Samsung Electronics: Existing TCB Tech Insufficient for 20-Layer HBM Production
2025-07-23
High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) is increasingly becoming a key technological solution in the fields of High Performance Computing (HPC) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). However, as the number of stacked layers continues to grow, existing packaging technologies are facing new challenges. According to a report from South Korean media, Kim Dae-Woo, Vice President of Samsung Electronics and head of the System Packaging Laboratory, said at an industry seminar that existing Thermo-Compression Bonding (TCB) technology cannot meet the production requirements for future HBM memory stacks of 20 layers (more than 16 layers).
Transition from TCB to HCB Technology
TCB technology plays a key role in HBM manufacturing by connecting each layer of DRAM die. However, traditional TCB technology includes bump structures, which not only limit further pitch compression but also increase thermal resistance. As the number of HBM stacked layers increases, heat dissipation issues become more prominent, and the limitations of TCB technology gradually emerge.
To address the limitations of TCB technology, Samsung Electronics is transitioning to bumpless Hybrid Copper Bonding (HCB) technology. According to data provided by Samsung Electronics, HCB technology can increase the number of stacked layers by up to 1/3 and reduce thermal resistance by up to 20%. This technology connects chips by directly bonding copper-to-copper and oxide-to-oxide surfaces without using microbumps, thereby achieving smaller interconnect pitches, lower resistance and capacitance, higher density, and better thermal performance.
Samsung Electronics sees 16-layer stacking as the key node for the transition from TCB to HCB in HBM memory bonding technology, which roughly corresponds to the HBM4E memory generation. In HBM4E, Samsung plans to use both TCB and HCB technologies simultaneously, while by HBM5, hybrid bonding will be fully implemented. Starting with the 20-layer eighth-generation HBM "HBM5," Samsung will fully mass-produce products using hybrid bonding technology.
Market Competition and Technical Challenges
Despite the many advantages of HCB technology, its high cost and technical complexity remain challenges for Samsung. The specialized equipment required for hybrid bonding is much more expensive than traditional packaging tools and requires more wafer factory space. In addition, as the number of stacked layers increases, heat dissipation and reliability issues become more prominent.
Future Outlook
As HBM technology continues to develop, Samsung Electronics' technological transition will not only affect its market competitiveness in the fields of high-performance computing and artificial intelligence, but also may reshape the competitive landscape of the entire industry. By adopting HCB technology, Samsung is expected to gain technological and commercial advantages in performance, thermal characteristics, and signal density, thereby occupying a more favorable position in the future HBM market.
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