Responding to the demand for glass substrates for semiconductor packaging: Development, optimization, and investment.

SCHOTT, a global specialty glass company, is embarking on product development, optimization, and investment to address the demand for glass substrates for advanced semiconductor chip packaging.

Schott announced on the 19th that it is strengthening its portfolio of glass substrates for semiconductor advanced packaging.

To meet the growing demand for glass substrates for advanced packaging, Schott has announced an action plan focused on three areas: research and development, upgrades and investments.

“To meet the growing demand for glass substrates for advanced packaging, we have announced an action plan focused on three pillars: research, upgrades, and investments,” said Dr. Frank Heinricht, CEO of SCHOTT. “Our ongoing engagement with semiconductor industry leaders has enabled us to accelerate product development and position us to immediately supply R&D teams with the high-quality substrates they need.”

For applications requiring high-performance computing, such as AI, the development of glass substrate packaging technology is essential. High-quality glass substrates will be a critical enabler of advanced packaging over the next decade, and SCHOTT is proactively setting the direction for industry innovation.

"Major steps toward advanced packaging are driven by materials innovation," explained Stefan Hergott, Head of SCHOTT's Specialty Sheet Glass and Wafer business. "Semiconductor advanced packaging starts with glass. Because glass possesses a range of properties that offer clear advantages in semiconductor manufacturing, specialty glass has the potential to take advanced packaging to the next level."

Glass's coefficient of thermal expansion, mechanical properties, and geometrical properties, such as its extremely low flatness, open up new products and new areas in semiconductor packaging, enabling semiconductor professionals to develop advanced packaging with superior performance and enhanced flexibility.

SCHOTT already offers a wide range of products tailored to specific applications in advanced packaging. These include glass panels for semiconductor packaging (e.g., D263® T co, BOROFLOAT® 33, or AF 32® eco) and glasses for consumable carrier wafers (e.g., made of AF 35G or BOROFLOAT®).

Even before glass substrates became a staple in the semiconductor industry, SCHOTT products have played a key role in the chip manufacturing industry for decades. For example, ZeroDur, which exhibits thermal expansion converging to zero, is a key component in major lithography machines worldwide. To produce optimal structures for high-performance microchips, silicon wafers and exposure masks within lithography equipment must be positioned with extreme precision. SCHOTT products, including flexible light guides, ensure the highest level of precision during the process. Because this equipment is used by every chip foundry and IDM worldwide, virtually every computer chip on the planet comes into contact with Schott's specialty glass.

For reference, this implementation plan covers areas that directly impact packaging design and the market, such as product innovation, upgrading existing substrates, and expanding application and processing capabilities.

Regarding product innovation, SCHOTT's innovative core materials for a variety of IC industry applications are already available to customers. Furthermore, customized substrates tailored to various advanced packaging applications are in the final stages of market launch.

Regarding the upgrade of existing substrates, innovative glass substrates for the semiconductor industry have undergone continuous optimization and advancement over the past several years, regularly improving geometric tolerances, ensuring exceptional flatness, and maximizing versatility across formats, thickness ranges, and material development for a variety of properties. SCHOTT plans to continue upgrading and optimizing its products to meet the demands of future industries.

Regarding the expansion of melting and processing capabilities, large-scale production capacity is necessary to smoothly meet the rapidly increasing demand. SCHOTT has already decided on and is preparing for infrastructure expansion. For example, SCHOTT plans to continuously expand the capacity and capabilities of its global facilities.