Key Findings
Aluminum Nitride (AlN) thin-film substrates are currently in a state of supply falling short of demand, acting as a bottleneck for the delivery of high-speed AI optical modules. This shortage is evident across the supply chain, with Tokuyama announcing a production capacity expansion of approximately 30% and MARUWA expanding capacity for next-generation high-speed communications. Zhongci Electronics also identified AlN substrates as a key packaging material for low-cost non-hermetic packaging solutions currently facing supply constraints.
Technical Details
AlN thin-film substrates serve as the carrying platform for optoelectronic chips, such as lasers. They are manufactured from aluminum nitride ceramic base material through precision grinding, polishing, and thin-film processes including sputtering, photolithography, etching, and electroplating to create metal circuits and pads.
- Thermal Conductivity: MARUWA data shows AlN ceramic substrates reach 180-230W/(m·K) at 25°C, significantly higher than ordinary alumina ceramics, which provide approximately 24W/(m·K).
- Thermal Expansion: AlN has a thermal expansion coefficient of about 4.6×10^-6/K, closely matching semiconductor materials like silicon to reduce mechanical stress during thermal cycling.
- Functionality: The material provides simultaneous electrical insulation, mechanical support, and high-frequency circuit wiring.
Background and Context
The shift toward 800G and 1.6T modules increases power consumption and heat density. In the 1.6T era, typical power consumption for high-speed pluggable modules reaches 20-30W, with some OSFP systems requiring thermal design capacity above 30W. Because lasers are highly sensitive to temperature—where heat causes wavelength drift and output power variation—efficient heat dissipation is mandatory for long-term reliability.
Significance and Outlook
Market demand is accelerating rapidly. TrendForce estimates the global AI optical transceiver module market will reach approximately 26 billion U.S. dollars in 2026, with a year-on-year increase of over 57%. LightCounting predicts 800G shipment volumes will more than double in 2026, while 1.6T shipments will rise from a small scale in 2025 to tens of millions of ports.
Source: https://eu.36kr.com/en/p/4017931349528453
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