SEMI announced that it has recently published the 'Glass Core Substrate Market and Development Trends' report, co-produced with Global Net Corp. (GNC). The report covers the market potential, development status, key company activities, and commercialization barriers of glass core substrates as AI and HPC drive demand for larger and more complex semiconductor packages.

Glass core substrates are evaluated as a technology that can support larger package sizes, finer interconnects, and improved stability compared to existing package substrate materials. In high-performance semiconductor structures that integrate multiple chips into a single package, substrate flatness, signal stability, and wiring precision are considered key factors affecting performance and yield.

Clark Chung, Senior Director of Market Intelligence at SEMI, explained that advanced packaging has emerged as a key area of innovation as semiconductor manufacturers seek ways to enhance system performance beyond conventional device scaling. He stated that glass core substrates are being evaluated as a potential solution for future high-performance packages, and that this report will help understand the position and challenges in the technology adoption process.

The report projected that initial production could begin around 2028, centered on some high-performance applications. Adoption is then likely to expand across larger and more complex package architectures, and the market CAGR is predicted to reach 67.2% from 2028 to 2040 based on the average of positive, baseline, and negative scenarios.

Challenges that need to be addressed for commercialization were also presented. Along with technological drivers, the report analyzed the development status across the entire supply chain, including glass materials, substrate manufacturing, equipment, processes, and inspection. It also identified AI, HPC, advanced processors, copackaged optics, and image sensors as expected applications, and explained that a development ecosystem involving companies and research institutions in Asia, North America, and Europe is expanding.