SK hynix Begins iHBM Supply Chain Talks

SK hynix has begun discussions with domestic and international materials, parts and equipment suppliers to prepare its next-generation iHBM technology for product use and production. Industry sources say the company recently discussed technical development and mass-production plans; a supplier representative said the parties were exploring collaboration for process integration and commercialization while assessing production feasibility.

SK hynix unveiled iHBM in May. It places an integrated cooling element, ICE, on the base die at the bottom of an HBM stack. The base die contains a die-to-die (D2D) link connecting the GPU with high-speed data communications. Heat increases as data workloads and the number of stacked HBM layers rise. The article says heat passes through the core die and that the existing structure has limited cooling efficiency.

SK hynix says ICE, placed in the base die's communication-link area, creates a path for heat to escape and can lower thermal resistance by more than 30%. The company says this can keep HBM operating reliably in high-temperature, high-load conditions and improve AI infrastructure efficiency. Without heat control, power efficiency and performance can fall, system errors can occur, and product life can shorten.

iHBM uses SK hynix's advanced MR-MUF and wafer-level packaging processes. The company is expected to use a supply chain similar to that for existing HBM, and is reportedly considering expanding its supplier base to improve iHBM performance and production efficiency. SK hynix aims to introduce iHBM with HBM5, which its roadmap projects for 2029. It is currently validating HBM5 using TSMC's advanced CoWoS packaging technology. An industry representative said SK hynix is pursuing technological differentiation to gain an advantage in the next-generation market as competitors advance their technology and strengthen production capacity.

SK hynix has begun discussions with domestic and international materials, parts and equipment suppliers to prepare its next-generation iHBM technology for product use and production. Industry sources say the company recently discussed technical development and mass-production plans; a supplier representative said the parties were exploring collaboration for process integration and commercialization while assessing production feasibility.

SK hynix unveiled iHBM in May. It places an integrated cooling element, ICE, on the base die at the bottom of an HBM stack. The base die contains a die-to-die (D2D) link connecting the GPU with high-speed data communications. Heat increases as data workloads and the number of stacked HBM layers rise. The article says heat passes through the core die and that the existing structure has limited cooling efficiency.

SK hynix says ICE, placed in the base die's communication-link area, creates a path for heat to escape and can lower thermal resistance by more than 30%. The company says this can keep HBM operating reliably in high-temperature, high-load conditions and improve AI infrastructure efficiency. Without heat control, power efficiency and performance can fall, system errors can occur, and product life can shorten.

iHBM uses SK hynix's advanced MR-MUF and wafer-level packaging processes. The company is expected to use a supply chain similar to that for existing HBM, and is reportedly considering expanding its supplier base to improve iHBM performance and production efficiency. SK hynix aims to introduce iHBM with HBM5, which its roadmap projects for 2029. It is currently validating HBM5 using TSMC's advanced CoWoS packaging technology. An industry representative said SK hynix is pursuing technological differentiation to gain an advantage in the next-generation market as competitors advance their technology and strengthen production capacity.