Samsung Allocates Over 50% of Its 4nm Capacity to HBM4 Base Chip Production

ChainCatcher report: Samsung Electronics' foundry division has recently allocated over 50% of its 4-nanometer process capacity to mass production of base chips for sixth-generation High Bandwidth Memory (HBM4). Industry sources indicate that the division will dedicate more than half of its 4-nanometer wafers this second half of the year to HBM4 base chip manufacturing to meet increased demand from customers such as NVIDIA, Broadcom, and AMD. Samsung began volume shipments of HBM4 in February and plans to expand supply starting in the third quarter, significantly increasing wafer投入 from mid-year onward. The chip is manufactured using Samsung Foundry’s 4-nanometer (SF4) process. As of last month, over 50% of Samsung’s total 4-nanometer capacity was allocated to HBM4 base chips. Sources say Samsung’s 4-nanometer production is currently running at full capacity, with HBM4 base chips accounting for approximately 50% to 60% of output—a share expected to remain high in the second half of the year. Samsung’s foundry lines at its Pyeongtaek Plant 2 and 3 produce 4- to 7-nanometer processes, with a 4-nanometer capacity of approximately 30,000 wafers per month, implying around 15,000 wafers per month dedicated to HBM4 base chips. In its second-quarter earnings call, Samsung stated that it expects HBM4 revenue to more than triple quarter-over-quarter in the third quarter, with HBM4 revenue accounting for over 60% of the company’s total HBM revenue in the second half of the year.