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(Photo = Samsung Electronics) |
[Alpha Biz= Reporter Lee Joon-hyun] Samsung’s 5th generation HBM3E (High Bandwidth Memory) has reportedly not yet secured NVIDIA’s qualification approval, while its 4th generation HBM3 has successfully passed, according to industry sources as of November 1.
"Qualification" (abbreviated as "Qual") is a testing process conducted on client production lines to ensure optimal quality and efficiency before mass production and supply. A source familiar with Samsung’s operations indicated that while HBM3 has been qualified by NVIDIA, HBM3E has yet to receive approval.
Meanwhile, competitor SK Hynix recently completed NVIDIA qualification for its 5th generation HBM3E12, a high-stacked variant with 12 layers, and announced plans to begin supply.
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Signature from CEO Jensen Huang on Samsung’s HBM3E (Photo: Samsung Electronics VP Han Jin-man's SNS) |
Cho Ho-jin, CEO of Tachyon World, commented on the delay, attributing it to technical challenges in Samsung's HBM3E, particularly with the TC-NCF bonding technology. TC-NCF (Thin Conformal Non-Conductive Film) technology, which Samsung employs, has already been abandoned by competitors due to its low yield rate. The TC-NCF process involves placing a thin, non-conductive film between DRAM layers and using thermal compression to bond them.
In its recent Q3 earnings call on October 31, Samsung acknowledged delays in HBM3E commercialization with key clients but emphasized that it had made significant progress in crucial qualification steps. This announcement has led market analysts to speculate that Samsung's HBM3E may be close to final qualification with NVIDIA, its primary client.
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