Glass Substrate Mass Production on the Horizon, Tech Giants Leading the Way

The tech industry is on the cusp of a revolution, as glass substrate technology is gaining traction. Glass substrate refers to the replacement of organic materials in packaging with glass, rather than replacing the entire substrate. This innovative solution is expected to revolutionize the field of advanced packaging.

Glass substrate technology is poised to transform the packaging industry.

In September 2023, Intel announced a breakthrough: its next-generation advanced packaging glass substrate technology. This innovation has the potential to lay the foundation for achieving an astounding one trillion transistors on a single package within the next decade. With its promising prospect, rumors have surfaced that Intel plans to mass-produce glass substrates as early as 2026.

“Glass substrates could lay the foundation for achieving an astounding one trillion transistors on a single package within the next decade.” - Intel

Intel has invested approximately a decade in glass substrate technology and currently has a fully integrated glass research line in Arizona, USA. The company stated that the production line costs over USD 1 billion and requires collaboration with equipment and material partners to establish a complete ecosystem.

Apart from Intel, SKC’s US subsidiary Absolics, AMD, and Samsung also see the broad development prospect of glass substrate. SKC’s US subsidiary Absolics invested around KRW 300 billion to establish the first factory dedicated to producing glass substrate in Covington, Georgia, USA. Recently, the company announced that the factory has been completed and has begun mass production of prototype products.

“This marks a critical moment for the global glass substrate market.” - Industry Analyst

Samsung has formed an alliance composed of Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Samsung Electronics, and Samsung Display to develop glass substrate, aiming to start large-scale mass production in 2026 and commercialize the technology faster than Intel. It’s reported that Samsung Electro-Mechanics plans to install all necessary equipment on a pilot production line by September this year and commence operations in the fourth quarter.

AMD plans to launch glass substrate between 2025 and 2026 and to collaborate with global component companies to maintain its leading position. According to Korean media reports, AMD is conducting performance evaluation tests on glass substrate samples from several major global semiconductor substrate companies, intending to introduce this advanced substrate technology into semiconductor manufacturing.

The glass core substrate market is forming new supply chains.

Currently, with the emergence of new companies like SCHMID and the participation of laser equipment suppliers, display manufacturers, and chemical suppliers, the industry is gradually forming some new supply chains around glass core substrate, and creating a diversified ecosystem.

Conclusion

The advent of glass substrate technology is set to revolutionize the packaging industry. With tech giants like Intel, AMD, and Samsung leading the way, it’s clear that this innovative solution is here to stay. As the industry continues to evolve, one thing is certain - the future of advanced packaging is looking brighter than ever.

Glass substrate technology is the future of advanced packaging.