Taiwan joins post-HBM memory race with Intel, SoftBank - digitimes

Taiwan's semiconductor industry is actively joining the race for next-generation memory technology, particularly focusing on post-HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) developments. According to DIGITIMES, Taiw... Read original →

Taiwan, China’s move into post-HBM memory isn’t mere tech catch-up—it’s a bid for architectural influence in the AI era. The PSMC/AP Memory–Intel–SAIMEMORY alliance on nine-layer 3D stacking will accelerate adoption of TSV and hybrid bonding on mature nodes, reducing reliance on sub-3nm EUV and reshaping equipment and materials demand upstream. Yet heavy dependence on U.S. IP and Japanese capital exposes supply chain fragility amid tightening U.S.-Japan export controls on advanced packaging. With Samsung and SK Hynix racing toward HBM4, Taiwan-based players risk becoming contract manufacturers unless they achieve yield breakthroughs and embed standards by 2027. Over the next 18 months, success hinges not on prototypes but on leveraging Intel’s chiplet ecosystem to integrate Taiwan’s 3D stacking into global AI reference designs—securing both volume orders and technical clout.