Chinese memory makers are slowly but surely adopting the production of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for AI and HPC processors. This week, Nikkei reported that a third China-based producer, Tongfu Microelectronics, began sampling its HBM products with select customers. Such action indicates that the ecosystem required to make this type of memory is developing. Interestingly, AMD is a major client and shareholder of Tongfu.
Truth to be told, Tongfu Microelectronics is not exactly a DRAM maker. The company is the world’s third-largest outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) service provider, and its most notable customer is AMD through their TF-AMD joint venture. Participation of a major OSAT in the Chinese HBM race makes its contribution even more intriguing. For now, Tongfu is sampling HBM2 memory packages with select customers, Nikkei claims, citing “multiple” sources.
