Samsung has developed a 12-layer HBM3E memory with record-breaking capacity – 36GB per stack.

Samsung Unveils Record-Breaking HBM3E Technology

The accelerating development of memory systems like High BandWidth Memory(HBM) caters to the increased demand for advanced computation accelerators used in artificial intelligence. In a significant advancement, Samsung Electronics announced the world’s first 12-layer stacked HBM3E, boasting a total capacity of 36GB and delivering data at a speed as high as 1280GB/s.

According to the producer’s brief press release, the 12-layer HBM3E outperforms the market’s existing 8-layer HBM3 stacks by more than 50% in terms of capacity and data transfer speed. The unique manufacturing process involves the use of thermo-compression coupled with a dielectric film to form the 12-layer stacks and inter-layer connections. Thus, the resulting 12-layer HBM3E stack retains the same mounting height as the 8-layer counterparts.

The inter-layer distance within the memory stack is industry-leading, not exceeding 7 micrometers, which is an industry record. This arrangement allowed an increase of more than 20% in the chip density within the stack.

Additionally, Samsung’s technology utilizes contact balls of differing sizes between memory layers. Smaller balls serve as signal carriers, while larger ones enhance heat dissipation. This production technique also indirectly improves the yield rate of quality products, as Samsung asserts.

Per the company’s estimations, the 12-layer HBM3E memory type can boost AI system learning speed by 34%. Furthermore, it can accommodate more than 11.5 times the number of concurrent users compared to the 8-layer HBM3 stack. Samsung has already started delivering engineering samples of the 12-tier HBM3E memory to meet its clients’ needs, with mass production slated to commence in the first half of the current year.