Samsung paves the way for 24GB high-bandwidth memory

Samsung has improved on the current 8-layer high-bandwidth memory-2 (HBM2) products by squeezing an extra four layers into the same thickness sandwich.

Called 12-layer 3D-TSV (Through Silicon Via) technology, this relies on the pinpoint alignment of more than 60,000 TSV holes, each of which is one-twentieth the thickness of a single strand of human hair, through with bond wires will be threaded.

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The 12-layer package retains the same thickness -- 720-micrometers -- as the 8-layer package but allows more storage to be packed into the same space, while at the same time increasing performance through shorter data transmission times, and decreasing power consumption.

Samsung will soon begin the mass production if 24GB high-bandwidth memory, offering three times the capacity of 8GB high-bandwidth memory currently on the market, which will be welcomed by those involved in artificial intelligence (AI) and High Power Computing (HPC). 

"Packaging technology that secures all of the intricacies of ultra-performance memory is becoming tremendously important, with the wide variety of new-age applications, such as AI and HPC," said Hong-Joo Baek, executive vice president of TSP (Test & System Package) at Samsung Electronics. "As Moore's law scaling reaches its limit, the role of 3D-TSV technology is expected to become even more critical. We want to be at the forefront of this state-of-the-art chip packaging technology."

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