According to reports, AMD is planning to integrate glass substrates into its high-performance system-in-packages (SiPs) by 2025 or 2026. Glass substrates offer various advantages over traditional organic substrates, such as better flatness, thermal properties, and mechanical strength. These qualities make them ideal for advanced SiPs with multiple chiplets, particularly in data center applications where performance and durability are crucial. The shift to glass substrates aligns with the industry's trend towards more intricate chip designs. As cutting-edge process technologies become more costly and yield improvements slow down, manufacturers are turning to multi-chiplet designs to enhance performance. AMD's current EPYC server processors already contain up to 13 chiplets, while its Instinct AI accelerators have 22 silicon pieces. Intel's Ponte Vecchio is an extreme example, utilizing 63 tiles in a single package.
Glass substrates could allow AMD to create even more complex designs without the need for expensive interposers, potentially reducing overall production costs. This technology could also enhance the performance of AI and HPC accelerators, which are in a growing market that demands constant innovation. The glass substrate market is becoming increasingly competitive, with major players like Intel, Samsung, and LG Innotek investing heavily in this technology. Market forecasts indicate significant growth, from $23 million in 2024 to $4.2 billion by 2034. Last year, Intel announced plans to invest up to 1.3 trillion Won (nearly one billion USD) to implement glass substrates in its processors by 2028. All signs point to glass substrates being the future of chip design, and we eagerly anticipate the first high-volume production designs.
