SK Hynix has beat market estimates on its latest earnings on the back of rising prices of memory chip prices and strong sales of high-bandwidth memory (HBM).The South Korean chip giant said on Thursday that it recorded 12.42 trillion won in revenue and 2.88 trillion won in operating income in the fi
Recent #HBM news in the semiconductor industry
➀ Hynix plans to start sampling HBM3e 16hi memory with 48 GB capacity per cube in H1 2025; ➁ HBM3e 16hi offers a high-capacity alternative before the production of HBM4 16hi; ➂ HBM3e 16hi can deliver a maximum capacity of 384 GB per system, surpassing NVIDIA’s Rubin at 288 GB; ➃ Transitioning from HBM3e to HBM4 will double the I/O count and increase die size, but the per-die capacity remains at 24 GB; ➄ HBM3e 16hi will adopt the Advanced MR-MUF stacking process for higher stack counts and computational bandwidth.
➀ TrendForce predicts a 25% year-on-year increase in DRAM bit output for 2025.➁ Excluding HBM and Chinese capacity, the output would rise by only 15%.➂ HBM3e supply is expected to remain tight.
➀ Researchers from Queen Mary University of London have developed new nanocomposite films from starch, offering a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based materials; ➁ The films are made from abundant natural polymer starch and highly conductive MXene, with potential applications in electronics and sensing; ➂ The nanocomposites can be tailored for various uses, including wearable technology and healthcare, and are biodegradable.
➀ SK hynix achieves a remarkable 94% revenue growth in Q3'24; ➁ Credits the surge in memory demand for AI servers; ➂ Reports a 40% increase in net income quarter-over-quarter.
➀ Imec spin-off Brailsports is developing a platform for optimizing athlete training volumes and schedules based on data analysis; ➁ The platform uses AI models to estimate individual athlete fitness and fatigue, improving performance and reducing injury risk; ➂ The platform is currently operational at cycling team Lotto Dstny, with positive results.
➀ Korea’s September semiconductor exports reached a record high of $13.63 billion, up 36.3% year-on-year. Memory exports grew 60.7% year-on-year and 20% month-on-month to $8.72 billion. SoC exports rose 5.2% year-on-year to $4.37 billion. ➁ The overall Information and Communication Technology exports in September 2024 increased by 24% year-on-year to $22.36 billion. ➂ HBM had a significant impact on DRAM export values, and TrendForce forecasts that memory price growth will slow in Q4.
➀ Samsung Electronics faces a crisis due to its organizational culture and lack of bold innovation;
➁ The company's focus on financial and legal aspects over technology has hindered its progress;
➂ Samsung's decision to withdraw from HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) was criticized for not being financially beneficial;
➃ The article highlights the challenges Samsung faces in packaging technology and its falling behind competitors like TSMC;
➅ The internal reporting process is lengthy and prone to distortion, affecting decision-making;
➆ Employees are leaving for better opportunities, especially in China;
➇ The article suggests that Samsung needs to revamp its management and focus on fostering a culture of innovation and open discussion.
➀ SK Hynix is scaling back its less profitable CMOS image sensor (CIS) and foundry businesses.
➁ The company has reduced R&D investment in CIS and cut production capacity by over half compared to last year.
➂ SK Hynix is reallocating resources to focus on high-margin HBM and AI memory.
➀ GDDR memory is a graphics-specific memory optimized for GPUs with higher bandwidth than DDR memory.
➁ HBM memory is a high-bandwidth memory designed for GPUs with larger memory bus width than GDDR memory.
➂ The choice between GDDR and HBM depends on the specific application scenario and cost considerations.
➀ The increase in HBM production in 2025 is expected to be limited, leading to a tighter supply.
➁ The reasons include adjustments in HBM production capacity, customization trends with a 40% die size penalty, and low yield of HBM3E 12hi and HBM4 from Samsung and Micron.
➂ The supply-demand ratio is expected to tighten further to -5% compared to the previous -1%, with SK Hynix expected to be a major beneficiary.
➀ The research investigates the effects of adding TiC nanoparticles to aluminum alloy 7075, aiming to enhance casting performance and improve fluidity and surface quality; ➁ TiC nanoparticles were introduced in two concentrations, and their impact on fluidity and microstructure was analyzed; ➂ The results showed a significant improvement in fluidity and surface quality, with finer grain sizes and smoother surfaces.
➀ HBM is expected to take 10% of the DRAM units but 30% of the revenues due to its higher ASP; ➁ Sourcengine reports that HBM supply is booked out to the end of 2025, with conflicting views on a potential shortage or oversupply next year; ➂ Regular DRAM ASPs are low and may not improve until H2 2025.
Hynix has started mass production of a 36GB 12-layer HBM3E memory, marking the largest capacity HBM to date. The company achieved this by stacking 12 layers of 3GB DRAM chips, making each chip 40% thinner than before and using TSV4 technology. The new product offers improved heat dissipation performance and stability compared to the previous generation, and is designed to excel in speed, capacity, and stability, crucial for AI memory.
➀ SK hynix has begun mass production of its 36GB HBM3E with 12 high dies; ➁ The new HBM3E is designed for next-generation high-performance computing and gaming applications; ➂ This marks a significant advancement in memory technology.
➀ The semiconductor industry in South Korea is experiencing a better year with rising DRAM and NAND prices and strong demand for HBM due to AI. ➁ Morgan Stanley predicts a downturn in the semiconductor industry, with DRAM prices expected to decline and HBM supply exceeding demand. ➂ SK Hynix and Micron remain optimistic about the HBM market, with SK Hynix planning to increase HBM revenue by over 300% this year and Micron expecting HBM to contribute billions to its revenue.
➀ The Marana 4.2B-6 back-illuminated sCMOS camera has been significantly enhanced for Physical Sciences and Astronomy applications; ➁ A new Low Noise Mode reduces read noise to 1.0e-; ➂ A new High-Speed mode with 2-lane CoaXPress connection allows for 135 fps operation; ➃ A new Long Exposure Mode suppresses amplifier glow; ➄ A 'Global Clear' mode for Rolling Shutter sensors improves synchronization and minimizes exposure 'dead times'.
➀ The transition of AI servers from HBM to CXL technologies; ➁ The importance of high-speed memory bandwidth in AI servers; ➂ The rise of HBM technology to overcome 'memory wall' issues; ➃ Market dominance of HBM suppliers like SK Hynix, Samsung, and Micron; ➄ The impact of new interconnect technologies like CXL and MCR/MDIMM on AI server performance; ➅ Micron's product roadmap and Rambus' interconnect solutions; ➆ The significance of SPD EEPROMs in DDR5 memory systems.
➀ The demand for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) is increasing due to the growth of AI models, which require more parameters and energy-efficient training and inference. ➁ HBM is expected to grow at a CAGR of 50% in the coming years, driving the need for advanced DRAM wafer processing equipment and HBM stack creation. ➂ Applied Materials is a leading supplier in this field, with over 50% share in HBM packaging process equipment spending and significant innovations in DRAM processing and 3D packaging technologies.
➀ SK Hynix aims to develop differentiated HBM products to meet specific customer needs in the AI sector. ➁ The company's Advanced Package Development leader emphasizes the need for flexible and scalable technology in AI memory development. ➂ HBM memory has evolved rapidly, with HBM3E reaching 9.2 GT/s - 10 GT/s and HBM4 set to feature a 2048-bit interface. ➃ SK Hynix plans to offer customized or semi-customized HBM4 solutions, considering various customer preferences and technologies.