HBM Revenue Poised To Cross $10B as SK hynix Predicts First Double-Digit Revenue Share
Offering some rare insight into the scale of HBM memory sales – and on its growth in the face of unprecedented demand from AI accelerator vendors – the company recently disclosed that it expects HBM sales to make up "a double-digit percentage of its DRAM chip sales" this year. Which if it comes to pass, would represent a significant jump in sales for the high-bandwidth, high-priced memory.
As first reported by Reuters, SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-Jung has commented that he expects HBM sales will constitute a double-digit percentage of its DRAM chip sales in 2024. This prediction corroborate with estimates from TrendForce, who believe that, industry-wide, HBM will account for 20.1% of DRAM revenue in 2024, more than doubling HBM's 8.4% revenue share in 2023.
And while SK hynix does not break down its DRAM revenue by memory type on a regular basis, a bit of extrapolation indicates that they're on track to take in billions in HBM revenue for 2024 – having likely already crossed the billion dollar mark itself in 2023. Last year, SK hynix's DRAM revenue $15.941 billion, according to Statista and TrendForce. So SK hynix only needs 12.5% of its 2024 revenues to come from HBM (assuming flat or positive revenue overall) in order to pass 2 billion in HBM sales. And even this is a low-ball estimate.
Overall, SK hynix currently commands about 50% of HBM market, having largely split the market with Samsung over the last couple of years. Given that share, and that DRAM industry revenue is expected to increase to $84.150 billion in 2024, SK hynix could earn as much as $8.45 billion on HBM in 2024 if TrendForce's estimates prove accurate.
It should be noted that with demand for AI servers at record levels, all three leading makers of DRAM are poised to increase their HBM production capacity this year. Most notable here is a nearly-absent Micron, who was the first vendor to start shipping HBM3E memory to NVIDIA earlier this year. So SK hynix's near-majority of the HBM market may falter some this year, though with a growing pie they'll have little reason to complain. Ultimately, if sales of HBM reach $16.9 billion as projected, then all memory makers will be enjoying significant HBM revenue growth in the coming months.
Sources: Reuters, TrendForce
Memory
Posted by The Techinical Support
Kioxia Details BiCS 8 NAND at FMS 2024: 218 Layers With Superior Scaling 
Kioxia's booth at FMS 2024 was a busy one with multiple technology demonstrations keeping visitors occupied. A walk-through of the BiCS 8 manufacturing process was the first to grab my attention. Kioxia and Western Digital announced the sampling of BiCS 8 in March 2023. We had touched briefly upon its CMOS Bonded Array (CBA) scheme in our coverage of Kioxial's 2Tb QLC NAND device and coverage of Western Digital's 128 TB QLC enterprise SSD proof-of-concept demonstration. At Kioxia's booth, we got more insights.
Traditionally, fabrication of flash chips involved placement of the associate logic circuitry (CMOS process) around the periphery of the flash array. The process then moved on to putting the CMOS under the cell array, but the wafer development process was serialized with the CMOS logic getting fabricated first followed by the cell array on top. However, this has some challenges because the cell array requires a high-temperature processing step to ensure higher reliability that can be detrimental to the health of the CMOS logic. Thanks to recent advancements in wafer bonding techniques, the new CBA process allows the CMOS wafer and cell array wafer to be processed independently in parallel and then pieced together, as shown in the models above.
The BiCS 8 3D NAND incorporates 218 layers, compared to 112 layers in BiCS 5 and 162 layers in BiCS 6. The company decided to skip over BiCS 7 (or, rather, it was probably a short-lived generation meant as an internal test vehicle). The generation retains the four-plane charge trap structure of BiCS 6. In its TLC avatar, it is available as a 1 Tbit device. The QLC version is available in two capacities - 1 Tbit and 2 Tbit.
Kioxia also noted that while the number of layers (218) doesn't compare favorably with the latest layer counts from the competition, its lateral scaling / cell shrinkage has enabled it to be competitive in terms of bit density as well as operating speeds (3200 MT/s). For reference, the latest shipping NAND from Micron - the G9 - has 276 layers with a bit density in TLC mode of 21 Gbit/mm2, and operates at up to 3600 MT/s. However, its 232L NAND operates only up to 2400 MT/s and has a bit density of 14.6 Gbit/mm2.
It must be noted that the CBA hybrid bonding process has advantages over the current processes used by other vendors - including Micron's CMOS under array (CuA) and SK hynix's 4D PUC (periphery-under-chip) developed in the late 2010s. It is expected that other NAND vendors will also move eventually to some variant of the hybrid bonding scheme used by Kioxia.
Storage
Kioxia Details BiCS 8 NAND at FMS 2024: 218 Layers With Superior Scaling
Kioxia's booth at FMS 2024 was a busy one with multiple technology demonstrations keeping visitors occupied. A walk-through of the BiCS 8 manufacturing process was the first to grab my attention. Kioxia and Western Digital announced the sampling of BiCS 8 in March 2023. We had touched briefly upon its CMOS Bonded Array (CBA) scheme in our coverage of Kioxial's 2Tb QLC NAND device and coverage of Western Digital's 128 TB QLC enterprise SSD proof-of-concept demonstration. At Kioxia's booth, we got more insights.
Traditionally, fabrication of flash chips involved placement of the associate logic circuitry (CMOS process) around the periphery of the flash array. The process then moved on to putting the CMOS under the cell array, but the wafer development process was serialized with the CMOS logic getting fabricated first followed by the cell array on top. However, this has some challenges because the cell array requires a high-temperature processing step to ensure higher reliability that can be detrimental to the health of the CMOS logic. Thanks to recent advancements in wafer bonding techniques, the new CBA process allows the CMOS wafer and cell array wafer to be processed independently in parallel and then pieced together, as shown in the models above.
The BiCS 8 3D NAND incorporates 218 layers, compared to 112 layers in BiCS 5 and 162 layers in BiCS 6. The company decided to skip over BiCS 7 (or, rather, it was probably a short-lived generation meant as an internal test vehicle). The generation retains the four-plane charge trap structure of BiCS 6. In its TLC avatar, it is available as a 1 Tbit device. The QLC version is available in two capacities - 1 Tbit and 2 Tbit.
Kioxia also noted that while the number of layers (218) doesn't compare favorably with the latest layer counts from the competition, its lateral scaling / cell shrinkage has enabled it to be competitive in terms of bit density as well as operating speeds (3200 MT/s). For reference, the latest shipping NAND from Micron - the G9 - has 276 layers with a bit density in TLC mode of 21 Gbit/mm2, and operates at up to 3600 MT/s. However, its 232L NAND operates only up to 2400 MT/s and has a bit density of 14.6 Gbit/mm2.
It must be noted that the CBA hybrid bonding process has advantages over the current processes used by other vendors - including Micron's CMOS under array (CuA) and SK hynix's 4D PUC (periphery-under-chip) developed in the late 2010s. It is expected that other NAND vendors will also move eventually to some variant of the hybrid bonding scheme used by Kioxia.
Storage
Kioxia Details BiCS 8 NAND at FMS 2024: 218 Layers With Superior Scaling
Kioxia's booth at FMS 2024 was a busy one with multiple technology demonstrations keeping visitors occupied. A walk-through of the BiCS 8 manufacturing process was the first to grab my attention. Kioxia and Western Digital announced the sampling of BiCS 8 in March 2023. We had touched briefly upon its CMOS Bonded Array (CBA) scheme in our coverage of Kioxial's 2Tb QLC NAND device and coverage of Western Digital's 128 TB QLC enterprise SSD proof-of-concept demonstration. At Kioxia's booth, we got more insights.
Traditionally, fabrication of flash chips involved placement of the associate logic circuitry (CMOS process) around the periphery of the flash array. The process then moved on to putting the CMOS under the cell array, but the wafer development process was serialized with the CMOS logic getting fabricated first followed by the cell array on top. However, this has some challenges because the cell array requires a high-temperature processing step to ensure higher reliability that can be detrimental to the health of the CMOS logic. Thanks to recent advancements in wafer bonding techniques, the new CBA process allows the CMOS wafer and cell array wafer to be processed independently in parallel and then pieced together, as shown in the models above.
The BiCS 8 3D NAND incorporates 218 layers, compared to 112 layers in BiCS 5 and 162 layers in BiCS 6. The company decided to skip over BiCS 7 (or, rather, it was probably a short-lived generation meant as an internal test vehicle). The generation retains the four-plane charge trap structure of BiCS 6. In its TLC avatar, it is available as a 1 Tbit device. The QLC version is available in two capacities - 1 Tbit and 2 Tbit.
Kioxia also noted that while the number of layers (218) doesn't compare favorably with the latest layer counts from the competition, its lateral scaling / cell shrinkage has enabled it to be competitive in terms of bit density as well as operating speeds (3200 MT/s). For reference, the latest shipping NAND from Micron - the G9 - has 276 layers with a bit density in TLC mode of 21 Gbit/mm2, and operates at up to 3600 MT/s. However, its 232L NAND operates only up to 2400 MT/s and has a bit density of 14.6 Gbit/mm2.
It must be noted that the CBA hybrid bonding process has advantages over the current processes used by other vendors - including Micron's CMOS under array (CuA) and SK hynix's 4D PUC (periphery-under-chip) developed in the late 2010s. It is expected that other NAND vendors will also move eventually to some variant of the hybrid bonding scheme used by Kioxia.
Storage
![](https://twitter.com/share?url=https://compbuddey.blogspot.com/2024/04/hbm-revenue-poised-to-cross-10b-as-sk_4.html&text=HBM Revenue Poised To Cross $10B as SK hynix Predicts First Double-Digit Revenue Share <p align="center"><a href="https://www.anandtech.com/show/21327/hbm-revenue-poised-to-cross-10b-double-digit-revenue-share-at-sk-hynix"><img src="https://images.anandtech.com/doci/21327/SK-hynix-HBM3E_01-678_575px.jpg" alt="" /></a></p><p><p>Offering some rare insight into the scale of HBM memory sales – and on its growth in the face of unprecedented demand from AI accelerator vendors – the company recently disclosed that it expects HBM sales to make up "a double-digit percentage of its DRAM chip sales" this year. Which if it comes to pass, would represent a significant jump in sales for the high-bandwidth, high-priced memory.</p>
<p>As first reported by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/sk-hynix-chief-says-hbm-chips-be-double-digit-percentage-2024-dram-chip-sales-2024-03-27/">Reuters</a>, SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-Jung has commented that he expects HBM sales will constitute a double-digit percentage of its DRAM chip sales in 2024. This prediction corroborate with estimates from <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20240318-12081.html">TrendForce</a>, who believe that, industry-wide, HBM will account for 20.1% of DRAM revenue in 2024, more than doubling HBM's 8.4% revenue share in 2023.</p>
<p>And while SK hynix does not break down its DRAM revenue by memory type on a regular basis, a bit of extrapolation indicates that they're on track to take in billions in HBM revenue for 2024 – having likely already crossed the billion dollar mark itself in 2023. Last year, SK hynix's DRAM revenue $15.941 billion, according to <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/271725/global-dram-revenues-of-semiconductor-companies-since-2010/#:~:text=SK%20Hynix%2C%20who%20ranked%20second,the%20second%20quarter%20of%202023.">Statista</a> and <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20240305-12060.html">TrendForce</a>. So SK hynix only needs 12.5% of its 2024 revenues to come from HBM (assuming flat or positive revenue overall) in order to pass 2 billion in HBM sales. And even this is a low-ball estimate.</p>
<p>Overall, SK hynix currently commands about <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/news/2024/01/16/news-increasing-hbm-capacity-to-sustain-market-share-sk-hynix-rumored-to-upgrade-wuxi-plant/">50% of HBM market</a>, having largely split the market with Samsung over the last couple of years. Given that share, and that DRAM industry revenue is expected to increase to <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20240318-12081.html">$84.150 billion in 2024</a>, SK hynix could earn as much as $8.45 billion on HBM in 2024 if TrendForce's estimates prove accurate.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.anandtech.com/show/21327/hbm-revenue-poised-to-cross-10b-double-digit-revenue-share-at-sk-hynix"><img alt="" src="https://images.anandtech.com/doci/21327/20240318_111035_2024-03-18_110749_575px.png" /></a></p>
<p>It should be noted that with demand for AI servers at record levels, all three leading makers of DRAM are poised to increase their HBM production capacity this year. Most notable here is a nearly-absent Micron, who was the first vendor to start shipping HBM3E memory to NVIDIA earlier this year. So SK hynix's near-majority of the HBM market may falter some this year, though with a growing pie they'll have little reason to complain. Ultimately, if sales of HBM reach $16.9 billion as projected, then all memory makers will be enjoying significant HBM revenue growth in the coming months.</p>
<p>Sources: <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/sk-hynix-chief-says-hbm-chips-be-double-digit-percentage-2024-dram-chip-sales-2024-03-27/">Reuters</a>, <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20240318-12081.html">TrendForce</a></p>
</p> Memory){kind=link}
![](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://compbuddey.blogspot.com/2024/04/hbm-revenue-poised-to-cross-10b-as-sk_4.html&media=https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uw_ZaD2d-Z0_FMZyVdSpcmXavBG3Mse8_meOZqmF-X0dxTQ6Ovhu-NmcM-odAslJpHCZRclRJog7pN6RxAChKq8iDB-AwHc16OV6f6owsJJRb0Vo0xPXgtUsxd0OPmxZTVDSzucoOpXjui&description=HBM Revenue Poised To Cross $10B as SK hynix Predicts First Double-Digit Revenue Share <p align="center"><a href="https://www.anandtech.com/show/21327/hbm-revenue-poised-to-cross-10b-double-digit-revenue-share-at-sk-hynix"><img src="https://images.anandtech.com/doci/21327/SK-hynix-HBM3E_01-678_575px.jpg" alt="" /></a></p><p><p>Offering some rare insight into the scale of HBM memory sales – and on its growth in the face of unprecedented demand from AI accelerator vendors – the company recently disclosed that it expects HBM sales to make up "a double-digit percentage of its DRAM chip sales" this year. Which if it comes to pass, would represent a significant jump in sales for the high-bandwidth, high-priced memory.</p>
<p>As first reported by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/sk-hynix-chief-says-hbm-chips-be-double-digit-percentage-2024-dram-chip-sales-2024-03-27/">Reuters</a>, SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-Jung has commented that he expects HBM sales will constitute a double-digit percentage of its DRAM chip sales in 2024. This prediction corroborate with estimates from <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20240318-12081.html">TrendForce</a>, who believe that, industry-wide, HBM will account for 20.1% of DRAM revenue in 2024, more than doubling HBM's 8.4% revenue share in 2023.</p>
<p>And while SK hynix does not break down its DRAM revenue by memory type on a regular basis, a bit of extrapolation indicates that they're on track to take in billions in HBM revenue for 2024 – having likely already crossed the billion dollar mark itself in 2023. Last year, SK hynix's DRAM revenue $15.941 billion, according to <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/271725/global-dram-revenues-of-semiconductor-companies-since-2010/#:~:text=SK%20Hynix%2C%20who%20ranked%20second,the%20second%20quarter%20of%202023.">Statista</a> and <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20240305-12060.html">TrendForce</a>. So SK hynix only needs 12.5% of its 2024 revenues to come from HBM (assuming flat or positive revenue overall) in order to pass 2 billion in HBM sales. And even this is a low-ball estimate.</p>
<p>Overall, SK hynix currently commands about <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/news/2024/01/16/news-increasing-hbm-capacity-to-sustain-market-share-sk-hynix-rumored-to-upgrade-wuxi-plant/">50% of HBM market</a>, having largely split the market with Samsung over the last couple of years. Given that share, and that DRAM industry revenue is expected to increase to <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20240318-12081.html">$84.150 billion in 2024</a>, SK hynix could earn as much as $8.45 billion on HBM in 2024 if TrendForce's estimates prove accurate.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.anandtech.com/show/21327/hbm-revenue-poised-to-cross-10b-double-digit-revenue-share-at-sk-hynix"><img alt="" src="https://images.anandtech.com/doci/21327/20240318_111035_2024-03-18_110749_575px.png" /></a></p>
<p>It should be noted that with demand for AI servers at record levels, all three leading makers of DRAM are poised to increase their HBM production capacity this year. Most notable here is a nearly-absent Micron, who was the first vendor to start shipping HBM3E memory to NVIDIA earlier this year. So SK hynix's near-majority of the HBM market may falter some this year, though with a growing pie they'll have little reason to complain. Ultimately, if sales of HBM reach $16.9 billion as projected, then all memory makers will be enjoying significant HBM revenue growth in the coming months.</p>
<p>Sources: <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/sk-hynix-chief-says-hbm-chips-be-double-digit-percentage-2024-dram-chip-sales-2024-03-27/">Reuters</a>, <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20240318-12081.html">TrendForce</a></p>
</p> Memory){kind=link}
![](https://web.whatsapp.com/send?text=HBM Revenue Poised To Cross $10B as SK hynix Predicts First Double-Digit Revenue Share <p align="center"><a href="https://www.anandtech.com/show/21327/hbm-revenue-poised-to-cross-10b-double-digit-revenue-share-at-sk-hynix"><img src="https://images.anandtech.com/doci/21327/SK-hynix-HBM3E_01-678_575px.jpg" alt="" /></a></p><p><p>Offering some rare insight into the scale of HBM memory sales – and on its growth in the face of unprecedented demand from AI accelerator vendors – the company recently disclosed that it expects HBM sales to make up "a double-digit percentage of its DRAM chip sales" this year. Which if it comes to pass, would represent a significant jump in sales for the high-bandwidth, high-priced memory.</p>
<p>As first reported by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/sk-hynix-chief-says-hbm-chips-be-double-digit-percentage-2024-dram-chip-sales-2024-03-27/">Reuters</a>, SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-Jung has commented that he expects HBM sales will constitute a double-digit percentage of its DRAM chip sales in 2024. This prediction corroborate with estimates from <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20240318-12081.html">TrendForce</a>, who believe that, industry-wide, HBM will account for 20.1% of DRAM revenue in 2024, more than doubling HBM's 8.4% revenue share in 2023.</p>
<p>And while SK hynix does not break down its DRAM revenue by memory type on a regular basis, a bit of extrapolation indicates that they're on track to take in billions in HBM revenue for 2024 – having likely already crossed the billion dollar mark itself in 2023. Last year, SK hynix's DRAM revenue $15.941 billion, according to <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/271725/global-dram-revenues-of-semiconductor-companies-since-2010/#:~:text=SK%20Hynix%2C%20who%20ranked%20second,the%20second%20quarter%20of%202023.">Statista</a> and <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20240305-12060.html">TrendForce</a>. So SK hynix only needs 12.5% of its 2024 revenues to come from HBM (assuming flat or positive revenue overall) in order to pass 2 billion in HBM sales. And even this is a low-ball estimate.</p>
<p>Overall, SK hynix currently commands about <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/news/2024/01/16/news-increasing-hbm-capacity-to-sustain-market-share-sk-hynix-rumored-to-upgrade-wuxi-plant/">50% of HBM market</a>, having largely split the market with Samsung over the last couple of years. Given that share, and that DRAM industry revenue is expected to increase to <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20240318-12081.html">$84.150 billion in 2024</a>, SK hynix could earn as much as $8.45 billion on HBM in 2024 if TrendForce's estimates prove accurate.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.anandtech.com/show/21327/hbm-revenue-poised-to-cross-10b-double-digit-revenue-share-at-sk-hynix"><img alt="" src="https://images.anandtech.com/doci/21327/20240318_111035_2024-03-18_110749_575px.png" /></a></p>
<p>It should be noted that with demand for AI servers at record levels, all three leading makers of DRAM are poised to increase their HBM production capacity this year. Most notable here is a nearly-absent Micron, who was the first vendor to start shipping HBM3E memory to NVIDIA earlier this year. So SK hynix's near-majority of the HBM market may falter some this year, though with a growing pie they'll have little reason to complain. Ultimately, if sales of HBM reach $16.9 billion as projected, then all memory makers will be enjoying significant HBM revenue growth in the coming months.</p>
<p>Sources: <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/sk-hynix-chief-says-hbm-chips-be-double-digit-percentage-2024-dram-chip-sales-2024-03-27/">Reuters</a>, <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20240318-12081.html">TrendForce</a></p>
</p> Memory | https://compbuddey.blogspot.com/2024/04/hbm-revenue-poised-to-cross-10b-as-sk_4.html){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=HBM Revenue Poised To Cross $10B as SK hynix Predicts First Double-Digit Revenue Share <p align="center"><a href="https://www.anandtech.com/show/21327/hbm-revenue-poised-to-cross-10b-double-digit-revenue-share-at-sk-hynix"><img src="https://images.anandtech.com/doci/21327/SK-hynix-HBM3E_01-678_575px.jpg" alt="" /></a></p><p><p>Offering some rare insight into the scale of HBM memory sales – and on its growth in the face of unprecedented demand from AI accelerator vendors – the company recently disclosed that it expects HBM sales to make up "a double-digit percentage of its DRAM chip sales" this year. Which if it comes to pass, would represent a significant jump in sales for the high-bandwidth, high-priced memory.</p>
<p>As first reported by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/sk-hynix-chief-says-hbm-chips-be-double-digit-percentage-2024-dram-chip-sales-2024-03-27/">Reuters</a>, SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-Jung has commented that he expects HBM sales will constitute a double-digit percentage of its DRAM chip sales in 2024. This prediction corroborate with estimates from <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20240318-12081.html">TrendForce</a>, who believe that, industry-wide, HBM will account for 20.1% of DRAM revenue in 2024, more than doubling HBM's 8.4% revenue share in 2023.</p>
<p>And while SK hynix does not break down its DRAM revenue by memory type on a regular basis, a bit of extrapolation indicates that they're on track to take in billions in HBM revenue for 2024 – having likely already crossed the billion dollar mark itself in 2023. Last year, SK hynix's DRAM revenue $15.941 billion, according to <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/271725/global-dram-revenues-of-semiconductor-companies-since-2010/#:~:text=SK%20Hynix%2C%20who%20ranked%20second,the%20second%20quarter%20of%202023.">Statista</a> and <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20240305-12060.html">TrendForce</a>. So SK hynix only needs 12.5% of its 2024 revenues to come from HBM (assuming flat or positive revenue overall) in order to pass 2 billion in HBM sales. And even this is a low-ball estimate.</p>
<p>Overall, SK hynix currently commands about <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/news/2024/01/16/news-increasing-hbm-capacity-to-sustain-market-share-sk-hynix-rumored-to-upgrade-wuxi-plant/">50% of HBM market</a>, having largely split the market with Samsung over the last couple of years. Given that share, and that DRAM industry revenue is expected to increase to <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20240318-12081.html">$84.150 billion in 2024</a>, SK hynix could earn as much as $8.45 billion on HBM in 2024 if TrendForce's estimates prove accurate.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.anandtech.com/show/21327/hbm-revenue-poised-to-cross-10b-double-digit-revenue-share-at-sk-hynix"><img alt="" src="https://images.anandtech.com/doci/21327/20240318_111035_2024-03-18_110749_575px.png" /></a></p>
<p>It should be noted that with demand for AI servers at record levels, all three leading makers of DRAM are poised to increase their HBM production capacity this year. Most notable here is a nearly-absent Micron, who was the first vendor to start shipping HBM3E memory to NVIDIA earlier this year. So SK hynix's near-majority of the HBM market may falter some this year, though with a growing pie they'll have little reason to complain. Ultimately, if sales of HBM reach $16.9 billion as projected, then all memory makers will be enjoying significant HBM revenue growth in the coming months.</p>
<p>Sources: <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/sk-hynix-chief-says-hbm-chips-be-double-digit-percentage-2024-dram-chip-sales-2024-03-27/">Reuters</a>, <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20240318-12081.html">TrendForce</a></p>
</p> Memory&body=https://compbuddey.blogspot.com/2024/04/hbm-revenue-poised-to-cross-10b-as-sk_4.html){kind=link}
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's.
Kioxia Details BiCS 8 NAND at FMS 2024: 218 Layers With Superior Scaling
Kioxia's booth at FMS 2024 was a busy one with multiple technology demonstrations keeping visitors occupied. A walk-through of the BiCS 8 manufacturing process was the first to grab my attention. Kioxia and Western Digital announced the sampling of BiCS 8 in March 2023. We had touched briefly upon its CMOS Bonded Array (CBA) scheme in our coverage of Kioxial's 2Tb QLC NAND device and coverage of Western Digital's 128 TB QLC enterprise SSD proof-of-concept demonstration. At Kioxia's booth, we got more insights.
Traditionally, fabrication of flash chips involved placement of the associate logic circuitry (CMOS process) around the periphery of the flash array. The process then moved on to putting the CMOS under the cell array, but the wafer development process was serialized with the CMOS logic getting fabricated first followed by the cell array on top. However, this has some challenges because the cell array requires a high-temperature processing step to ensure higher reliability that can be detrimental to the health of the CMOS logic. Thanks to recent advancements in wafer bonding techniques, the new CBA process allows the CMOS wafer and cell array wafer to be processed independently in parallel and then pieced together, as shown in the models above.
The BiCS 8 3D NAND incorporates 218 layers, compared to 112 layers in BiCS 5 and 162 layers in BiCS 6. The company decided to skip over BiCS 7 (or, rather, it was probably a short-lived generation meant as an internal test vehicle). The generation retains the four-plane charge trap structure of BiCS 6. In its TLC avatar, it is available as a 1 Tbit device. The QLC version is available in two capacities - 1 Tbit and 2 Tbit.
Kioxia also noted that while the number of layers (218) doesn't compare favorably with the latest layer counts from the competition, its lateral scaling / cell shrinkage has enabled it to be competitive in terms of bit density as well as operating speeds (3200 MT/s). For reference, the latest shipping NAND from Micron - the G9 - has 276 layers with a bit density in TLC mode of 21 Gbit/mm2, and operates at up to 3600 MT/s. However, its 232L NAND operates only up to 2400 MT/s and has a bit density of 14.6 Gbit/mm2.
It must be noted that the CBA hybrid bonding process has advantages over the current processes used by other vendors - including Micron's CMOS under array (CuA) and SK hynix's 4D PUC (periphery-under-chip) developed in the late 2010s. It is expected that other NAND vendors will also move eventually to some variant of the hybrid bonding scheme used by Kioxia.
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