Samsung Strikes Deal with China’s YMTC for 400-Layer NAND Flash Technology
Samsung Electronics has signed a contract with Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. (YMTC), granting it access to the Chinese semiconductor firm’s bonding technology for producing 400-layer NAND flash memory.
YMTC, founded in 2016 and based in Wuhan, China, is a subsidiary of Tsinghua Unigroup, which is backed by the Chinese government. Specializing in 3D NAND flash memory—critical for storage devices like SSDs, smartphones, and data centers—YMTC is best known for its Xtacking technology, an innovative architecture that enhances NAND flash performance and density.
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Avoiding a Patent Dispute
According to Korea’s ChosunBiz, Samsung likely entered this agreement to avoid potential patent conflicts over “hybrid bonding,” a key process in manufacturing high-layer NAND memory.
“YMTC was the first to register the hybrid bonding patent and implement the technology in NAND flash production,” ChosunBiz reports. “While YMTC still lags behind global memory giants like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix in market share, it is quickly closing the gap, having recently begun mass production of 294-layer NAND flash memory.”
The agreement is expected to provide legal protection for both Samsung and YMTC, preventing potential patent infringement disputes. Notably, YMTC previously sued Micron in a U.S. court over alleged violations of its NAND technology patents.
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The US-China Trade War Factor
While patent concerns are a major reason for the deal, there could be broader geopolitical implications. Industry experts suggest that the ongoing US-China trade war might also be influencing the partnership.
“As the US continues to impose restrictions on Chinese semiconductor firms, YMTC may face hurdles in selling its memory components outside of China,” notes eeNews Analog. “A licensing or cross-licensing arrangement with Samsung could offer YMTC new commercial opportunities while allowing Samsung to stay ahead in NAND innovation.”
Although SK Hynix, Samsung’s main South Korean competitor, was not mentioned in the ChosunBiz report, it’s highly likely that it too has explored—or will soon enter—similar licensing agreements with YMTC to gain access to hybrid bonding technology for its own NAND flash memory production.
This deal highlights the growing technological competition between China and global semiconductor leaders, as well as the shifting dynamics of intellectual property and trade in the high-stakes memory chip market.
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