According to a report, the Samsung Electronics is developing a new glass substrate for the modern semiconductor packaging that can be introduced by 2028. Since the demand for AI chips is increasing, it is said that the South Korean tech party has searched for the use of glass substrates (instead of silicon) to reduce manufacturing costs, while improving overall performance. Samsung is allegedly producing small panel prototyps at the cost of manufacturing performance, as part of its efforts to introduce this technology.
Samsung Panel Level Packaging for AI chips to prepare the glass interproductive
Referring to industry sources, Eight News reports (in Korean) that the Samsung is promoting efforts to prepare the prototypes that use glass sub -reservoirs for entrepreneurs in its AI chips. The existing semiconductions are built using 2.5D packaging layout, where high bandwidth memory (HBM) is all around the GPU, which is connected by silicon interposer.
However, these silicon are extremely expensive to produce an interposer, which has forced chip makers to use the use of glass interposors as well as the ultimate use of glass substrates. Instead of using 510 × 510 mm of glass panels such as Intel or Episode (SKC), it is said that Samsung uses small units that are smaller than 100 × 100 mm.
According to the report, these chips may not be effective to prepare chips, but they can help Samsung be one of the first people to launch AI chips who perform better performance while also facilitating it. It is expected that the production of Samsung will start with the convenience of Samsung, in which its existing panel level packaging (PLP) will be used instead of Weifer Level Packaging (WLP).
According to the report, Samsung is not the only semiconductor manufacturer working to replace silicon substrates with glass. According to an old economic Daily News report (in Korean), TSMC is also producing a 300 × 300 mm panel on a pilot line in Taiwan, and the company is expected to start production using its fan out panel level packaging (FOPLP) in 2027.
South Korean news reports are correct in the claims of the news, which can be one of the first chipmakers to introduce advanced AI chips built using glass interposer instead of Samsung and TSMC Silicon. These chips can be started with 2028, while making chips with glass subordinates can work in the years to come.
