Thermal compression (TC) bonders are in high demand from the launch of high bandwidth memory (Hbm) and 3D packaging by chipmakers.
Accordingly, chipmakers are diversifying their suppliers. Samsung is procuring them from Toray, Shinkawa, and its own subsidiary Semes, sources said.
Meanwhile, SK Hynix is procuring them from Singapore’s ASMPT and domestic firm Hanmi Semiconductor.
TC bonders use thermal compression to bond and stack chips on wafers that have finished processing.
They are used in the production of HBM and 3D packaging which requires lots of bonding during their production.
Japanese companies are major suppliers of the equipment and besides ASMPT of Singapore there is also BESI of the Netherlands.
Most South Korean chipmakers relied on imported bonders but have recently added Semes and Hanmi Semiconductor as their suppliers as well.
However, overseas companies still dominate the bonder market for logic chips.
BESI and ASMPT supply their bonders to TSMC, ASE, and Emkor.
Samsung, thanks to recently securing Nvidia as a packaging customer, is also expanding its spending on securing packaging capacity.
The South Korean tech giant continues to install more bonders at its packaging plant in Onyang, sources said.
