Thermo-compression and hybrid-bonding tools

Why the concentration exists

Thermo-compression bonding joins semiconductor die using precisely controlled heat and force. The process typically requires temperatures of 350 to 400 degrees Celsius and forces of up to 100 grams per bump to establish electrical connections. An advanced thermo-compression bonding tool places between 500 and 1,000 die per hour and costs approximately $1.25 million per system. The technology enables sub-50 micrometer interconnects for high-speed data transfer, with integrated device manufacturers prioritizing fluxless bonding to keep defect rates below 0.5 percent in optimized production lines.[26][10][24]

The bonding process faces yield challenges as stack complexity increases. Research demonstrates that N=2 die-level collective die-to-wafer hybrid bonding consistently achieves bond yields close to 100 percent with die transfer yields exceeding 99 percent. However, yields drop significantly for N=3 and N=4 die-level stacks. Hybrid bonding has demonstrated reliability after 2,000 temperature cycles ranging from minus 40 to 150 degrees Celsius. The technology is already used in AMD X3D, TSMC SoIC, and partially in HBM4 16-Hi products.[8][9][27][22]

What the evidence shows

Who supplies it

Hanmi Semiconductor dominates the HBM thermo-compression bonder market with a 71.2 percent global market share in 2025. The South Korean company holds a 90 percent share in the mass-production HBM3E sector specifically. Hanmi has served as the exclusive supplier of TC bonders to SK hynix since 2017. The company has filed 130 patents related to HBM equipment since 2002. TechInsights data placed Hanmi first in the HBM TC bonder market in 2025, with cumulative sales reaching $247.7 million in the third quarter of that year.[15][16][5][14]

BESI holds a 67 percent market share in the global hybrid bonding equipment market. The company won an order for hybrid bonding systems from a leading semiconductor logic manufacturer in May for its latest generation system featuring 100-nanometer placement accuracy. BESI's hybrid bonders cost roughly 6 billion won per unit, approximately twice the price of competing systems. Kulicke and Soffa, BESI, and ASM Pacific are identified as the three major tool players in the thermo-compression bonding landscape.[18][19][25][10]

ASM Pacific Technology reached a milestone with its 250th thermo-compression bonding tool shipped to customers. The company partnered with EV Group to enable the industry's first ultra-precision die-to-wafer hybrid bonding solutions for 3D-IC heterogeneous integration. ASMPT secured additional orders for 15 Chip-to-Substrate Thermo-Compression Bonding tools for AI computing chips from a major OSAT partner. EV Group established the Heterogeneous Integration Competence Center to assist customers in leveraging process solutions for new products driven by advances in system integration.[1][11][12][23]

What it depends on, and what depends on it

Thermo-compression bonders serve as essential equipment for HBM memory production. Hanmi Semiconductor's TC bonders are vital for manufacturing HBM3, HBM3E, and HBM4 memory modules. SK hynix and Samsung Foundry rely on Hanmi's TC bonders to produce their advanced HBM modules. The processors powering modern data centers and AI advances all depend on advanced packaging utilizing fine and ultra-fine pitch interconnections, which in turn rely on thermo-compression bonding technology.[13][2]

Where it sits in the stack

What would break it

Hanmi Semiconductor posted declining financial results for the first quarter of 2026. Consolidated revenue reached 50.9 billion won with operating profit of 8.45 billion won, representing year-over-year declines of 65.5 percent and 87.9 percent respectively. Sangsangin Securities analysts forecast Q2 2026 revenue could recover to approximately 227.6 billion won with operating profit of roughly 110.3 billion won, driven by new TC Bonder 4.5 Griffin contracts from SK hynix.[20]

Delays in hybrid bonding commercialization for mass-production HBM have driven continued investment in thermo-compression technology. Hanmi Semiconductor is preparing a wide TC bonder for high-stack HBM5 and HBM6 products with more than 20 layers, targeting the second half of 2026. JEDEC is reviewing a plan to relax HBM package height standards from 775 micrometers to around 900 micrometers, which could extend the viability of TC bonding for higher stack heights.[17][21]

What to watch

Hanmi Semiconductor plans several product launches across 2026 and 2027. The company targets the second half of 2026 for its wide TC bonder designed for HBM5 and HBM6 products. Hanmi also plans to launch a prototype of its second-generation hybrid bonder within 2026 and begin customer collaboration. The company's commercial hybrid bonding equipment is targeted for release by the end of 2027. Hanmi is building a hybrid bonder factory in the Juan National Industrial Complex in Incheon, scheduled for completion in the first half of 2027.[17][21][7][15]

Hanmi Semiconductor is preparing to deliver its first batch of HBF TC bonders to customers in the second half of 2026. SanDisk plans to release its first HBF samples in the second half of 2026, followed by AI chip-integrated samples in early 2027. The first-generation HBF product is expected to feature a 16-layer NAND stack. Hanmi began mass production of its thermal compression bonder for HBM4 on July 9, 2025.[4][6]

Samsung Electronics plans to install approximately 50 die-to-wafer hybrid bonding bonders at its Pyeongtaek campus for next-generation HBM and logic chips. Hanmi Semiconductor plans to open a San Jose subsidiary as U.S. AI semiconductor manufacturing capacity expands. EV Group is hosting a Technology Day in Hsinchu in 2026 featuring advanced process technologies for the AI era.[25][14][3]

Related nodes

No other tracked node in the atlas currently shares this parent.

Sources

1. asmpt.com
2. kns.com
3. evgroup.com
4. trendforce.com · 2026-06-05
5. trendforce.com · 2025-04-23
6. digitimes.com · Jul 9, 2025
7. digitimes.com · Jul 31, 2025
8. semiengineering.com · 2024-07-23
9. semiengineering.com · 2024-10-24
10. newsletter.semianalysis.com · Jan 19, 2022
11. asmpt.com
12. asmpt.com · 2025-12-22
13. koreaplus-lifes.com
14. alpinumconsulting.com
15. mk.co.kr · 2025-12-22
16. mk.co.kr · 2025-11-18
17. thelec.net · 2026-06-08
18. eu.36kr.com
19. kedglobal.com
20. techtimes.com · Q1 2026
21. semiconductor-digest.com
22. photoncap.net · April 2026
23. 3dincites.com
24. industryresearch.biz · mid-2025
25. thelec.net · 2026-04
26. palomartechnologies.com
27. 3dincites.com · 2015