SK Hynix: HBM3E Production Time Halved, 80% Yield

SK Hynix has announced a significant breakthrough in the production of its fifth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM) technology, known as HBM3E, with yields nearing an impressive 80%.

Kwon Jae-soon, Production Head at SK Hynix, stated, "We have successfully streamlined the mass production process for HBM3E chips, achieving an approximate 80% yield rate, marking a major milestone for our company." This disclosure marks the first public acknowledgment of SK Hynix's progress in HBM3E production, surpassing earlier industry estimations ranging from 60% to 70%.

Jae-soon underscored the company's strategic focus, saying, "Our primary goal for the year is to scale up the production of 8-layer HBM3E chips. In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are pivotal, enhancing production yield rates is crucial to maintaining our competitive edge."

The manufacturing process for HBM involves intricate vertical stacking of multiple DRAM layers, presenting a higher degree of complexity compared to conventional DRAM production methods. Notably, achieving favorable yield rates for the critical silicon through-via (TSV) components in HBM3E has historically posed a significant challenge, with rates typically ranging from 40% to 60%.

Following SK Hynix's near-exclusive partnership with AI semiconductor leader NVIDIA for HBM3 supply, the company commenced shipping 8-layer HBM3E products in March of this year. Plans are underway to introduce 12-layer HBM3E products by the third quarter of this year, with the release of 12-layer HBM4 (the sixth generation of HBM) products slated for 2025, followed by a 16-layer version in 2026.

The burgeoning AI market is driving rapid advancements in SK Hynix's next-generation DRAM offerings. By 2023, the combined market value of HBM and high-capacity DRAM modules, primarily serving AI applications, constituted approximately 5% of the overall memory market. SK Hynix projects that by 2028, these specialized memory solutions will capture a substantial 61% market share.