Glass substrate alliance for AI chiplets
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An alliance of companies is aiming to boost the use of glass substrates for more complex AI chips and chiplets.
The E-Core Alliance is led by E&R Engineering in Taiwan and brings together over 15 companies to boost the development of large glass substrates.
With the rapid growth in demand for AI chips, high-frequency, and high-speed communication devices, glass substrates in advanced packaging technologies are becoming increasingly important. Compared to the widespread use of copper foil substrates, glass substrates offer higher wiring density and better signal performance. Additionally, glass provides high flatness and can withstand high temperatures and voltages, making it an ideal replacement for traditional substrates.
Companies such as Intel have been looking at glass substrates for chiplet packaging and there is CHIPS Act funding in the US for the development of glass substrates.
Intel tips glass substrate for chiplet packaging
These glass substrates measure 515×510mm and need glass metallization, ABF (Ajinomoto Build-up Film) lamination, and final substrate cutting. Key steps in glass metallization include TGV (Through-Glass Via), wet etching, AOI (Automated Optical Inspection), sputtering, and plating.
The E-Core Alliance includes Manz AG and Scientech for wet etching, ShyaWei Optronics for AOI optical inspection, Lincotec, STK, Skytech and Group Up for sputtering and ABF lamination equipment, and other key component suppliers such as HIWIN, HIWIN Mikrosystem, Keyence Taiwan, Mirle Group, ACE PILLAR, CHD TECH, and Coherent.
The critical aspect of glass substrate technology is the first step—glass laser modification (TGV). Although introduced over a decade ago, its speed had not met mass production requirements, achieving only 10 to 50 vias per second, limiting the market impact of glass substrates.
The alliance aims to combine expertise and provide equipment and materials for next-generation advanced packaging with glass substrates to both domestic and international customers.
The Through-Glass Via (TGV) in the Glass Core Flow developed by E&R achieves up to 8,000 vias per second for matrix layouts or 600 to 1,000 vias per second for random layouts on a glass substrate. It says it will continue leading the development of glass substrate technology in Taiwan, optimizing processes, and collaborating with more industry partners to achieve excellence.
Glass substrate factory for chiplet packaging coming to Georgia
E&R has been working with a North American IDM customer for the past five years to develop glass laser modification TGV technology. Last year, the process passed validation, with E&R mastering the technology with an accuracy of +/- 5 μm, meeting the 3 sigma standard.
This has finally enabled glass substrates to reach mass production.
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