[News] Progress Made in Chinese Consortium’s Development of HBM, Reportedly Targeting HBM2 Production by 2026

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According to sources and documents cited in a report from Reuters, two major Chinese chip manufacturers are in the early stages of producing High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) semiconductors, primarily for AI chipsets. Despite facing export restrictions from the United States, China is currently making progress mainly on older versions of HBM, gradually reducing reliance on other global suppliers.

Sources cited in the same report revealed that China’s largest DRAM chip manufacturer, ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), is collaborating with chip packaging and testing company Tongfu Microelectronics to develop HBM chip samples, which are being showcased to potential customers.

On the other hand, Wuhan Xinxin Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (XMC) is constructing a 12-inch plant with a monthly capacity of 3,000 wafers, which is planned to  manufucture HBM chips. Per the corporate registration documents, the plant is expected to commence operations in February this year.

Sources in the report mentioned that CXMT and other Chinese chip companies regularly hold meetings with semiconductor equipment manufacturers from South Korea and Japan to purchase tools for HBM development. Currently, CXMT, Tongfu Microelectronics, and XMC have not responded to these reports.

CXMT and XMC are both private companies that have received funding from local governments in China to drive technological development amid the country’s vigorous efforts to develop its semiconductor industry.

There also are reports indicating that Huawei, the Chinese tech giant subject to US sanctions, looks to collaborate with other local companies to produce HBM2 chips by 2026. According to a report from The Information, a group led by Huawei aimed at producing HBM chips includes Fujian Jinhua Integrated Circuit.

As per market reports cited by Reuters, China’s current focus is on HBM2. While the US has not restricted the export of HBM chips, HBM3 chips are manufactured using US technology, which many Chinese companies, including Huawei, are prohibited from using.

According to the analysis by Trendforce, the research and manufacturing of HBM involve complex processes and technical challenges, including wafer-level packaging, testing technology, design compatibility, and more. CoWoS is currently the mainstream packaging solution for AI processors, and in AI chips utilizing CoWoS technology, HBM integration is also incorporated.

CoWoS and HBM involves processes such as TSV (Through-Silicon Via), bumps, microbumps, and RDL (Redistribution Layer). Among these, TSV accounts for the highest proportion of the 3D packaging cost of HBM, close to 30%.

Read more

• [News] XMC Initiates IPO Plan, Potentially Becoming China’s First HBM Foundry
• [News] Three-way Contest for HBM Dominance, Uncertainties Surrounding China’s Supply Chain Involvement

(Photo credit: CXMT)