SK Hynix and Intel Collaborate on Packaging Development, AI Chip Supply Chain May Witness Significant Shift

According to the South Korean media ZDNet, SK Hynix is working with Intel on the development of 2.5D packaging technology and testing the use of Intel EMIB (Embedded Multi-chip Interconnect Bridge) embedded substrate to integrate HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) with system semiconductors. Insider sources have indicated that the project is still in the early stages of development, but SK Hynix has started searching for materials and parts needed for potential mass production in the future.

The supply bottleneck of AI accelerators is extending from single chips to advanced packaging processes. High-performance logic chips such as GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) need to be connected with HBM through 2.5D packaging, with the packaging solution directly impacting the communication efficiency between chips and, in turn, affecting yield, reliability, and delivery schedules.

Currently, the supply chain for 2.5D packaging used by large technology companies heavily relies on TSMC's CoWoS (Chip-on-Wafer-on-Substrate). Amid increasing demand for AI semiconductors and tightened supply of CoWoS, the market is reassessing whether Intel EMIB could serve as a supplementary solution.

The EMIB, unlike CoWoS which relies on a large area interposer, uses small silicon bridges to connect chips, placing the bridging structure only where interconnection is necessary. As a result, chip arrangement can be more flexible, opening an opportunity for Intel to expand its advanced packaging business.

For SK Hynix, testing EMIB does not necessarily mean an immediate switch in supply chain. A more realistic significance lies in the fact that if HBM suppliers adapt to different packaging structures in advance, they can better match subsequent integration requirements during the product design phase, thereby improving yield and stability.

The report states that SK Hynix operates a small-scale 2.5D packaging R&D line in South Korea, and Intel is also promoting EMIB to SK Hynix and major OSATs (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) companies.