As it is predicted that D-RAM and NAND Flash will be booming in the second half of 2015, it is also predicted that performance of major equipment companies will improve. Starting place of this booming will be from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

Investment in equipment in the second half of 2015 will be lead by NAND Flash. Samsung Electronics secures output of 3D-NAND, and SK Hynix is also preparing to mass produce 3D-NAND starting from end of 2015. Even if Korean equipment companies complete new amount of supply that Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix ordered, it is predicted that their performance will greatly increase. Foreign competitors such as Micron, SanDisk, and Toshia are also competing to prepare to mass produce 3D-NAND.

If the structure changes from 2D-NAND where cells are formed as a flat surface to 3D-NAND where cells are formed in layers, metalizing and etching process steps increase during production. Although exposure process remains the same, numbers of metalizing and etching steps increase 50~60% and 30~40% respectively. It is expected that equipment companies such as WonikIPS, Tes, and PSK that supply metalizing and etching equipments from NAND Flash will benefit from this.

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<As it is predicted that D-RAM and NAND Flash will be booming in the second half of 2015, it is also predicted that performance of major equipment companies will improve. Starting place of this booming will be from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Samsung Xian Fab. Photo=Samsung>

Demand for 3D-NAND increased centered on large-capacity data storing device market, and increase of demand for Solid State Drive (SSD) is a prime example. Growth of 3D-NAND market is also a catalyst for increase of storing capacity for premium Smartphones and medium and-low priced phones.

Samsung Electronics is extending 3D-NAND Flash facility in Xi’an, and it is likely that it will invest in mass producing 48-layer 3D-NAND in Xi’an. It is expected that it will extend size of 35,000 wafers by early 2016 and it is also predicted that it will change 32-layer NAND to 48-layer NAND.

SK Hynix is also expected to invest in equipments in the second half of 2015 because it is preparing to mass produce 3D-NAND. Industry world is watching carefully on SK Hynix’s orders in the second half of 2015.

It is expected that investment in D-Ram facility is prepared due to change in micro-processing. It is known that Samsung Electronics increased the importance of 20-nm D-RAM up to 20% compared to last second half. SK Hynix adjusted importance of mass producing of 25-Nano D-RAM up to 60% compared to second half. Hope for equipment companies are high as mass producing of 25-Nano and 20-Nano D-RAM are possible.

Investment in mass producing system semiconductors is another field that is being watched carefully. Industry world is expecting that Samsung Electronics will first install D-Ram facility at 17-line and decide later whether or not it will invest in system semiconductors facilities. There are a lot of interests whether or not it will invest in system semiconductors facilities or extend D-Ram facilities as it is expected.

■ [Table] Prediction of investment in semiconductors facilities in the second half of 2015

▲Samsung Electronics will construct 48-layer 3D-NAND facility that has a size of 35,000 wafers and change 20-Nano D-RAM.

▲SK Hynix will construct 36-layer 3D-NAND facility and 25-Nano and 20-Nano D-RAM facility.

Staff Reporter Bae, Okjin | withok@etnews.com