[Edaily Reporter Park Jung-Soo ] PHILOPTICS CO., LTD.(161580)will unveil the first physical sample in Korea of a 2.0 mm-thick glass substrate for next-generation semiconductor packaging.
PHILOPTICS CO., LTD. announced on the 7th that it will participate in the “KPCA SHOW 2026,” taking place from the 9th to the 11th at Songdo Convensia in Incheon, to showcase its advanced laser processing technology for Through Glass Via (TGV).
At this exhibition, the company will unveil to the public a physical sample of a 2.0 mm-thick TGV glass substrate, which is gaining attention as a next-generation semiconductor packaging substrate. The company explained that it has developed a technology that prevents defects during TGV processing—a process previously considered a key technical challenge for thick glass substrates.
As semiconductor package substrates have recently become larger in area, glass substrates are also trending toward greater thickness. PHILOPTICS CO., LTD. stated that it has overcome the technical limitation where the TGV defect rate increases as the glass becomes thicker, even for mass-production substrate sizes of 510 mm × 515 mm. This technology has recently been validated by multiple global customers.
The importance of thick glass substrates is growing in tandem with the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) accelerators. This is because the number of graphics processing units (GPUs) and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) modules mounted on a single package is increasing, leading to larger substrate areas. As substrates grow in size, “warpage”—bending caused by factors such as chip heat generation—can become more severe; however, increasing the thickness of the glass substrate is advantageous for enhancing physical rigidity.
There are also advantages in terms of securing space to embed passive components, such as multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs), within the substrate. By utilizing “blind cavities”—which involve precision machining the interior of the substrate to a specific depth—passive components can be placed close to the chips. This reduces signal loss while simultaneously freeing up additional space for mounting logic and memory chips.
The key to mass-producing thick glass substrates lies in TGV laser processing technology. TGV quality is determined by factors such as penetration rate, taper angle, roundness, inner wall roughness, and hole positioning accuracy.
PHILOPTICS CO., LTD. explained that it has met these key metrics through its proprietary precision laser processing technology and achieved a TGV defect rate of 0 ppm, regardless of the glass substrate’s thickness. According to the company, this means no defects occur even when processing one million holes. It also added that process speed has been increased compared to previous methods.
PHILOPTICS CO., LTD. stated, “We have stably achieved a TGV defective hole rate of 0 ppm regardless of the glass substrate’s thickness, while simultaneously significantly increasing the processing speed,” adding, “We will continue to introduce top-tier laser precision machining equipment to set the global standard for next-generation glass substrate processing technology.”
The spokesperson continued, “We have already received technical validation from key overseas customers who currently lead the global semiconductor value chain,” adding, “The adoption of the equipment has been virtually confirmed, and we are currently in the final stages of practical procedures for placing the final order.”