SK hynix develops the world’s first 12-layer DRAM

SK hynix has developed the world’s first 12-layer HBM3 product with the industry’s largest 24GB capacity, spurring its efforts to become an industry leader in the AI semiconductor market, which is growing in size with widespread implementation of AI-based chatbots, represented by ChatGPT.

“The company succeeded in developing 24GB package product that increased the memory capacity by 50% from the previous product, following the mass production of the world’s first HBM3 in June last year,” SK hynix said on Thursday. HBM, high bandwidth memory, is a memory chip that vertically interconnects multiple DRAM chips, thereby dramatically increasing data processing speed compared to traditional DRAM products. The maximum memory capacity of the previous HMB3 with an 8-layer stack was 16GB.

HBM3 is credited for its ability to rapidly process large volumes of data, and thus it is in high demand from big tech companies trying to apply HBM3 to generative AI that requires higher semiconductor performances. It has been reported that a number of global clients are conducting performance verification on 24GB HBM3 samples.

SK hynix has applied Advanced Mass Reflow Molded Underfill (MR-MUF) technology to the latest product. Advanced MR-MUF technology is a process in which liquid substrate fills the gaps between chips for circuit protection. “SK hynix was able to continuously develop a series of ultra-high speed and high capacity HBM products through its leading technologies used in the back-end process,” said Vice President Hong Sang-hoo of SK hynix. “The company plans to complete mass production preparation for the new product within the first half of the year to further solidify its leadership in the cutting-edge DRAM market in the era of AI.”


Teuk-Gyo Koo kootg@donga.com