Samsung Electronics to Use 4nm Process to Manufacture Logic Chips in HBM4

TapTechNews July 16th news, The Korea Economic Daily (hankyung) reported yesterday that Samsung Electronics has decided to use its own 4nm process to manufacture logic chips in the next-generation HBM memory - HBM4.

TapTechNews note: Here, the logic chip refers to LogicDie. SK Hynix calls it BaseDie, and Micron calls it InterfaceDie. See the following figure from Micron for the structure:

The stacked DRAMDie memory chips provide capacity for HBM memory; while the LogicDie is the control unit of the DRAM stack and is also responsible for communicating with the memory interface on the processor through the interconnect layer, and it is also an important part of HBM memory.

Traditionally, memory manufacturers usually use the memory semiconductor process to produce the LogicDie of HBM memory by themselves, and the process is more convenient. But in the HBM4 generation, the LogicDie needs to support more signal pins, larger data bandwidth, and even some customer-customized functions.

Therefore, memory manufacturers turn to cooperate with logic wafer foundries and use the logic semiconductor process to produce the LogicDie for HBM4.

Samsung Electronics' storage division's use of its own 4nm process to manufacture logic chips this time, on the one hand, can improve the comprehensive energy efficiency of HBM4 memory and enhance the product competitiveness; on the other hand, the more refined 4nm process also leaves more space for the introduction of various customized functions.

Not only that, this move can also provide a considerable order for the sister unit LSI department.

For Samsung Electronics' storage division, introducing the advanced process of the LSI department in the product is not without precedent: its consumer solid-state drive PM9C1a for the OEM side is also equipped with the 5nm controller fabricated by the LSI department.