Hanmi Semiconductor (042700.KS) will supply back-end bonding equipment for sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4) to SK hynix (000660.KS). As SK hynix expands its HBM sales share as a high-value memory for artificial intelligence (AI) and executes aggressive capital expenditure (CAPEX), the benefits are spreading to equipment makers such as Hanmi Semiconductor.
Hanmi Semiconductor disclosed Wednesday that it signed a 44.2 billion won TC bonder supply contract with SK hynix. The supply amount corresponds to 7.66% of the company's annual revenue last year. The contract period runs from Wednesday through September 2.
A TC bonder is back-end equipment used to bond chips to one another using heat and compression. Because HBM requires three-dimensional integrated circuit (3DIC) packaging, the TC bonder, essential for stacking, is considered a core piece of equipment.
The "TC Bonder 4.5 Griffin" being supplied this time is an upgraded version of the "TC Bonder 4" that Hanmi Semiconductor unveiled last year. The equipment is expected to be installed in a packaging and test (P&T) fab.
SK hynix is currently making aggressive capital investment in its M15X plant in Cheongju to expand DRAM and HBM capacity. It is also pursuing the expansion of back-end fabs, including P&T7.
