Chinese DRAM manufacturers are developing high-bandwidth memory
Amidst the recent burgeoning growth in the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI), there’s been a pronounced uptick in the demand for related servers. This surge has catalyzed an increase in the shipments of High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM), presenting a boon for companies like SK Hynix, which have made strategic investments in this sector, leading to a palpable enhancement in their performance metrics. As per various media sources, Chinese DRAM manufacturers are tirelessly endeavoring to devise their own high-bandwidth memory solutions tailored for AI and high-performance computing applications, akin to HBM. ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) is at the vanguard of this initiative.
When one broaches the topic of performance, HBM offerings indisputably take the lead. Their utilization of stack technology not only augments interface bandwidth but also accelerates data transfer rates. Notably, such memory devices aren’t reliant on the most avant-garde lithographic techniques. The ubiquitously supplied HBM2E and HBM3 products have stood the test of time and evolved into mature solutions.
One of the paramount prerequisites for HBM products is a sophisticated packaging technique, necessitating the use of minuscule Through-Silicon Vias (TSVs) to vertically interconnect between 8 to 12 memory dies, a process replete with intricacies. However, juxtaposed with manufacturing DRAM chips on the more advanced 10nm process, packaging these stacked chip modules is ostensibly more straightforward. Theoretically, ChangXin Memory Technologies possesses the acumen to produce HBM products, although predicting the number of DRAMs stackable per module remains nebulous.
Looking ahead, in myriad applications spanning from Artificial Intelligence and high-performance computing to autonomous driving vehicles, the demand for HBM products is poised to escalate. Their versatile applicability means that the ability to indigenously research, develop, and produce based on one’s technological prowess would undoubtedly be more beneficial than detrimental.
