News Briefing
  • At BOE IPC 2024, BOE officially unveiled and showcased its glass substrates for semiconductor packaging, making it the first Chinese company to expand from display panel business into the advanced packaging sector.
Impact analysis
  • With AI sparking a new wave of technological advancements, global demand for computing power has surged, driving rapid developments in advanced packaging and large-size substrates. Glass substrates have become a key area of focus for major companies, and now BOE has entered the competition. According to BOE’s 2024-2032 glass substrate technology roadmap, the company plans to begin mass production in 2026, aiming to achieve 8/8μm line width and 110x110mm package sizes by 2027. By 2029, they expect to improve to line widths below 5/5μm and package sizes over 120x120mm.
  • In recent years, many display panel manufacturers have been converting their older generation panel production lines into packaging lines. These manufacturers have an advantage in panel-level packaging due to their expertise in processes like thin film deposition, photolithography, and etching, which are also applicable to semiconductor manufacturing. By leveraging existing technology and equipment, panel manufacturers can enter the advanced packaging field with lower costs and a shorter learning curve. Among current major players, Samsung has aggressively integrated resources from its wafer, substrate, and panel divisions, covering the entire glass substrate supply chain, positioning itself as the leader in this area.

Company

TSMC

Intel

AMD

Samsung

Industrial status

The world’s largest semiconductor company and wafer foundry.

The world’s largest PC component and CPU manufacturer.

Renowned manufacturer of microprocessors and GPUs.

The world’s largest memory chip and smartphone manufacturer.

Glass substrate development trends
•  Researching the application of glass substrates in FOPLP (Fan-Out Panel Level Packaging), but no mature solution yet to support chips larger than 10 times the reticle size.
•  Expects related technology to have market potential after 2027.
•  Announced in September 2023 that glass substrates will be used as the next generation of advanced packaging solutions.
•  Plans to roll out a complete glass substrate solution between 2026 and 2030, with the goal of integrating 1 trillion transistors in a single package.
•  Integrating various glass substrate suppliers and conducting evaluations and tests on different glass substrate samples.
•  Aiming to adopt glass substrates for chip production between 2025 and 2026.
•  Commissioned Samsung Electro-Mechanics to start research on glass substrates, combining resources from its display division to ensure production capacity.
•  Plans to launch a test line in September 2024, with large-scale production expected in 2026.

Mass production planning

2027

2026~2030

2025~2026

2026
 

Company

SK Hynix

BOE

Innolux

Industrial status

The world’s second-largest memory chip manufacturer.

The world’s largest LCD panel manufacturer.

The world’s leading aerospace panel manufacturer and a leader in automotive panels.

Glass substrate development trends
•  Through its U.S. subsidiary Absolics, it is investing $300 million in a specialized production facility in Georgia.
•  Mass production is expected to begin in early 2025.
•  Established a pilot line with a cleanroom area of 2,000m², equipped with wafer manufacturing and packaging equipment.
•  Aiming for mass production in 2026, utilizing standard 510x515mm glass substrates, with package sizes of 50x50mm and 8-layer packaging (2+3+3).
•  Has been involved in FOPLP since 2017, supported by the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ A+ project.
•  The current FOPLP pilot production line has a monthly capacity of around 1,000 panels, mainly serving IDM customers with automotive pressure-resistant applications.
•  Phase 2 expansion of FOPLP production is set to begin in 2024.

Mass production planning

2025

2026

Already ready for mass production