Samsung introduces industry-first concept models of zHBM and zNAND-O, highlighting leadership in next-generation memory architecture for HPC and AI infrastructure

400-plus-layer V10 BV-NAND with wafer bonding technology revealed for the first time in industry

AI memory roadmap spans next-generation solutions from DRAM to enterprise storage, including HBM4E, HBM5, LPDDR5X-PIM and PM1763

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a global leader in advanced memory technology, today showcased its latest AI memory innovations at Future of Memory and Storage (FMS) 2026 in Santa Clara, California.

With broad expertise spanning DRAM, NAND, enterprise storage and relevant advanced semiconductor technologies, Samsung presented its latest AI memory portfolio and technology roadmap, including a preview of its zHBM and zNAND-O concept models, the industry-first introduction of its V10 BV-NAND with 400-plus layers, and a comprehensive range of solutions designed to advance future AI infrastructure. Samsung is also featuring its AI cloud server-inspired booth at FMS 2026, where approximately 30 memory and storage technologies are on display.

At the opening keynote event, Samsung’s Memory Business executives Jin-Yub Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Flash Product & Technology, and Kyungryun Kim, Vice President and Project Leader of the DRAM Design Team, delivered their address on next-generation 3D structures in future memory solutions.

Titled “Driving the Wave of AI Revolution: 3D Innovations in Memory & Storage Architecture,” the keynote presented Samsung’s vision to maximize AI system performance and power efficiency while addressing the rapidly growing demands of high-performance computing (HPC) and AI infrastructure.

The company also unveiled V10 BV-NAND, an architecture enabled by a new wafer bonding technology — for the first time in the industry.

Samsung’s Vision for Next-Generation 3D Memory

At FMS 2026, Samsung unveiled the industry’s first concept models of zHBM and zNAND-O, presenting its vision for the next generation of 3D memory architectures.

Designed for advanced AI computing, zHBM presents a new memory architecture that vertically stacks HBM directly above AI accelerators, moving beyond conventional designs in which HBM is positioned alongside the processor.

By minimizing the distance that data travels between the AI processor and memory, zHBM is designed to deliver higher bandwidth and improved power efficiency, enabling the ultra-fast data processing required for large-scale AI training and inference.

A next-generation interface system incorporating zHBM is expected to deliver approximately eight times the performance of HBM5. With next-generation wafer bonding technology, zHBM can achieve more than 10 times the memory density of HBM5 while enhancing energy efficiency threefold and reducing thermal resistance by more than half, maximizing the stability and power efficiency of high-capacity, high-bandwidth systems.

zHBM also supports customer-specific designs, enabling customized IP to be integrated into the interlayer between the memory and AI accelerator to expand memory capacity and enhance accelerator performance. Building on close collaboration with customers, Samsung plans to further optimize the integration of AI processors and memory through zHBM to maximize AI system performance.

The company also introduced zNAND-O, a next-generation high-performance NAND solution built on its V-NAND technology and in development in four- and eight-layer versions. By combining high space efficiency, improved I/O performance, and low latency, zNAND-O is optimized for edge AI environments supporting real-time, data-intensive AI applications.

Industry-First V10 BV-NAND

Samsung unveiled V10 BV-NAND, featuring its new Bonding V-NAND architecture. The announcement comes 13 years after the company introduced the industry’s first V-NAND technology at the 2013 Flash Memory Summit, marking another milestone in the company’s NAND innovation.

With more than 400 layers, V10 BV-NAND delivers higher performance and power efficiency while significantly increasing storage density. By applying wafer bonding technology to stack memory cells, Samsung has increased memory density by approximately 58% over the previous generation (V9).

Beyond the increased layer count, V10 BV-NAND also improves read, write and I/O performance over the previous generation, supporting high-performance, high-capacity NAND for future AI systems and applications.

AI Memory Roadmap from HBM to PIM and Enterprise Storage

Samsung also presented its latest AI memory and storage portfolio — including HBM4E, HBM5, LPDDR5X-PIM and PM1763 — highlighting its roadmap for next-generation AI computing and data center infrastructure.

Following the industry’s first mass production of HBM4 using its 1c DRAM and 4-nanometer (nm) base die technologies in February, Samsung was the first to begin shipping HBM4E samples to global customers in May, reinforcing its leadership in next-generation HBM.

Along with its HBM4E samples and HBM5 model, the company showcased its LPDDR5X-PIM, the industry’s first LPDDR memory with processing-in-memory technology. The new solution is built to perform data processing within the memory itself to improve the efficiency of both data movement and power.

The exhibition also featured Samsung’s latest enterprise storage solutions — including PM1763 and BM1773 — designed to meet the growing storage demands of AI data centers.

One-Stop Turnkey Solutions

As the world’s only integrated device manufacturer (IDM) with industry-leading capabilities spanning memory, foundry and advanced packaging, Samsung presented its end-to-end strategy for next-generation AI infrastructure, which provides customers with one-stop turnkey solutions supporting the evolving needs of the AI era.

From product design through mass production, Samsung delivers integrated development and manufacturing services that help shorten development cycles while optimizing performance and power efficiency, enabling customers to quickly bring differentiated AI semiconductor solutions to market.