[News] China’s YMTC Dominates Hybrid Bonding Patents, Pressuring South Korean Memory Giants Samsung and SK hynix

As memory giants accelerate development in HBM4 and high-layer NAND, hybrid bonding technology is drawing heightened attention. South Korean leaders Samsung Electronics and SK hynix remain behind in key patents, according to a report from ZDNet. The report highlights that Samsung and SK hynix have disclosed relatively few hybrid bonding-related patents—falling short of Chinese competitor Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. (YMTC).

Samsung Reportedly Licenses Hybrid Bonding Tech from China’s YMTC

As the report indicates, Samsung Electronics has reportedly signed a licensing deal with YMTC to adopt hybrid bonding technology in its next-generation NAND. The move is said to reflect the challenge of circumventing YMTC’s patents, which are seen as difficult to avoid.

YMTC, China’s largest NAND manufacturer, has been mass-producing hybrid bonding-based NAND under its “Xtacking” brand for about four years, the report notes. The company employs a wafer-to-wafer (W2W) method, manufacturing memory cells and peripheral circuits on separate wafers and bonding them into a single chip.

China’s YMTC Outpaces Korean Giants in Hybrid Bonding Patents

According to data obtained by ZDNet from French patent analysis firm KnowMade, YMTC disclosed 119 hybrid bonding-related patents between 2017 and January 2024.

By comparison, Samsung Electronics—despite starting filings earlier in 2015—had only 83 patents by the end of 2023. SK hynix, which began filing in 2020, disclosed just 11.

Another report from ZDNet further points out that the majority of hybrid bonding patents are currently held by Xperi, YMTC, and TSMC.

South Korean Memory Giants Accelerate Hybrid Bonding Efforts

As noted by Financial News, traditional methods like TC bonding face yield challenges beyond 16-high HBM products. In contrast, hybrid bonding—by directly connecting chips without bumps—enables thinner stacks, more layers, reduced signal loss, and better yields. These benefits are especially critical for SK hynix, the current leader in HBM.

Meanwhile, Sedaily states that Samsung is aiming to produce 12-layer HBM4 by the end of the year and is actively researching hybrid bonding. The company is also said to be working with its equipment subsidiary, SEMES, to support the technology’s development.

According to TrendForce, the focus on HBM products in the DRAM industry is increasingly turning attention toward advanced packaging technologies like hybrid bonding. Major HBM manufacturers are considering whether to adopt hybrid bonding for HBM4 16hi stack products but have confirmed plans to implement this technology in the HBM5 20hi stack generation.

Read more

• [News] Samsung Rumored to Adopt Hybrid Bonding Patent from China’s YMTC for 400+ Layer NAND
• [News] The TC Bonder Dispute: Is Hybrid Bonding for 16Hi HBM the Spark Behind the Hanmi-SK hynix Rift?
• HBM5 20hi Stack to Adopt Hybrid Bonding Technology, Potentially Transforming Business Models, Says TrendForce

(Photo credit: YMTC)