SanDisk announced on Aug. 6 that it will unveil next-generation NAND technologies for artificial intelligence (AI) applications at Future of Memory and Storage (FMS) 2026.

The technologies to be showcased include High Bandwidth Flash (HBF), next-generation NAND products and enterprise solid-state drives (SSDs). The solutions are designed for AI computing environments such as high-speed data lakes, model storage, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and key-value (KV) cache workloads. SanDisk plans to demonstrate how these technologies can address the diverse requirements of AI inference.

HBF is a NAND-based memory technology. Similar to High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), it vertically stacks NAND dies to increase data transfer speeds. The technology delivers high-bandwidth performance while offering greater capacity scalability than DRAM because it is NAND-based. HBF is designed for large-scale AI inference workloads that require both high bandwidth and large memory capacity.

SanDisk is participating in the HBF Specification Standardization Consortium alongside SK hynix. On Aug. 4, the consortium released its first HBF standard. The specification defines two configurations using eight-layer and 16-layer NAND die stacks. Maximum memory capacity is set at 512GB, while bandwidth is categorized into three performance tiers ranging from 0.4 terabytes per second (TB/s) to 3TB/s.

The company will also present its next-generation BiCS10 quad-level cell (QLC) NAND technology. The 3D NAND product is designed to improve density, performance and power efficiency to meet growing storage demand from AI data centers and cloud computing environments. SanDisk shipped samples of its BiCS10 triple-level cell (TLC) NAND last month.

In the enterprise SSD segment, SanDisk will showcase products based on the PCI Express (PCIe) 6.0 standard. The SSDs are designed in the E3.S form factor, a next-generation server storage specification. The products feature enhanced endurance for KV cache applications and reduced onboard DRAM requirements to maximize storage capacity. DRAM inside SSDs is typically used to store mapping tables that track the location of stored data.

The company will also introduce its AI Data Cycle Framework, an enhanced version of SanDisk’s proprietary framework designed to provide a comprehensive view of storage requirements across AI workloads. AI storage systems are used for functions including raw data archives, high-speed data lakes, model training, inference and generative content repositories.

“Growing inference workloads are creating demand for memory and storage technologies that can deliver optimal performance, capacity and power efficiency,” said Khurram Ismail, Chief Product Officer at SanDisk.

Machine vision inspection system company iVisionWorks has begun developing semiconductor wafer inspection equipment, the company announced on Aug. 5.

The new system will be a wafer metrology and inspection platform built on a high-sensitivity optical architecture. The market is currently dominated by overseas suppliers such as KLA and Hitachi High-Tech. iVisionWorks said it aims to develop a product that can compete on both defect detection capability and inspection speed.

The company plans to complete proof-of-concept (PoC) testing in the second half of this year and finish a prototype in the first half of next year. The prototype will then be used for customer evaluations.

Wafer inspection systems are used to identify defects generated during semiconductor manufacturing processes. Their performance has a significant impact on production yield and manufacturing efficiency.

Demand for wafer inspection equipment has been rising rapidly as the global expansion of artificial intelligence drives increased semiconductor production.

According to market research firm Fortune Business Insights, the global semiconductor defect inspection equipment market was valued at approximately $6.14 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach about $13.41 billion by 2034.

"We are concentrating our company-wide capabilities on entering the semiconductor inspection equipment market," said Gil Gi-jae, Chief Executive Officer of iVisionWorks.

"The semiconductor inspection equipment market has high technological barriers to entry, but we intend to leverage our accumulated precision optical technologies to establish a position in the sector and secure a new growth momentum," he added.

iVisionWorks currently supplies machine vision inspection equipment for secondary battery manufacturing processes.

Machine vision systems are automated measurement and identification platforms that combine optical hardware, software and image-processing technologies to inspect products and manufacturing processes.

Samsung Electronics unveiled next-generation 3D memory technologies, including z-axis High Bandwidth Memory (zHBM) and zNAND-O, as the company seeks to strengthen its position in the rapidly growing artificial intelligence market.

Samsung on Aug. 5 showcased mockups of zHBM and zNAND-O for the first time at the Future of Memory and Storage (FMS) 2026 conference in California. During a keynote presentation on Aug. 4 local time, the company also outlined its vision for maximizing performance and power efficiency in high-performance computing (HPC) and AI systems through the use of zHBM, zNAND-O and other advanced memory technologies.

zHBM Delivers Up to Eight Times Higher Performance Through New Architecture

zHBM is a next-generation architecture that vertically stacks HBM on top of AI accelerators, or xPUs, along the z-axis. The design minimizes the distance data must travel between memory and AI processors, improving bandwidth and power efficiency while supporting the ultra-high-speed data processing required for training and inference of large-scale AI models.

Conventional architectures place HBM around the AI accelerator. Samsung said that approach faces limitations in meeting the performance requirements of next-generation HPC and AI infrastructure.

According to the company, zHBM can deliver up to eight times the data-processing performance of eighth-generation High Bandwidth Memory (HBM5) while improving performance per watt by a factor of three. Thermal resistance is reduced by more than half, enhancing both system stability and energy efficiency.

Samsung described zHBM as a customizable family of 3D memory products. The architecture allows customers to add semiconductor intellectual property (IP) blocks to an interlayer positioned between the memory and AI accelerator. These blocks can be tailored to expand memory capacity or optimize accelerator performance for specific workloads.

The company said it plans to work closely with customers to co-optimize AI processors and memory systems and maximize the performance potential of zHBM.

Samsung Reveals HBM-Like zNAND-O and 400-Plus-Layer V10 BV-NAND

Samsung also introduced zNAND-O, a next-generation high-performance NAND flash family currently under development. The technology combines Samsung's vertical V-NAND stacking architecture with Through-Silicon Via (TSV) technology. TSVs are used in HBM to electrically and physically connect vertically stacked DRAM dies. Samsung's zNAND-O adopts a structure similar to High Bandwidth Flash (HBF), which is being developed by SK Hynix and Sandisk.

The "O" in zNAND-O refers to on-device AI applications. Samsung demonstrated four-layer and eight-layer 3D-packaged V-NAND configurations designed to deliver high space efficiency, increased read bandwidth and faster response times. The company said the technology is well suited for environments requiring real-time processing of large volumes of data.

During the keynote, Samsung also unveiled its V10 Bonding Vertical (BV)-NAND technology featuring more than 400 layers. The next-generation NAND architecture improves both performance and power efficiency. The displayed zNAND-O mockup was built using the V10 NAND platform.

BV-NAND separates the NAND cell array and peripheral circuitry onto different wafers before vertically bonding them together. The process utilizes advanced wafer-bonding technology that enables three-dimensional integration of multiple wafers.

Samsung further combines the approach with a three-stack architecture, in which V-NAND cells are manufactured in three separate stacks and then vertically interconnected. The company said memory density improves by approximately 58% compared with the previous V9 generation, enabling greater storage capacity within the same footprint. Read, write and input/output performance have also been enhanced.

HBM4E, HBM5 and Processing-in-Memory Technologies Also Displayed

Samsung's exhibition area featured more than 30 memory products spanning DRAM and NAND technologies. Highlights included a next-generation AI computing platform based on HBM4E, wafer samples, and an HBM5 mockup incorporating Heat Path Block (HPB) technology. HPB adds vertical heat-dissipation channels along the sides of HBM core dies to improve thermal management.

The company also showcased LPDDR5X-PIM, which combines low-power LPDDR5X DRAM with Processing-in-Memory (PIM) functionality. Samsung described the product as the world's first implementation of its kind, enabling more efficient data movement and improved power efficiency.

Storage products optimized for AI workloads were also displayed, including the PM1763 and BM1773. PM1763 is Samsung's next-generation enterprise solid-state drive (SSD), designed for high-speed reading and efficient data processing. BM1773 is an ultra-high-capacity enterprise SSD aimed at supporting large-scale AI training datasets.

Samsung emphasized that it remains the world's only integrated device manufacturer (IDM) capable of providing a one-stop solution spanning memory, logic semiconductors, foundry services and packaging.

"We can provide integrated services from the product design stage through mass production, helping customers shorten development cycles while optimizing performance and power efficiency," the company said. "This enables customized AI semiconductor solutions tailored to customer requirements."

Semiconductor test equipment maker DI is expected to post record quarterly results in the second quarter.

Hana Securities estimated on July 24 that DI will report second-quarter revenue of 160.6 billion won and operating profit of 33.1 billion won. That would represent increases of 34.7% and 169.8%, respectively, from a year earlier, marking the company's highest quarterly figures on record. Combined with first-quarter operating profit of about 18.9 billion won, first-half operating profit is projected to reach 52.0 billion won, surpassing the company's full-year operating profit for last year within six months.

Behind the strong performance are wafer testers for sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4) made by DI's subsidiary Digital Frontier (DF). Earlier this year, DF won orders worth 196 billion won from SK hynix for the equipment.

Those deliveries were concentrated in the second quarter. As a result, DF's second-quarter revenue is expected to increase 76.8% from the previous quarter to 96.2 billion won. HBM4 testers also carry higher margins, with the subsidiary's operating margin estimated to have risen to 30% from 26% in the first quarter.

DI's standalone second-quarter revenue is also expected to exceed 60 billion won, supported by higher shipments of package testers. Package testers are used in the step following wafer testing. They inspect semiconductor packages — chips that have been diced from wafers, wrapped in protective material and assembled into finished form. DI has a product lineup capable of testing DRAM, NAND flash and non-memory semiconductors, with Samsung Electronics as its key customer.

The second-half outlook is also positive. Discussions are underway on additional HBM4 tester supply, which is expected to extend related revenue through the end of this year. Commodity DRAM prices have also risen sharply, accelerating customers' capital spending. DF is continuing to ship its own DRAM package testers, and supply of NAND wafer testers began in the third quarter.

Because memory manufacturers had concentrated their existing capital spending on HBM, investment in commodity products is expected to expand over an extended period.

Hana Securities forecast DI's consolidated third-quarter revenue at more than 180 billion won. It estimated full-year revenue of 573 billion won and operating profit of 101.3 billion won.

Customer investment is expected to continue next year. SK hynix will open the cleanroom at P&T7, a semiconductor back-end packaging and test plant in Cheongju. The plant will produce HBM using a 2.5D packaging process. In NAND, Samsung Electronics plans an expansion of its P5 fab at the Pyeongtaek Campus, while SK hynix has also planned an investment in its new M17 fab in Cheongju.

TRUMPF Korea has expressed strong confidence in achieving double-digit revenue growth for its 2026–2027 fiscal year, which began in July. The company expects to benefit from growth in the semiconductor sector, rising demand for machine tool automation, and the resumption of investments across previously stagnant industrial sectors.

Founded in 1923, TRUMPF is a representative German "hidden champion"—a term referring to highly competitive industry leaders that are not widely known to the general public. TRUMPF is widely recognized as the exclusive supplier of the "drive laser"—a carbon dioxide (CO₂) laser source—used in ASML's extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems. The company operates four primary divisions: Machine Tools, Laser Technology, Power Electronics, and its EUV Lithography division.

"In the previous fiscal year, our Korean branch faced operational challenges due to rising exchange rates and downturns in the battery and display industries," said Geun-min Ryu, managing director of TRUMPF Korea. "However, this year, driven by advances in laser technology and machine tool automation, we expect to achieve double-digit growth and surpass 200 billion won in revenue."

One product line expected to fuel this growth is the Power Electronics division's radio frequency (RF) generator module, which is installed in semiconductor etching and deposition equipment. Driven by the rapid surge in High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) demand, the market for related processing equipment is expanding, which in turn is boosting module sales.

The transition toward laser technology in semiconductor wafer dicing is another major growth opportunity. Wafer dicing involves cutting device wafers after front-end fabrication for back-end packaging. TRUMPF's global R&D team is currently co-developing a "pure laser dicing" process with LeadroTech, which cuts wafers using lasers alone. TRUMPF is also actively communicating and conducting technology validation with domestic memory semiconductor manufacturers.

Compared to traditional mechanical cutting, pure laser dicing lowers the risk of micro-cracks or defects on semiconductor chips. By preventing physical damage to high-cost chips, it helps customers reduce yield loss. Currently, manufacturers rely primarily on mechanical blades, using lasers only in a supplementary role.

However, achieving high yields with laser dicing requires precise power control, ultra-short pulse-width optimization, and thermal management technology. "We expect customer equipment featuring this technology to undergo validation testing in South Korea around early next year," Ryu explained. TRUMPF does not manufacture complete semiconductor processing equipment directly. Instead, it supplies components like laser sources and RF generators to equipment manufacturers, who then deliver the fully assembled systems to semiconductor producers.

In TRUMPF's machine tool division—a stable source of revenue—demand for automation solutions is rising steadily. As manufacturing sectors face severe labor shortages, finding skilled equipment operators has become increasingly difficult. TRUMPF's machine tools are widely used in manufacturing for metal bending, cutting, and punching. "In the past, most customers purchased standalone machine tools. Today, not only large corporations but also small job shops are actively adopting automated systems that operate unmanned during nights or weekends," Ryu noted. This trend has driven steady sales growth for the machine tool division in South Korea.

TRUMPF also anticipates expanded investments across recovering downstream sectors such as batteries and displays. "In the battery sector, investments are shifting toward Energy Storage Systems (ESS)," Ryu said. "We also expect the domestic display industry's investments in new 6th-generation Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) production lines to materialize soon." TRUMPF Korea supplies continuous-wave (CW) 'TruFiber' laser sources and optical sensors tailored for battery manufacturing, as well as the ultra-short pulse laser 'TruMicro' platform for glass processing.

Furthermore, the expansion of Hyundai Motor Group and its Tier-1 domestic suppliers into North American production hubs represents a positive driver. TRUMPF supplies 3D 5-axis laser processing machines to major automotive manufacturers and suppliers, holding a market share near 100%. With 71 subsidiaries and 11 production sites globally, TRUMPF provides rapid technical support and real-time predictive maintenance capabilities that detect equipment anomalies proactively.

Regarding glass substrate through-glass via (TGV) process investments, Ryu maintained a cautious stance. "TGV involves far more than simply drilling holes with a laser; it requires precise alignment across aspect-ratio control, copper plating, and sputtering processes," Ryu remarked. "While several domestic equipment makers are conducting pilot tests, it will take more time before mass-production equipment orders materialize."

Q&A

Q: Could you introduce TRUMPF and explain what kind of company it is?

A: TRUMPF was founded in 1923 and has a history of over 100 years. It is a family-owned business and a representative German "hidden champion." Because it is family-owned, there are no public shareholders, allowing the company to maintain a long-term operational vision without being bound by short-term profit margins. This structure enables us to invest heavily in long-term R&D. Globally, TRUMPF operates 71 subsidiaries and 11 production hubs, employing approximately 18,000 people. Our fiscal year runs from July to June, and global revenue reached approximately 7.5 trillion won in the previous fiscal year.

Q: Is the Laser Technology division your main core business?

A: Not exclusively. Globally, the Machine Tools division is TRUMPF's largest unit. It manufactures laser cutting machines, automatic and manual bending machines, punching machines, pipe processors, and combination machines that handle both punching and cutting. It also encompasses smart factory automation equipment that integrates directly with storage systems. In Germany, TRUMPF is widely known primarily as a machine tool company.

In the Laser division, we have transitioned from disc lasers to fiber lasers, and we provide ultra-short pulse lasers operating in picosecond (ps) and femtosecond (fs) ranges for ultra-precision processing. This division delivers core technologies to the semiconductor, display, automotive, and battery industries.

Thirdly, we have the Power Electronics division. With rising HBM demand, our RF generator modules serve as critical components in etching and deposition equipment.

Q: Are RF generator modules primarily supplied as modular components to equipment builders?

A: Yes, they are installed as modules within larger processing equipment. Lastly, we have the EUV Lithography division. We exclusively supply the CO₂ laser sources (drive lasers) used inside EUV lithography equipment. Based on those laser systems, equipment is supplied to key end-customers such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

Q: So the company consists of four main divisions?

A: Yes, there are four primary business divisions. Additionally, with the rise of AI, integrated services across all four divisions—covering machines, lasers, and generators—are becoming increasingly vital. Customers no longer focus solely on raw manufacturing capacity; they focus heavily on quality management, driving demand for integrated software solutions.

Q: So software solutions are bundled alongside those four divisions?

A: Yes. Customers in our Machine Tools division often purchase our software alongside equipment. Those using competitor equipment sometimes adopt compatible third-party software. The same applies to our Laser division. We supply not only laser sources, but also optical sensors like Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) sensors and Programmable Focusing Optics (PFO) as bundled packages. While some customers buy full packages, System Integration (SI) equipment manufacturers may purchase only our laser sources and integrate their own software and sensors. We offer flexible options, ranging from standalone laser sources to comprehensive end-to-end solutions combining optics, sensors, software, and real-time process monitoring.

Q: Is revenue reported by division, or is service tracked as a fifth segment?

A: Service functions are embedded within each division, but because many service operations overlap, we manage and operate services across all divisions as a single unified structure.

Q: You mentioned recent global revenue was around 7.5 trillion won. What was it in prior fiscal years?

A: It typically ranged between 8.5 trillion and 9 trillion won. Between 2024 and 2025, overall macroeconomic downturns caused revenue to decline by about 15%. Beyond semiconductors, downturns in battery and industrial sectors across Germany, the US, and South Korea impacted performance.

Q: What is the revenue breakdown by division?

A: Machine Tools is the largest, accounting for over half of total revenue at around 4 trillion won. Laser Technology generates roughly 1 to 1.5 trillion won, while Power Electronics and the EUV Lithography division generate approximately 1 trillion won each.

Q: Machine Tools is indeed the largest unit.

A: Historically, Machine Tools has been our foundational business. Most customers know TRUMPF as a maker of sheet metal cutting, bending, and punching equipment. In South Korea, our customer base spans from very small job shops with a few employees to major industrial conglomerates.

Q: How long have you served as managing director of TRUMPF Korea?

A: I completed my studies in the United States and managed various R&D and business operations across the US and Europe before assuming the position of Managing Director for South Korea on July 1, 2025. I have just completed my first full fiscal year in this role.

Q: Is the revenue breakdown in South Korea similar to global proportions?

A: South Korea is unique in that the Laser division is significantly larger, accounting for more than half of our local revenue. It is essentially the reverse of our global breakdown. The remainder is divided among Machine Tools, Power Electronics, and the EUV Lithography division.

Q: After your first year in office, what key directives or goals has global headquarters emphasized?

A: Given my academic and professional background in laser R&D in the US, I have extensive experience in laser technologies. Having also worked for three years in our EUV lithography division in the Netherlands, I have hands-on experience across our business units. Headquarters tasked me with taking an active, customer-centric approach. Customers today look beyond raw productivity; they focus heavily on process efficiency, energy consumption, and automation due to severe field labor shortages. In line with headquarters' guidance, I spend most of my time visiting and communicating directly with clients nationwide.

Q: Is that customer-centric approach why TRUMPF Korea operates multiple regional service offices beyond its Seoul headquarters?

A: Yes. While our Dongtan and Pyeongtaek offices primarily support the EUV division, we also operate regional hubs in Cheonan, Daegu, Gwangju, and Busan. Because most of our customers are located along the Gyeongbu Highway axis, maintaining local hubs allows us to deliver technical support and service as quickly as possible.

Q: Have there been notable shifts in your revenue structure over the past year?

A: Our Machine Tools division faced challenges in the previous fiscal year but returned to growth this year. The Laser division maintained revenue levels similar to the previous fiscal year.

Q: Which specific areas are you focusing on personally?

A: While a managing director must oversee all business units, the Laser and Machine Tools divisions naturally take up a significant portion of my attention due to their size and scope. That is not to say Power Electronics or EUV are less important, but Laser Technology drives our largest revenue share, while Machine Tools encompasses the highest number of individual clients. Given my background in laser physics, I naturally have a strong affinity for the Laser division, and as our primary revenue driver, it requires close attention.

Q: Who are the main customers for the Laser division?

A: Unlike the Machine Tools client base, Laser division clients are primarily major corporations in high-tech industries such as semiconductors, displays, and automotive. While we sometimes deal with end-user conglomerates directly, our primary customers are equipment builders who integrate our lasers and optical sensors into their machinery, which is then delivered to manufacturing sites in South Korea, Vietnam, Hungary, the US, and beyond.

Q: Why do equipment manufacturers choose TRUMPF laser sources over competing alternatives?

A: The key factors are productivity and quality. We bring a long heritage of engineering expertise dating back to 1923. After transitioning from disc lasers to continuous-wave (CW) fiber lasers, our 'TruFiber' platform resolved performance drawbacks seen in competing products. For ultra-precision processing, our 'TruMicro' ultra-short pulse laser platform—specifically the 3000, 5000, and 6000 series—holds the leading market share in South Korea.

While TRUMPF lasers carry a premium price tag, they deliver high reliability, low defect rates, and optimal yield in mass production. Furthermore, our platform includes real-time process monitoring software, allowing defects to be identified instantly during processing—such as during battery welding—rather than after completion, preventing costly scrap. Our lasers contain numerous embedded sensors. Even if sensor readings trend upward while remaining within normal operational limits, our system detects the trend and proactively notifies the client to schedule preventive maintenance within three weeks before an actual fault occurs. This predictive maintenance model builds exceptionally high client trust.

Q: How are your lasers currently utilized across different applications?

A: Applications vary by industry. In semiconductors, our CO₂ lasers generate light sources for EUV lithography equipment. Standard CW lasers cut sheet metal and weld battery components. In display manufacturing, ultra-short pulse TruMicro lasers cut glass substrates with minimal thermal damage. In the automotive sector, global OEMs like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Hyundai Motor Group use our 3D 5-axis laser processing machines extensively for body frames and door processing.

Q: How are you addressing the trend toward Through-Glass Via (TGV) processing in semiconductor back-end packaging?

A: The surge in TGV interest from late 2025 has moderated into a more cautious evaluation phase. Because traditional printed circuit board (PCB) substrates remain highly reliable, the industry is verifying glass substrate adoption conservatively. TGV requires precise execution not only in laser hole drilling, but also in aspect-ratio control, copper plating, and sputtering. Currently, clients are operating pilot lines. While many customers have purchased our laser solutions for testing, current deployments remain limited to dozens of units rather than full mass-production scales, which would require hundreds of units. Substrate thickness demands are also shifting toward thicker glass (0.3T and 0.5T to over 1T). Follow-on orders for commercial mass-production equipment will take time, though we anticipate initial small-scale production deployments within the current fiscal year ending next June.

Q: Is the shift from mechanical wafer dicing to laser dicing gaining momentum?

A: Yes. Surging HBM demand has significantly heightened industry interest. TRUMPF Korea is actively collaborating with our German R&D team, partner firms, and domestic semiconductor leaders to co-develop applications this year.

Q: Does collaborating mean TRUMPF will build dicing equipment directly?

A: No. Standalone lasers cannot perform wafer dicing directly without risking thermal damage to adjacent chip edges. Because wafer processing occurs at the final stage of fabrication, micro-cracks or heat damage cause severe yield and financial losses. We are conducting R&D to enable "pure laser dicing" that minimizes thermal and physical damage.

Q: What technical approaches are being pursued?

A: We are collaborating with equipment makers and end-customers to optimize laser power control, pulse-width selection (picosecond or femtosecond), and thermal management mechanisms.

Q: Do you engage in direct transactions with end-customers for this?

A: We rarely transact directly with end-customers. We supply laser sources to equipment builders, who integrate them into complete tools, though we often participate jointly in R&D alongside end-customers.

Q: Are pure laser dicing tools currently deployed on active mass-production lines?

A: Current wafer dicing relies primarily on mechanical saw blades, with lasers playing a secondary role (such as stealth dicing). Pure laser dicing tools are still under development. Once commercialized, they will significantly reduce structural damage compared to mechanical blades. A similar transition occurred in smartphone cover glass processing, which shifted entirely from mechanical cutting to laser cutting to eliminate edge cracking. We are actively conducting R&D for both silicon (Si) and silicon carbide (SiC) wafers.

Q: What is the target timeline for commercial R&D milestones?

A: Initial tool testing in South Korea is targeted for late this year or early next year. Because semiconductor mass-production transitions require exhaustive qualification to avoid financial risks, adoption timelines will vary by customer.

Q: How does TRUMPF generate revenue in South Korea for EUV lithography laser sources?

A: Our local EUV division does not engage in direct sales activities. When domestic semiconductor manufacturers purchase EUV systems from ASML, TRUMPF headquarters supplies the drive laser units. Our local team handles installation, ongoing maintenance, and technical field support.

Q: So the laser source is installed separately from the main EUV tool?

A: In cleanroom fabs, you see the ASML lithography system. However, our CO₂ drive laser system is installed in the sub-fab level directly below. Installing a single drive laser system involves a dedicated engineering team working on-site over an extended period.

Q: TRUMPF holds an exclusive supply position for these drive lasers?

A: EUV lithography technology was developed through approximately 15 to 20 years of joint R&D between ASML, Zeiss, and TRUMPF.

Q: That means sales efforts are not required for that specific segment?

A: We do not take our position for granted. We continuously collaborate with ASML and Zeiss to increase laser output power. Equipment throughput—measured in wafers per hour (wph)—directly impacts customer return on investment. For High-NA EUV tools, the industry target is laser power exceeding 1 kilowatt (kW), whereas current operational levels remain below 500 watts.

Q: Is the laser source the main bottleneck in increasing output power?

A: It is not the sole factor. Generating EUV light requires firing laser pulses at falling tin droplets twice—at frequencies of 50 kHz to over 60 kHz. Managing energy generation, pulse timing, and optical collection involves complex interactions between the laser source, Zeiss optics, and overall tool design. ASML, Zeiss, and TRUMPF continuously optimize these integrated components together.

Q: What is TRUMPF Korea's revenue target for the current fiscal year?

A: Prior to my predecessor's retirement, annual revenue was slightly under 200 billion won. For the current fiscal year, we expect revenue to reach approximately 200 billion won. While this represents growth, I believe our technological capabilities position us to achieve even higher targets. As battery investments pivot toward overseas hubs and display investments recover, we anticipate further revenue momentum.

Q: Are there other key growth drivers?

A: Severe labor shortages are driving small job shops as well as large enterprises to adopt fully automated smart factory machine tools capable of running unmanned overnight and on weekends. Beyond machine tools, our RF generator and laser divisions are experiencing solid growth driven by EUV adoption, ESS battery production, and 6th-generation OLED investments. In the automotive sector, as Hyundai Motor Group and its Tier-1 suppliers expand production in North America, demand for our 3D 5-axis laser processing tools—where we hold near 100% market share—remains strong. Because our global service network supports clients seamlessly overseas, our products receive the same level of support abroad.

A significant recent challenge is currency exchange rates. Because our parent company reports in euros, translating TRUMPF Korea's revenue from won to euros results in an approximately 20% decline. This means we must achieve double-digit growth well beyond that baseline, which we believe is fully achievable.

UniTest will supply semiconductor inspection equipment for sixth-generation High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM4) to SK Hynix under a contract worth approximately 22.4 billion won.

UniTest disclosed on July 23 that it signed a semiconductor inspection equipment supply agreement with SK Hynix. The contract value is 22.38 billion won, equivalent to 20.31% of UniTest's consolidated annual revenue of 110.195 billion won last year.

The supplied equipment is an HBM4 wafer tester. The system is a burn-in test machine that verifies the performance and defects of individual chips on wafers with completed circuits under high-temperature and high-voltage conditions.

The equipment completed quality verification for SK Hynix's mass production lines in the first quarter of this year. UniTest previously signed a 29.5 billion won equipment supply contract in May. Including the latest agreement, the total contract value exceeds 51.8 billion won.

UniTest will supply the equipment to SK Hynix's Cheongju P&T6 packaging and testing production facility by the contract deadline of October 8 and complete installation, setup and trial operation.

UniTest's HBM4 tester requires approximately three months to manufacture. However, the latest contract was secured in advance through prior discussions with SK Hynix regarding supply volume.

There are no deposits or advance payments under the agreement. UniTest will receive 90% of the contract value after delivering the equipment into the semiconductor fab, with the remaining 10% paid after setup is completed. The company manufactures the equipment internally without outsourcing production.

UniTest reported consolidated revenue of 22.4 billion won and an operating loss of 2.5 billion won in the first quarter of this year. Its gross profit margin was 29.91%.

SK Hynix is accelerating construction of its Cheongju P&T7 advanced semiconductor packaging facility by bringing forward the opening of its first cleanroom by about three months.

According to industry sources on July 23, SK Hynix now expects to open the first cleanroom at P&T7 as early as July 2027. The company had previously announced an October 2027 target.

“SK Hynix recently began bidding for utility and infrastructure work at P&T7 earlier than expected,” an industry source said. “Internally, the company expects the cleanroom to open roughly one quarter earlier than originally planned.” Some equipment-related tenders have failed to attract bidders and are currently being reissued. Industry sources expect all utility infrastructure bidding to be completed by around August at the latest.

Several months after the bidding process is completed, SK Hynix will issue formal purchase orders (POs) to contractors. The contractors will then fabricate the utility infrastructure, deliver it to the site, and install it in the sub-fab. After commissioning is completed, the cleanroom will undergo final cleaning to establish a contamination-free positive-pressure environment. Although the timeline varies depending on the size of the facility, the entire process typically takes 11 to 12 months before a cleanroom is ready for operation.

On July 22, SK Hynix disclosed that it had shortened the cleanroom opening schedule for P&T7, although it did not specify the revised timeline. As investment spending is being brought forward, the initial construction budget has increased to 7.0931 trillion won. The company said the increase reflects the earlier recognition of expenditures that had originally been scheduled for later phases, while the total planned investment of 19 trillion won, announced in January, remains unchanged.

“Initial investment increased as we accelerated the cleanroom opening schedule to respond to rising production demand at P&T7,” SK Hynix said. “The board approved the revised investment amount on July 22, and the disclosure was made in accordance with regulatory requirements.”

P&T7 is SK Hynix’s dedicated advanced packaging and testing facility for AI memory products, including high-bandwidth memory (HBM). The plant is being built on a 230,000-square-meter site in the Cheongju Technopolis Industrial Complex and will include wafer test (WT) and wafer-level packaging (WLP) production lines. Total cleanroom space will reach approximately 150,000 square meters.

SK Hynix held a groundbreaking ceremony for P&T7 in April. At the time, the company planned to complete the 60,000-square-meter WT production line by October 2027, followed by the 90,000-square-meter WLP line in phases through February 2028. Completion of a semiconductor fab refers to the point at which the cleanroom has been opened in a contamination-controlled condition and is ready to receive manufacturing equipment.

Once operational, the P&T facility will package semiconductor chips produced at front-end fabs into final products and conduct quality verification. The plant will support production of HBM through 2.5D packaging technology, including through-silicon via (TSV) processing and vertical chip stacking for DRAM.

SK Hynix has recently accelerated large-scale capital investment to meet robust demand for AI memory. The company is also bringing forward the operational timeline for its Cheongju M15X fab and accelerating cleanroom construction at the first fab in its Yongin semiconductor cluster to expand manufacturing capacity. By rapidly increasing both front-end DRAM production and back-end packaging and testing capacity, SK Hynix is expected to strengthen its ability to meet growing demand for AI memory products such as HBM4.

Some industry observers believe the accelerated schedule may also reflect government efforts to speed up domestic semiconductor investment following plans for the Yongin semiconductor cluster and a proposed large-scale semiconductor manufacturing project in Gwangju.

“There is currently strong pressure at the national level to accelerate semiconductor fab construction,” a construction industry source said. “Engineering contractors are submitting proposals to customers outlining ways to shorten construction schedules for each phase of the project.”

Companies supplying utility infrastructure for semiconductor fabs include Wonik Holdings, STI, HanYang ENG, TEMC C&S, and CnG HiTech.

Qualcomm Technologies is expanding shipments of its Snapdragon platforms across Samsung Electronics' latest Galaxy device lineup.

​Qualcomm said on July 22 (local time) at Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event in London that it will supply Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, Snapdragon Wear Elite, and Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 platforms for six newly unveiled Galaxy products.

​Cristiano Amon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Qualcomm Incorporated, who appeared as a speaker at the Unpacked event, said users would "see Snapdragon across more Samsung product categories" and added that the two companies would work together to create AI experiences with a deeper understanding of user context. Qualcomm and Samsung have partnered for three decades.

​Qualcomm said its Snapdragon platforms power AI experiences across Samsung's mobile portfolio through on-device AI processing and high levels of cross-device connectivity. The platforms are designed to enable autonomous AI experiences that adapt in real time to users' daily activities and workflows.

​The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 will power the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8, and Galaxy Z Flip8. The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Flip8 newly adopt Snapdragon processors. The Fold8 Ultra is Samsung's first Ultra-branded foldable model. The previous-generation Flip model used Samsung's Exynos 2500 application processor (AP), although some regional variants of the Galaxy Z Flip8 will feature the Exynos 2600.

​The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 integrates Qualcomm's third-generation custom Oryon CPU architecture, an Adreno GPU, and a Hexagon NPU. Qualcomm said the platform delivers higher performance than its predecessor while reducing power consumption. It also enhances AI processing through improved smart camera capabilities and network connectivity.

The Snapdragon Wear Elite powers the Samsung Galaxy Watch9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra2. Both devices used Samsung's Exynos W1000 wearable AP in the previous generation. Snapdragon Wear Elite was first introduced at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in March. It is the first wearable processor to incorporate a dedicated NPU.

​The integrated Qualcomm Hexagon NPU enables on-device execution of AI models with up to one billion parameters without relying on cloud connectivity. The platform also features high-performance computing capabilities, advanced connectivity, and sensor fusion technology, which combines data from multiple sensors to improve accuracy.

​The Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 will be used in Samsung Electronics' new intelligent eyewear, scheduled for release this fall. Samsung also unveiled two additional intelligent eyewear designs at the Unpacked event, developed in collaboration with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker.

​With the Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1, Qualcomm is extending its collaboration with Samsung Electronics and Google beyond Android XR headsets into the smart glasses segment. Android XR is Google's operating system for extended reality (XR) devices, including headsets and smart glasses.⁶

Applied Materials Korea has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with ChildFund Korea to support science and cultural arts education for children in local communities, the company said on July 23.

​Under the agreement, Applied Materials Korea will sponsor the "AI & Semiconductor Classroom with Applied" and the "Traditional Culture and Arts Classroom with Applied" programs. The company will also donate PCs to local children's centers. The initiative aims to expand future generations' access to technology and help bridge the digital divide.

​The AI & Semiconductor Classroom is a revamped version of the "Science Classroom with Applied" program, which the company has supported for the past six years. Reflecting the growing emphasis on AI education, the updated curriculum will provide hands-on interdisciplinary learning that connects AI and semiconductors. Participants will gain practical experience with AI vision sensors, AI robot kits, and Applied Materials' semiconductor science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) kits.

​Through the integrated curriculum, students will be able to intuitively understand the fundamental principles of how individual components, data, system design, and user requirements work together to operate large-scale systems. The program is also designed to strengthen engineering thinking and creativity.

​The education program has also been expanded beyond local children's centers to include elementary schools. Beginning this year, approximately 330 students—including fourth- to sixth-grade elementary school students in Hwaseong and Pyeongtaek, as well as children attending local children's centers in Seongnam—will participate.

​Applied Materials Korea has supported the Traditional Culture and Arts Classroom since 2024, marking its third year this year. The 2026 program will serve about 500 children at 40 local children's centers across Seongnam, Icheon, Hwaseong, and Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province.

​Participants will make traditional Korean masks and learn Talchum, the traditional Korean mask dance recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The program is intended to foster creativity, emotional development, and communication skills.

​The company will also donate 90 laptops and 12 speakers to 67 local children's centers across the four regions to enhance educational effectiveness and help create sustainable learning environments. The laptops were previously used by Applied Materials Korea employees for work and will be refurbished before being provided to children and local community organizations.

​"Supporting future generations means helping children understand their own culture while inspiring them to imagine the future," said Park Kwang-sun, Country President of Applied Materials Korea. "By supporting both advanced technology education and cultural experiences, we hope to foster the creativity, confidence, and critical thinking skills of children who will lead future innovation."

Samsung Electronics is preparing to build a production-scale die-to-wafer (D2W) hybrid bonding line equipped with approximately 50 bonders at its Pyeongtaek semiconductor campus to support next-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and advanced logic chips. Equipment installation is expected to begin toward the end of this year.

According to industry sources on July 21, Samsung has selected Dutch advanced packaging equipment maker BE Semiconductor Industries (BESI) as its preferred supplier and has begun the procurement process for around 50 D2W hybrid bonding systems. The line is expected to be installed in the P5 fab at the Pyeongtaek campus.

Richard Blickman, chief executive officer of BESI, previously said during the company's first-quarter earnings call in April 2026 that "more definitive developments" regarding Samsung's adoption of its hybrid bonders were expected around the middle of this year. At the time, BESI's hybrid bonding equipment was undergoing Samsung's qualification process.

The order, however, has yet to be finalized. Samsung has requested design modifications to the equipment, delaying agreement on delivery schedules. Such modifications involve changes to system architecture, components or modules to meet customer-specific requirements.

Pricing has also complicated negotiations. Industry sources estimate that BESI's hybrid bonders cost roughly 6 billion won per unit—about twice the price of competing systems.

"BESI supplies hybrid bonders to companies such as TSMC and Micron, and it is reluctant to redesign its equipment exclusively for Samsung," one industry source said. "Samsung still considers BESI's technology the strongest option, but as negotiations become more complicated, it is also evaluating domestic suppliers that can respond more quickly to its requirements."

Samsung's semiconductor equipment subsidiary Semes has also been asked to provide D2W hybrid bonders for the production line and is hoping to supply equipment for two hybrid bonding production lines at the Pyeongtaek campus.

"Semes initially felt significant pressure after Samsung prioritized BESI, but sentiment has shifted recently," another industry source said.

Semes completed development of its D2W hybrid bonder earlier this year and delivered evaluation units to Samsung for performance verification. Industry sources believe the equipment has successfully passed internal testing.

Samsung is also considering Hanwha Semitech as a potential supplier. The company completed development of its second-generation D2W hybrid bonder, SHB2 Nano, in February and delivered an evaluation system to SK hynix in April 2026.

The evaluation platform was supplied as an integrated cluster that combined Hanwha Semitech's bonder and plasma activation module with an EFEM (Equipment Front End Module) from CyMechs and a wafer cleaning module from Zeus.

Samsung's investment in a D2W hybrid bonding production line at Pyeongtaek is closely tied to advanced packaging for HBM and logic semiconductors.

In addition to its existing advanced packaging operations in Cheonan, Samsung is developing next-generation hybrid bonding capabilities at Pyeongtaek for future HBM products.

Replacing conventional thermo-compression (TC) bonding with hybrid copper bonding (HCB) between HBM DRAM dies can significantly improve performance, reduce power consumption and lower heat generation. The technology directly bonds copper and dielectric materials without using microbumps, shortening interconnect distances between chips.

The technology is expected to play a key role in custom HBM (cHBM). Samsung plans to replace the conventional HBM base die with a customer-specific logic die incorporating proprietary compute intellectual property (IP). The logic die will complement external CPUs and GPUs while optimizing data transfer, with HBM DRAM stacks vertically integrated above it in a 3D system-in-package (SiP) architecture.

In June 2026, Samsung Foundry introduced 3D Cube-H, its next-generation hybrid bonding-based 3D vertical stacking solution. The heterogeneous integration technology targets AI chips and high-performance computing (HPC) systems, offering improvements in performance, power efficiency and bandwidth over existing packaging technologies. Samsung Foundry is actively promoting the technology to customers.

Hybrid bonding equipment is expected to begin arriving at Samsung's Pyeongtaek campus later this year. Internally, however, Samsung is targeting 2030 for large-scale commercial production using hybrid bonding, reflecting the technology's greater manufacturing complexity compared with conventional TC bonding.

One industry source said widespread adoption of hybrid bonding is likely to coincide with the introduction of NVIDIA's next-generation Feynman AI accelerator, expected around 2029.

The global semiconductor equipment market is expected to continue its rapid expansion on the back of artificial intelligence-driven demand, with annual sales projected to exceed $229 billion in 2028, according to SEMI.

The global semiconductor industry association said on July 21 that worldwide semiconductor equipment sales are expected to reach $165.9 billion in 2026, up 23.2% from a year earlier. The market is forecast to maintain a similar growth trajectory over the following two years, reaching a record $229.5 billion in 2028. If realized, the industry will post five consecutive years of growth beginning in 2024.

"AI has rapidly accelerated demand for more powerful and efficient semiconductors," said Ajit Manocha, president and chief executive officer of SEMI. "As chipmakers increase investment in advanced logic devices, next-generation memory, testing and packaging for the AI era, spending on semiconductor equipment is expected to remain on a strong growth trajectory."

The wafer fab equipment (WFE) market is projected to reach $143.9 billion this year, an increase of 23.1% from 2025. The WFE segment includes wafer processing equipment, mask and reticle equipment, and fab facilities equipment. Growth is being driven by investment in next-generation semiconductor technologies, including HBM-related DRAM and 3D memory.

SEMI expects the WFE market to expand another 21.8% in 2027 and 14.1% in 2028, reaching approximately $200 billion.

Within the WFE segment, foundry and logic equipment spending is forecast to rise 18.9% this year to $78 billion. The market is expected to grow another 18.1% in 2027 and 13.6% in 2028, reaching $104.7 billion. Capacity expansion for AI accelerators and high-performance computing (HPC) chips is expected to remain the primary growth driver, while the transition to volume production of 2-nanometer gate-all-around (GAA) process technology is likely to sustain equipment investment.

DRAM equipment spending is projected to increase 39% this year to $38.8 billion, followed by growth of 27.4% in 2027 and 15% in 2028, reaching $56.9 billion. NAND equipment spending is expected to rise 30.7% this year to $13.9 billion, before increasing 31.1% in 2027 and 14.5% in 2028 to $20.8 billion.

The back-end equipment market, which includes test, assembly and packaging equipment, is also expected to post strong growth. The segment is forecast to expand 31% this year to $15.3 billion and nearly double to $29.4 billion by 2028, including $20.8 billion in test equipment and $8.6 billion in assembly and packaging equipment.

SEMI said continued semiconductor miniaturization, rising device complexity, wider adoption of advanced packaging technologies and increasingly stringent reliability requirements will support long-term growth in the back-end equipment market.

By region, China is expected to remain the world's largest semiconductor equipment market through 2028, although its growth is forecast to moderate this year. Taiwan is expected to continue investing heavily in advanced process equipment for AI and HPC chips, while South Korea is projected to increase investment in advanced memory technologies, including HBM.

Kostek Systems has appointed Bae Geon-woo as its new chief executive officer, as the semiconductor equipment maker looks to accelerate growth by expanding shipments of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) process equipment to its key customer, Samsung Electronics.

The company held an extraordinary shareholders' meeting at its headquarters in Pyeongtaek on July 20, where Bae, the company's largest shareholder, was appointed as an inside director. At a subsequent board meeting, he was elected chief executive officer.

Kim Yong-seop, vice president of Kostek Systems, said Bae joined the company's product development team two years ago and has been involved across the business, including product development, sales, procurement, materials, manufacturing, human resources, administration and accounting.

"He has developed a deep understanding of the company and is an essential leader for its future management and growth," Kim said.

Bae is the eldest son of former CEO Bae Jun-ho. Born in 1991, he graduated from the University of Washington in 2018 and earned a master's degree in Interaction Science from Sungkyunkwan University in 2021. He joined Kostek Systems' product development team in 2024.

He owns a 46.59% stake in the company, consisting of 45.37% inherited from his father and an existing 1.22% personal holding.

Bae will lead the company alongside department heads who also serve as registered directors. He identified collective intelligence and rapid decision-making as the company's core management strategies.

"We will build an open organizational culture where employees can freely propose ideas regardless of rank or position," Bae said. "Given the importance of this period, we will also improve the speed of decision-making."

To support that strategy, the company plans to strengthen communication and collaboration across departments and implement organizational restructuring when necessary.

Kostek Systems expects to generate stable revenue this year from new equipment, including its Peel-off System and De-taper equipment. The company expects sales to increase several-fold over current levels as shipments of the equipment to Samsung Electronics ramp up.

The Peel-off System removes temporary bonding film (TBF) used during the temporary bonding/debonding (TBDB) process for HBM manufacturing. TBDB temporarily bonds a device wafer to a carrier wafer before through-silicon via (TSV) formation and etching, and includes the subsequent debonding process in which the carrier wafer is removed.

The De-taper system removes temporary protective tape used to protect chip bumps during fan-out panel-level packaging (FO-PLP) and 2.3D packaging processes.

Over the longer term, the company also plans to localize additional high-value semiconductor equipment, including Temporary Bonders (TBs). Rather than competing directly with established large equipment suppliers, Kostek Systems aims to focus on differentiated technologies and underserved "blue ocean" markets where localization opportunities remain.

"Our goal is to establish a differentiated position in the semiconductor equipment market through proprietary technology," Bae said. "Our core products and key customers are clearly defined, and our employees are fully aligned, giving us confidence in the company's rapid growth."

Founded in 2000, Kostek Systems develops semiconductor and display manufacturing equipment. The company reported revenue of approximately 19.2 billion won and an operating loss of about 740 million won in 2025.