SK hynix unveils heat-reducing HBM technology

SK hynix on Tuesday unveiled a new memory architecture that creates dedicated heat-release pathways inside high-bandwidth memory (HBM), as chipmakers race to address rising heat levels in next-generation AI systems.

The technology, called iHBM, embeds a heat-dissipation element known as ICE directly within the HBM stack, reducing thermal resistance by more than 30% compared with conventional designs. SK hynix said the technology will be introduced with HBM5, the eighth generation of HBM products.

HBM is a high-performance memory technology that stacks memory chips vertically to handle the massive data-processing demands of artificial intelligence applications. As AI workloads become more complex, manufacturers have increased both memory capacity and data-transfer speeds. The performance gains have also generated more heat.

The greatest concentration of heat occurs in the internal interconnect regions where data moves between layers at extremely high speeds. Managing temperatures in these hotspots has become one of the key challenges in developing next-generation HBM products.

SK hynix addresses the issue by placing a thermal-management component directly at those locations. The ICE element is made from a silicon-based material that efficiently transfers heat while remaining electrically insulating. Conventional HBM structures route heat through surrounding chip materials before releasing it outside the package. The iHBM design creates a dedicated thermal pathway that allows heat to escape directly from the hottest areas inside the memory stack.

As a result, operating temperatures remain lower under the same conditions, helping the memory maintain stable performance even under heavy workloads.

The company said the technology can be incorporated into existing manufacturing processes without significant changes to production lines. Customers can also adopt the technology without major redesigns of their systems.

SK hynix plans to introduce iHBM across AI data-center and high-performance computing applications to improve overall system stability and efficiency. “iHBM is an optimized solution for minimizing heat generation, combining our memory-design expertise with advanced packaging technologies,” said Lee Kang-wook, vice president and head of package development at SK hynix.

“We will further strengthen our leadership in AI memory by proactively delivering the technologies and value customers need in the AI era,” he said.


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