traditional process node shrinks and approaches its limits! the semiconductor industry is increasingly focusing on next-generation memory architectures and materials to unlock higher performance. SK Hynix has already initiated the development of HBM4! which is set for sampling in 2025 and mass production in the subsequent year.
According to information from Micron, HBM4 will utilize a broader 2048-bit interface compared to previous HBM generations! resulting in a per-stack theoretical peak memory bandwidth exceeding 1.5 TB/s. To achieve these remarkable bandwidths! while maintaining reasonable power consumption, HBM4 is targeting a data transfer rate of approximately 6 GT/s. This wider interface and increased speed will enable HBM4 to push the boundaries of memory bandwidth significantly! catering to the growing demands of high-performance computing and AI workloads.
Samsung, a key player in the semiconductor industry, is aligned with a similar timeline for the release of HBM4! slated for sampling in 2025 and mass production in 2026. Jaejune Kim, a Samsung executive, disclosed that over half of the company’s HBM volume already consists of specialized products. The trend towards custom HBM solutions is expected to intensify! with tailored options becoming crucial for meeting individual client needs through logic integration, thereby solidifying market leadership.
As AI workloads evolve at a rapid pace, memory innovation must keep in stride. With HBM3E preparing for launch and HBM4 in the pipeline! SK Hynix and Samsung are gearing up for the challenges that lie ahead! aiming to maintain their positions at the forefront of semiconductor technology.
Source: Business Korea
I'm Jani, a dedicated Tech Writer and Reviewer at Xiaomitoday. With a passion for exploring and dissecting the latest in technology, my mission is to bring you insightful and comprehensive reviews that empower your decision-making in the fast-evolving world of gadgets and tech.
