PCBs made of glass substrates may be the "next big thing" in chip development, Apple is considering adopting this technology.  As the competition in AI intensifies, industry giants like Nvidia, AMD, and Intel are also considering the use of glass substrates, with an estimated adoption starting as early as 2026.

KB Securities analyst Lee Chang-min predicts that with the surge in AI data processing demands, plastic substrates may struggle to meet the requirements by 2030. Initially, glass substrates will be used for advanced products like AI accelerators and server CPUs, with their usage gradually expanding.

Intel announced an expansion of its glass substrate business in May last year and has already collaborated with some Korean enterprises.

On the other hand, SKC is the first Korean company to venture into the glass substrate business and has partnered with chip equipment giant Applied Materials to establish Absolics, investing $240 million to build a factory in Georgia, USA. Samsung Electro-Mechanics and LG Innotek also view glass substrates as a new growth engine and have initiated production investments.

Current PCBs, which are typically made of a mix of fiberglass and resin beneath the copper and solder mask layers, are sensitive to temperature and require thermal throttling to control heat, necessitating that chip performance be reduced when overheating occurs, thus limiting the time the chip can maintain peak performance.

Switching to glass substrates can significantly increase the temperature tolerance of the circuit board, allowing the chip to sustain optimal performance for longer periods. Additionally, glass substrates, which are very flat, enable more precise etching and enhance transistor density, an area in which Intel currently leads.

Editor：Lulu

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