Intel's Revolutionary Glass Substrate: 2026 Production

U.S. local time on September 18th, Intel has made an official announcement regarding the forthcoming production plans for the world's first glass substrate designed for advanced packaging in the next generation of semiconductor technology. This innovative technology is slated for production between 2026 and 2030, promising to usher in a new era of semiconductor advancement, aligning with the principles of Moore's Law and catering to the evolving landscape of data-centric applications.

In contrast to conventional organic substrates, glass offers an array of remarkable attributes, including ultra-low flatness, heightened thermal stability, and exceptional mechanical resilience. These qualities are poised to drive an increase in interconnect density, marking a substantial departure from the limitations of organic materials. Intel's vision includes the rollout of a comprehensive glass substrate solution within the 2026-2030 timeframe, with the objective of enabling the entire industry to continue adhering to Moore's Law beyond the year 2030.

Leading up to 2030, the semiconductor industry may find itself approaching the limits of transistor scaling on silicon packaging using organic materials, which are characterized by higher power consumption and structural constraints such as expansion and warping. To propel the semiconductor sector forward, glass substrates represent an indispensable and viable solution for the next wave of semiconductor technology.

Intel emphasizes that glass substrates offer unparalleled mechanical, physical, and optical properties, facilitating the connection of an increased number of transistors within a single package. This enhancement in scalability will enable the assembly of larger chip complexes, commonly referred to as system-level packaging.

The initial adoption of glass substrates is expected to find its stronghold in high-demand markets, including sectors necessitating larger volume packaging, such as data centers, AI, and graphics processing. Furthermore, applications requiring higher speeds and workloads will benefit from these substrates. These advantages are poised to create high-density, high-performance chip packaging solutions tailored for data-intensive workloads, notably in the field of artificial intelligence.

Glass substrates exhibit the capacity to endure higher temperatures, resulting in a 50% reduction in pattern distortion. Their ultra-low flatness contributes to an increased focal depth in the lithography process, ensuring the stability of size required for intricate interlayer interconnect coverage. This unique set of characteristics translates into a tenfold increase in interconnect density. In addition, the superior mechanical properties of glass enable the assembly of large-scale packages with high yield rates.

The ability of glass substrates to withstand high temperatures affords chip architects flexibility when designing power delivery and signal routing. This adaptability allows for the seamless integration of optical interconnects and the incorporation of sensors and capacitors into the glass during high-temperature processing.

This enables superior power delivery solutions, resulting in substantial power consumption reduction while achieving the high-speed signal transmission demanded by modern applications. These advantages align with the semiconductor industry's aspirations to integrate one trillion transistors within a single package by 2030.

Intel is dedicated to realizing the goal of providing one trillion transistors within a single package by 2030. The company is committed to fostering continuous innovation in advanced packaging, with a particular focus on glass substrates, as a key enabler to achieve this objective.

It is noteworthy that Intel and TSMC are at the forefront of advanced packaging technology, with glass substrates poised to replace existing technologies. Presently, Corning holds a prominent position in the supply chain, while ASE Group, which has undergone a significant transformation and made notable strides in glass substrate technology development in recent years, is also attracting substantial market attention.