Samsung's 1d DRAM (7th Gen 10nm) for next-generation HBM solutions might not undergo production soon due to failure to meet yields.
Samsung's Next-Gen DRAM Tech For Future HBM5E Memory May Not Be Ready For Production
A report published by Korean outlet, IT Chosun, suggests that due to less than ideal yields of its 1d "D1d" DRAM based on the 10nm process technology, Samsung might be pulling the plug on mass producing its next-gen HBM solutions.
The DRAM technology had already received a pre-production approval (PRA), but concerns have been raised regarding the ROI of initiating a trial run, let alone mass production, due to yields being below the target levels.
"Samsung Electronics plans to postpone mass production indefinitely until the D1d yield reaches the target level, and as of now, the resumption date has not been determined," said a source familiar with the internal workings of Samsung Electronics. "They are focusing on further increasing the yield by completely re-examining the process roadmap."
Machine Translated via IT Chosun
Samsung's D1d DRAM technology will play a crucial role in the company's future HBM memory roadmap. It is expected to be used by HBM5E, the 9th Gen HBM solution from the Korean semiconductor company.
The 1c DRAM is currently being used across three generations of HBM products, including HBM4, HBM4E, and HBM5. HBM4 is set to roll out later this year and will be utilized by NVIDIA's Vera Rubin and AMD's MI400 platforms, while HBM4E is expected to be used by Rubin Ultra and MI500 accelerators. HBM5 and custom designs are expected to be adopted by NVIDIA's Feynman lineups & other competing solutions.
A few days ago, we reported that Samsung was slashing its HBM development cycle significantly. While this would result in new HBM solutions being prepped faster than ever, it doesn't mean that they will be production-ready. The development and production cycles are different, and it's the production cycle that is stated as the bottleneck in the new report.
At the same time, Samsung Electronics has poured in additional resources into building a massive chip fabrication plant in Onyang, Korea. This facility will span the size of four soccer fields and will be used for producing next-generation DRAM products, including HBM. The facility will be responsible for packaging, testing, logistics, and quality control, all being crucial for sustained production.
The rapid development, along with the expansion of its production facilities, will help Samsung compete against SK Hynix, who have also developed and secured yields for its D1d DRAM technology. Both are in a race to secure major deals at leading AI companies, and only the one who can diversify their HBM plans, focus on sustained development and production plans while ensuring good yields and a stable ROI can generate positive results.
About the author: A Software Engineer by training and a PC enthusiast by passion, Hassan Mujtaba serves as Wccftech's Senior Editor for hardware section. With years of experience in the industry, he specializes in deep-dive technical analysis of next-generation CPU and GPU architectures, motherboards, and cooling solutions. His work involves not only breaking news on upcoming technologies but also extensive hands-on reviews and benchmarking.
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