SK hynix eyes advanced packaging technology in AI era

[Courtesy of SK hynix Inc.]

SK hynix Inc. will contribute to the development of high-performance memory chips using advanced packaging technology, according to Choi Woo-jin, vice president and head of Packaging & Test (P&T) business.

“P&T technology is turning into a crucial factor in the battle for semiconductor leadership,” Choi said, in an interview posted on SK hynix’s website on Thursday. “As demand for high-performance chips is exploding in the AI era, we will contribute to the development of the highest-performance memory products through advanced packaging technologies.”

Choi is a packaging expert whose career has focused on memory chip packaging research and development over the past 30 years.

The P&T division involves packaging wafers completed from the entire process in the fab into product forms and testing to ensure they function according to customer requirements.

“In the age of AI, SK hynix is focusing on signature memories which possess diverse aspects required by customers, including various capabilities, sizes, shapes, and power efficiency,” Choi said.

He added that “to realize these products, we are advancing technologies such as TSV and MR-MUF, which play a key role in HBM performance. Moreover, we are developing various next-generation packaging technologies, including chiplet4 and hybrid bonding.”

Choi stressed the chip manufacturer‘s commitment to driving endless innovation and leveraging its technological prowess to the fullest.

He also highlighted the company’s swift response to the surge in demand for DRAMs triggered by the ChatGPT debut, which involved the speedy adoption of Through Silicon Via (TSV) packaging lines to enhance production capacity without additional investment.

Choi played a key role in SK hynix‘s strategic plan to establish a packaging production facility in Indiana, the United States, as part of the company’s global expansion.

“In the short term, we plan to strengthen our domestic production capabilities to meet demand for HBM while leveraging our global base to maximize profitability,” he said. “In the long run, we aim to secure more innovative packaging technologies like MR-MUF, which is now a vital technology to HBM.”