SK hynix to adopt hybrid bonding early, launch HBM5 in three years

According to The Financial News, SK hynix is expected to adopt hybrid bonding ahead of its rivals and launch HBM5 (High Bandwidth Memory 5), the eighth-generation High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) and seventh generation in the HBM line, in 2029.
On the 6th, market research firm Counterpoint Research stated, "By introducing the integrated hybrid bonding solution from Applied Materials (AMAT) and BE Semiconductor Industries (BESI) at an early stage, SK hynix is securing a strategic edge that will allow it to meet a wide range of performance requirements in the future, including bandwidth, latency, power, and speed."
For HBM products, the relaxation of standards by the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC) allows the use of Thermal Compression Bonding (TCB) for stacks of up to 16 layers. However, major big tech companies such as Nvidia Corporation are demanding higher bandwidth and efficiency, making the long-term adoption of hybrid bonding effectively unavoidable. In response, leading memory makers including Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, and Micron Technology are pushing to introduce hybrid bonding starting with HBM4 (sixth generation).
Hybrid bonding reduces the spacing between dies and the overall stack height, easing physical height and integration constraints on graphics processing unit (GPU) packages.
Counterpoint Research predicted that HBM5 will mark the real turning point for the transition to hybrid bonding.
The firm added, "We expect SK hynix to launch HBM5 around 2029 to 2030, in line with the next cycle of artificial intelligence (AI) graphics processing units (GPUs)," and noted, "The adoption of hybrid bonding equipment is expected to provide a crucial strategic advantage in maintaining leadership in the HBM market."

soup@fnnews.com Reporter Lim Soo-bin Reporter