SK Hynix Inc. is advancing its adoption of hybrid bonding technology for NAND flash memory production, targeting mass production of 300-layer chips by early 2027 as competitive pressure mounts from Chinese and Japanese rivals, Korea Economic Daily reported.
The South Korean chipmaker is developing its 10th-generation V10 NAND at approximately 300 layers, planning to complete development through a pilot line next year before shifting to full-scale production, according to the report citing industry sources. The company currently mass-produces 321-layer V9 chips using conventional manufacturing methods.
The timeline represents an acceleration from earlier expectations that SK Hynix would introduce hybrid bonding only at 400 layers or above. The shift comes as competitors have already commercialized the technology. China’s YMTC began using its Xtacking hybrid bonding process in 2018, while Japan’s Kioxia adopted its CBA architecture in 2023. Samsung Electronics Co. is preparing to apply hybrid bonding to its own V10 chips at around 400 layers.
Hybrid bonding enables manufacturers to produce memory cell arrays and peripheral circuits on separate wafers before joining them, reducing thermal stress and improving yields at higher layer counts.
SK Hynix holds roughly 21% of the global NAND market, ranking second behind Samsung. The company also plans to convert between 40,000 and 60,000 12-inch wafers per month of existing capacity to V9 production next year, with an industry source telling the publication that factories are currently operating at full capacity due to rising enterprise SSD demand.
