[News] Samsung Reportedly Eyes Glass Interposers by 2028, Speeds up Prototyping with Smaller Panels

Samsung is continuing to strengthen its foundry operation and is reportedly planning to adopt glass substrates for chip packaging, according to Wccftech citing etnews. The South Korean tech giant intends to replace the traditional silicon interposer with a glass interposer by 2028, as the report notes.

Notably, etnews points out that while the industry is beginning to explore glass substrates for interposers, Samsung is taking a distinct approach. Rather than adopting large 510x515mm glass panels, the company is developing smaller sub-100x100mm units to accelerate prototyping. Although the reduced size may impact manufacturing efficiency, it is expected to enable a faster market entry, the report highlights.

In response to rising AI demand, industry giants are advancing packaging technologies. Citing Nikkei, Economic Daily News notes that TSMC is finalizing specifications for its FOPLP technology to accelerate mass production. The first-generation version will reportedly use a 300x300mm panel. TSMC is currently building a pilot line in Taoyuan, Taiwan, with limited trial production expected to begin as early as 2027, the report adds.

Glass Interposers Poised to Reshape AI Chip Packaging

The interposer—also known as a bridge substrate—is a crucial component in AI chip. AI semiconductors typically feature a 2.5D packaging layout, with the GPU placed at the center and HBM arranged around it. The interposer connects the GPU to the HBM, allowing high-speed data communication. According to etnews, this configuration is essential for delivering the performance required in advanced AI applications.

Currently, interposers are made of silicon, but due to high costs, the industry is increasingly looking to glass as an alternative. As noted by etnews, efforts are underway to apply glass to both interposers and main substrates, though the shift to glass interposers is expected to come first. For example, etnews mentions that AMD is also planning to begin using glass interposers.

Glass Substrate Production May Launch at Cheonan Campus 

Samsung is reportedly preparing to package semiconductors using glass interposers at its Cheonan campus, with components supplied by external vendors. According to etnews, the company plans to utilize its existing panel-level packaging (PLP) line for this purpose.

PLP is regarded as particularly well-suited for glass substrates and offers greater productivity compared to traditional wafer-level packaging (WLP), which relies on circular wafers. By using square panels instead, PLP is expected to enhance efficiency, etnews notes.

Samsung’s plans to adopt glass interposers have been in discussion for some time. According to SEDaily, citing industry sources from March 2025, Samsung Electronics previously received a joint proposal from materials supplier Chemtronics and equipment maker Philoptics for glass interposer development. The company is also reportedly considering using Corning glass and may outsource production to these partners.

Read more

• [News] Samsung Reportedly Develops Glass Interposers for Packaging, Leveraging Corning’s Glass
• Demand from AMD and NVIDIA Drives FOPLP Development, Mass Production Expected in 2027–2028, Says TrendForce
• [News] TSMC Reportedly to Bring FOPLP Packaging Tech to U.S., Trial Production May Start in 2027

(Photo credit: Samsung)