10月28日 —— 据两位知情人士透露，中国长鑫存储技术有限公司（CXMT）计划开始生产HBM3E，这是一种用于搭配AI处理器的先进高带宽存储芯片，尽管其生产的芯片中只有约20%合格可用。
Oct 28 - China's CXMT plans to start production of HBM3E, an advanced type of high-bandwidth memory chip used with AI processors, despite as little as 20% of the chips it makes being usable, two people familiar with the matter said.
这一决定凸显了中国对AI存储芯片的极度短缺，这种芯片对于政府支持的、旨在大规模开发国产替代品以取代英伟达AI处理器的努力至关重要，而美国正限制中国获取外国制造的技术。
The decision highlights China's intense shortage of the AI memory chips, which are essential to a government-backed push to develop domestic alternatives to Nvidia's AI processors at scale amid US curbs on access to foreign-made technology.
知情人士称，作为中国最大的动态随机存取存储器（DRAM，即计算机和服务器常用的常规内存）制造商，长鑫存储已向多家国内AI芯片设计公司发送了HBM3E样品。其中一位人士表示，预计将在未来两个月内开始小规模量产。
ChangXin Memory Technologies — China's largest maker of dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), the conventional memory used in computers and servers — has sent HBM3E samples to several domestic AI chip designers, the people said. It expects to begin limited production over the next two months, one person said.
他们称，良率（即生产线下线符合规格的芯片比例）仅约为20%至30%，而市场领导者韩国SK海力士的良率约为70%。因相关计划尚未公开，知情人士拒绝透露姓名。
Yields, or the share of chips coming off a production line that meet specifications, are only about 20% to 30%, compared with yields of around 70% at South Korea's SK Hynix, the market leader, they said. The people declined to be identified because the plans are not public.
长鑫存储未回复置评请求。SK海力士未立即就良率估算回复置评请求。
CXMT did not respond to a request for comment. SK Hynix did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the yield estimate.
《The Information》首次报道了长鑫存储的HBM3E计划。路透社首次报道了关于产品良率和交付时间表的细节。
The Information first reported CXMT's HBM3E plans. Reuters is reporting details about the product yields and delivery timeline for the first time.
高带宽存储器（HBM）通过垂直堆叠存储芯片制造，使其能与AI处理器快速交换数据。它是用于训练和运行大语言模型的专用芯片的关键组件。
High-bandwidth memory (HBM) is made by vertically stacking memory chips so they can exchange data rapidly with AI processors. It is a crucial component in the specialized chips used to train and run large language models.
知情人士称，美国于2024年12月收紧了对出口至中国的某些先进HBM产品的管制。中国芯片制造商越来越多地通过非官方渠道寻求这种存储器，其价格可能是正常价格的数倍。
Washington tightened export controls on certain advanced HBM products bound for China in December 2024. Chinese chipmakers have increasingly sought the memory through unofficial channels, where it can cost several times more, the people said.
长鑫存储正在继续推进，尽管良率偏低，因为中国人工智能芯片制造商一直难以获得足够的先进内存来提高产量，知情人士称。良率偏低导致生产成本高昂，因为很大一部分芯片必须报废或返工。
CXMT is pressing ahead despite low yields because Chinese AI chipmakers have struggled to obtain enough advanced memory to increase output, the people said. Low yields make production expensive because a large share of chips must be discarded or reworked.
路透社上月报道，由于内存成本令增产计划复杂化，华为、寒武纪、沐曦和天数智芯已将当前及下一代人工智能芯片的价格提高了20%至50%。
Reuters reported last month that Huawei, Cambricon, MetaX and Iluvatar CoreX had raised prices for current and next-generation AI chips by 20% to 50% as memory costs complicated efforts to ramp up production.
其中一位知情人士称，长鑫存储的HBM3E成本预计将高于海外竞争对手的同类产品。这些知情人士还表示，该公司早在2024年就开始在内部开发这项技术。落后数代其中一位知情人士表示，在测试中，长鑫存储的HBM3E性能更接近SK海力士上一代HBM3，而非这家韩国公司的HBM3E。
CXMT's HBM3E is expected to cost more than comparable products from overseas rivals, one of the people said. The company began developing the technology internally as early as 2024, the people added. GENERATIONS BEHIND In testing, CXMT's HBM3E performance was closer to SK Hynix's previous-generation HBM3 than to the South Korean company's HBM3E, one of the people said.
另一位知情人士称，长鑫存储已向客户发送了两个版本的HBM3E：一个标准设计，以及一个包含旨在提高良率的改进设计的更新版本。
CXMT has sent customers two HBM3E versions, the other person said: a standard design and an updated version that includes changes intended to improve yields.
HBM的生产难度凸显了长鑫存储与行业老牌领先企业——SK海力士、三星电子和美光科技——之间的差距，这些企业主导着全球供应。
The difficulty of producing HBM illustrates the gap between CXMT and the industry's established leaders — SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics and Micron Technology — which dominate global supply.
根据Counterpoint Research的数据，第二季度SK海力士占全球HBM营收的50%，三星电子占33%，美光科技占18%。这家研究公司表示，大部分营收来自HBM3E。
SK Hynix held 50% of global HBM revenue in the second quarter, according to Counterpoint Research, followed by Samsung with 33% and Micron with 18%. Most revenue came from HBM3E, the research firm said.
Counterpoint称，长鑫存储当季占全球DRAM营收的10%，成为全球第四大传统内存芯片供应商。但美国的出口管制限制了其获得部分最先进芯片制造设备的能力，使其更难缩小与全球对手的差距。
CXMT held a 10% share of global DRAM revenue in the quarter, making it the world's fourth-largest supplier of conventional memory chips, Counterpoint said. But US export controls limit its access to some of the most advanced chipmaking equipment, making it harder to close the gap with global rivals.
三星电子7月表示，已扩大HBM4的销售，并向主要客户发送了HBM4E样品，这使得长鑫存储在商业HBM生产上至少落后一代。
Samsung said in July that it had expanded HBM4 sales and shipped HBM4E samples to major customers, putting CXMT at least one generation behind in commercial HBM production.