Nippon Electric Glass Co. plans to deliver samples of its new 510-millimeter glass substrate for high-performance semiconductor devices as early as 2026, betting on the material’s superior thermal properties to win over chipmakers. The Japanese company will begin mass production of the larger substrates once demand is confirmed, following its current 300-millimeter offerings.
The glass substrates serve as the base for chiplet structures, a design approach that links smaller chips together rather than using a single large chip. These structures have become increasingly important as data centers and generative AI technologies drive demand for higher performance semiconductors.
While most current substrates are made of plastic, glass offers significant advantages including better heat resistance, improved flatness, and greater rigidity. These properties allow for higher I/O density and enhanced thermal stability, which are critical for AI and high-performance computing applications.
Nippon Electric Glass has developed a technique allowing manufacturers to drill holes in the substrates using standard carbon dioxide lasers, avoiding the more complex etching processes typically required for glass. The company is also developing hybrid substrates combining glass and ceramics, with samples expected by 2025.
The shift toward glass gained momentum when Intel announced plans to adopt glass substrates for mass-produced semiconductors in the latter part of this decade. Nippon Electric Glass faces competition from AGC and Dai Nippon Printing in this emerging market segment.
