As the commercialization of glass substrates (a key technology for next-generation semiconductor packaging) draws ever closer, companies like SK, LG, and Samsung are rapidly expanding their collaborations with materials and process suppliers. Industry assessments indicate that the competitive landscape has shifted from simple technology development to a value chain battle aimed at large-scale production.

Glass Substrate

Glass substrates are a next-generation packaging technology that uses glass as the core material, replacing the organic substrates commonly used in semiconductor packaging. Glass offers numerous advantages, such as a low coefficient of thermal expansion, high surface flatness (beneficial for the realization of fine circuits), low signal loss, and high energy efficiency. With the increasing prevalence of high-performance, highly integrated chips such as artificial intelligence semiconductors, the precision and stability of the packaging stage have a growing impact on device performance, leading the industry to view glass substrates as an ideal alternative to next-generation packaging technologies.

According to industry insiders on the 16th, SK Group's SKC, through its subsidiary Absolics, is accelerating preparations for mass production of glass substrates. SKC's shift in focus to glass substrates stems from the structural limitations of its existing core business. Faced with continued pressure on performance from its sluggish petrochemical business, the company has identified glass substrates as a high-value packaging material with the potential to grow in tandem with its artificial intelligence semiconductor business. 

Analysis suggests that SKC views achieving mass production as a turning point in its medium- to long-term business restructuring, rather than pursuing short-term profits.

About Absolics

Absolics is diversifying its photoresist (PR) supply for glass substrates by introducing domestic material suppliers, currently relying primarily on Japan's TOK Corporation. Furthermore, the company is seeking more partners to develop through-glass via (TGV) and electroplating processes, and is considering a dual-track process approach. With plans to achieve mass production this year, ensuring stable supply and technological maturity are considered key challenges.

Samsung also views glass substrates as a crucial component of its next-generation packaging competitiveness and value chain security. Samsung Electro-Mechanics is actively pursuing a joint venture with Sumitomo Chemical to jointly develop glass core materials, a key component of glass substrates. Samsung Electronics, through Samsung Ventures, has invested in JWMT, a Japanese glass substrate specialist, to support its factory expansion and capacity increases. These moves are seen as steps by Samsung to gradually build a complete supply chain structure covering materials, processing, and substrates.

LG's Innotek is evaluating its glass substrate business as an extension of its existing substrate and packaging businesses. Following its investment in UTI, a company with precision glass processing capabilities, LG Innotek is collaborating with it to develop technologies to enhance the strength of glass substrates and has built a pilot production line to gradually assess the feasibility of mass production. This move is seen as a strategy to balance internal core process development with external technology cooperation in order to fully leverage the synergies of existing businesses.

Industry insiders attribute these moves to the complexity of glass substrate manufacturing processes and upcoming mass production schedules. Glass substrates involve highly complex processes such as photoresist, glass core materials, hot pressing, electroplating, and tempered glass processing, making it difficult for a single company to independently complete all processes within a limited timeframe. As major companies' mass production plans become clearer, the need to establish partnerships to stabilize output and yield rates after customer certification is growing.

One industry insider stated, "The competition in the glass substrate field is not about who masters the technology first, but about who completes a mass-producible structural design first. In the early stages, stable yield rates and supply reliability are crucial, therefore cooperation between specialized companies is imperative, rather than relying on a single entity." The insider added, "With the widespread adoption of AI semiconductors, the demand for high-performance packaging is growing rapidly, and companies that actively build value chains are more likely to lead the market in the medium to long term."

Source: Compiled from chosun