Samsung to use MR-MUF technology, like SK hynix, for its future-gen HBM products

Samsung is reportedly using MUF technology for its next-gen HBM chip production, with the South Korean giant reportedly issuing purchasing orders for MUF tools.

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The company says that the "rumors" it will use MUF technology are "not true," according to Reuters, which is reporting the news. HBM makers like SK hynix, Micron, and Samsung are all fighting for the future of HBM technology and future-gen AI GPUs, and it seems Samsung has its tail between its legs now.

One reason Samsung is falling behind is that it has stuck with its chip-making technology, non-conductive film (NCF), which has caused production issues. Meanwhile, HBM competitor and South Korean rival SK Hynix has switched to mass reflow molded underfill (MR-MUF) to work through NCF's weakness, "according to analysts and industry watchers," reports Reuters.

One of the sources told Reuters: "Samsung had to do something to ramp up its HBM (production) yields ... adopting MUF technique is a little bit of swallow-your-pride type thing for Samsung, because it ended up following the technique first used by SK Hynix".

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Samsung has referred to its NCF technology as an "optimal solution" for HBM products, and the company will use it in its coming HBM3E memory. Samsung responded to Reuters, saying, "We are carrying out our HBM3E product business as planned."

Reuters published its article, to which Samsung issued a statement addressing it, saying "rumors that Samsung will apply MR-MUF to its HBM production are not true". Samsung's current HBM3 chip production yields are sitting at around 10-20%, which is far behind SK hynix with 60-70% yield rates for its HBM3 production "according to several analysts," adds Reuters.

Samsung is reportedly in talks with material manufacturers, including Japan's Nagase, to secure itself MUF materials. Mass production of the new high-end chips using MUF technology is "unlikely to be ready until next year at the earliest, as Samsung needs to run more tests" added Reuters' source.