Intel Accelerates Glass Substrate Development

According to Intel, a patent application filed in 2022 has detailed a technology for integrating Micro LED devices directly into IC packaging. The approach combines Micro LED components with glass substrates and through-glass vias (TGVs), potentially enabling both functional indicators and visual features within advanced semiconductor packages.

According to the patent description, semiconductor dies can be embedded directly into a glass substrate, while TGVs provide electrical power directly to Micro LEDs on the die. Power and signal connections can then be routed through the package substrate to the mainboard, creating a vertically integrated interconnection structure.

The Micro LEDs described in the patent can use nanowire structures to emit red, green, and blue light. Potential applications include personalized decoration for DIY electronic products, electrical test indicators embedded within semiconductor packages, and illuminated characters displayed on the surface of a CPU. This means the technology could serve both practical signaling functions and visual design purposes in electronic devices.

The patent also outlines a potential manufacturing process. Laser-induced etching combined with chemical etching can first be used to create through-holes and die cavities in the glass substrate. Copper electroplating is then applied to form the TGVs, followed by the insertion of Micro LED-equipped dies into the cavities. Finally, silicon nitride layers can be used to bond polymer package substrates on both sides, completing vertical interconnections for power and signal transmission.

Intel's patent also describes several structural variations, including horizontally or vertically positioned dies and configurations incorporating integrated reflectors. These designs could provide greater flexibility for integrating Micro LEDs into different semiconductor packaging architectures.

Intel's interest in glass substrates is not new. The company has been researching the replacement of organic substrates with glass since 2013 and has accumulated significant intellectual property in this area. Intel first demonstrated glass substrate samples in 2023, after which its efforts to advance the technology toward commercialization accelerated.

At NEPCON Japan, Intel demonstrated an engineering sample combining a thick glass core with its EMIB technology. The large package, measuring approximately 78 × 77 mm, achieved crack-free cutting. At ECTC 2026, Intel subsequently announced high-volume manufacturing technology validation for glass-core substrates, covering end-to-end processes including via formation, metallization, multilayer routing, and optoelectronic integration. The company also demonstrated a 24-layer defect-free structure and precise warpage control.

Intel's ecosystem partnerships in glass-core packaging are also expanding. A wholly owned subsidiary of Lens Technology has signed a memorandum of understanding with Intel, identifying advanced TGV packaging as a priority area for joint development. Under the collaboration, Intel provides architecture specifications, design-for-manufacturing (DFM) guidelines, and validation methods, while the Lens Technology subsidiary handles via formation, high-precision laser processing, metallization deposition, and multilayer interconnect routing. Lens Technology has already delivered samples to Tier 1 customers in North America and South Korea. The samples reportedly contain millions of through-glass vias with a non-conductive defect rate of 0 ppm.

Intel has also partnered with U.S.-based semiconductor technology company 3D Glass Solutions to advance a planned $3.3 billion glass substrate manufacturing facility in India. The facility is designed for an annual capacity of approximately 70,000 glass substrates, 50 million assembly units, and nearly 13,000 advanced 3D heterogeneous integration modules. The project is aimed at high-density, large-format packaging for AI chips and high-performance computing applications, with high-volume production shipments expected to begin between 2028 and 2030.