Key Findings
With the increasing package sizes of AI chips, glass substrates and Through-Glass Via (TGV) technology are rapidly emerging as the next frontier in advanced packaging. This technology holds the potential for performance enhancements and cost reductions beyond the limitations of conventional organic substrates. Major supply chain companies across the United States, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and China are accelerating their development and mass production readiness, targeting market opportunities in 2027 and 2028.
Technical / Clinical Details
Glass substrates offer superior flatness, lower coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), mechanical strength, and low dielectric loss compared to organic substrates. These characteristics enable finer wiring patterns and ultra-high-density interconnects. TGV technology specifically involves forming vertical vias through the glass substrate and filling them with metal to establish electrical connections. This technique shortens signal transmission distances, improves power efficiency, and allows for higher-layer 3D stacking, making it essential for meeting the stringent requirements of AI accelerators and High-Performance Computing (HPC) chips.
Development of glass substrate and TGV technology is focused on four key steps:
- Glass Material Development: Selecting and manufacturing glass materials with suitable properties for packaging applications.
- Via Formation Technology: High-precision TGV creation through methods like laser processing or etching.
- Via Metallization: The process of filling the formed vias with metals such as copper.
- Multi-layer Substrate Lamination: Processes for stacking glass substrates integrated with TGVs to form multi-layered structures.
In each of these steps, materials suppliers in the U.S., equipment manufacturers in Japan, OSATs in Korea, foundries in Taiwan, and packaging companies in China are leveraging their respective strengths in an intense development race.
Background & Context
Current organic package substrates are beginning to face physical limitations in meeting the demands for thermal management, signal integrity, and larger form factors driven by AI chip performance advancements. Particularly in 2.5D/3D packaging, which integrates HBM and logic chips, the need for larger areas, more layers, and finer pitches exacerbates issues like warpage and transmission loss in organic substrates. Glass substrates are anticipated to resolve these challenges, positioning them as a critical next-generation platform in the overall semiconductor industry roadmap.
Strategic Significance & Outlook
The introduction of glass substrates and TGV technology has the potential to significantly transform the competitive landscape of advanced packaging from 2027 onwards. Once this technology matures and mass production capabilities are established, it is expected to further enhance the performance and power efficiency of AI chips while also contributing to cost optimization. Aggressive investments and collaborations by leading nations and companies are anticipated to accelerate the practical application of glass substrate technology, strongly supporting the development of next-generation AI and HPC systems. This technology is poised to be a key driver for a new innovation cycle within the semiconductor industry.
Source: https://www.digitimes.com/news/a20260916PD221/ai-chip-2027-substrate-technology-materials.html
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