High bandwidth memory (HBM) major client Nvidia is said to have visited Samsung Electronics' advanced packaging plant again, just over a month after their last visit. Industry sources speculate that Samsung is supplying fifth-generation HBM3E and has entered the final stage of quality testing.
Sources from Samsung have told DIGITIMES that they would not comment on related reports.
According to Financial News, some personnel responsible for developing the sixth generation HBM4 have reportedly been reassigned to the HBM3E project. Currently, the HBM market is dominated by SK Hynix, and the success or failure of recent supply efforts will be crucial for Samsung to potentially shift the market landscape.
A representative from Samsung previously stated during an earnings call that they plan to supply HBM3E (8-layer) products to "major clients" in the first quarter of 2025, with less than 20 days remaining until the end of this quarter.
Industry sources noted that representatives from Nvidia visited Samsung's Cheonan campus again on March 10 for a packaging process audit, following an on-site inspection in early February. Many believe that this visit was aimed at assessing the quality of HBM3E.
The Cheonan campus serves as Samsung's production site for advanced packaging, where chips are assembled into final products and undergo through-silicon via (TSV) technology for HBM stacked packaging. To secure product orders, it is essential not only to obtain approval for the use of HBM itself but also to pass quality tests during the packaging phase connected to GPU chips. This explains Nvidia's frequent inspections of the final stages of packaging production.
Sources indicate that Samsung has made multiple preparations to welcome Nvidia's audit team. The current consensus within Samsung is to finalize the supply agreement with Nvidia by the first quarter of 2025. Additionally, Samsung plans to start with 8-layer HBM3E products and aims to supply 12-layer HBM3E products before the first half of 2025.
In a bid to reclaim dominance in the HBM market, the head of Samsung Device Solutions (DS), Young Hyun Jun, is reportedly directing efforts to redesign parts of the fourth-generation 1a DRAM circuit at the 10nm level to strengthen foundational technologies.
Originally, Samsung viewed the sixth generation HBM4 as a pivotal turning point in the HBM market. However, due to rapidly shifting client demand towards 12-layer HBM3E products in 2025, Samsung is currently focusing all efforts on passing quality tests for both 8-layer and 12-layer HBM3E.
Article edited by Jerry Chen
