Glass substrate/TGV technology

TGV (Through-Glass Via) packaging substrate is a high-density interconnection technology made using glass substrates, mainly used for packaging of high-performance electronic devices. TGV technology is to form through-holes on the glass substrate and fill these through-holes with conductive materials to achieve electrical connection. The following are some of the main features and application areas of TGV glass packaging substrates:

Features

Superior high-frequency performance

Glass materials have low dielectric constants and low loss factors, which are suitable for high-frequency and high-speed signal transmission applications.

High-density interconnection

Since glass substrates can achieve extremely small diameter through-holes (usually in the range of tens of microns), high-density circuit layout can be achieved.

Excellent mechanical properties

Glass has good mechanical strength and thermal stability and can withstand high-temperature processing and mechanical stress.

Thermal expansion coefficient matching

The thermal expansion coefficient of glass can be matched with silicon by selecting appropriate glass materials, thereby reducing the stress caused by thermal expansion mismatch during packaging.

Transparency

The transparent properties of glass give it unique advantages in certain optoelectronic applications.

Application fields

High frequency communication

TGV technology is suitable for high frequency applications such as 5G and millimeter wave communication, and can provide excellent signal integrity.

Optoelectronic packaging

Due to the transparency of glass, TGV technology has unique advantages in the packaging of optoelectronic devices, such as image sensors and optical communication modules.

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)

TGV technology can be used for the packaging of MEMS devices, providing high-precision and high-density electrical interconnections.

High performance computing

TGV glass packaging substrates are also an ideal choice in the field of high-performance computing that requires high-density and high-speed signal transmission.

Manufacturing process

Through hole formation

Through holes are formed on glass substrates by laser drilling or chemical etching.

Through hole filling

Through holes are filled with conductive materials (such as copper) to form electrical interconnections.

Surface treatment

The surface of the glass substrate is metallized for welding or bonding with other electronic components.

Precision alignment

Due to the transparent characteristics of the glass substrate, high-precision alignment can be performed by optical methods, thereby improving assembly accuracy.

Development Trends

With the increasing demand for high-performance electronic devices, TGV glass packaging substrate technology is gradually being widely used and researched. Its future development direction is mainly concentrated in the following aspects:

Cost reduction

Reduce the overall cost of TGV packaging by improving manufacturing processes and materials.

Improve reliability

Further improve the mechanical strength and electrical performance of the package and enhance long-term reliability.

Application expansion

Expand more application areas, such as wearable devices, medical electronics, etc.

In short, as a high-density, high-performance packaging technology, TGV glass packaging substrate has important application prospects in the development of future electronic devices.

What companies are doing it in the world now?

At present, there are many companies and research institutions in the world that are developing and producing TGV (Through-Glass Via) packaging substrates. These companies and institutions are mainly concentrated in the electronic packaging and semiconductor industries. Here are some of the main players:

1. Corning Incorporated

Overview: As a world-renowned glass and ceramic materials company, Corning has deep technical accumulation in the field of glass substrates.

Related technologies: Corning Gorilla Glass and other products have been used in a variety of electronic devices, and Corning is also actively developing glass materials for TGV packaging.

2. SCHOTT AG

Overview: Germany's SCHOTT is a leader in specialty glass and glass ceramics.

Related technologies: SCHOTT provides a variety of high-performance glass substrate materials and conducts research and application in TGV technology.

3. AGC Inc. (Asahi Glass Co., Ltd.)

Overview: Japan's AGC is a leading global glass manufacturer.

Related technologies: AGC has developed glass substrates for high-frequency applications and has conducted extensive research in TGV technology.

4. Taiwan Glass Ind. Corp.

Overview: Taiwan Glass is one of the important glass manufacturers in Asia.

Related technologies: The company is actively involved in the research and development of TGV glass packaging technology to serve the semiconductor and electronic packaging markets.

5. Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Overview: Murata Manufacturing is a Japanese electronic component manufacturer.

Related technologies: Murata has made significant investments in TGV technology to enhance its competitiveness in high-density interconnection and high-frequency applications.

6. Samtec, Inc.

Overview: Samtec, an American company, focuses on high-performance interconnect solutions.

Related technologies: The company has developed a variety of advanced packaging technologies, including TGV technology, for high-speed and high-frequency applications.

7. TDK Corporation

Overview: TDK is a Japanese electronic component manufacturer.

Related technologies: TDK has done a lot of work in developing and applying TGV technology, especially in MEMS and sensor packaging.

8. AT&S (Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik AG)

Overview: AT&S in Austria is a leading global manufacturer of high-end printed circuit boards and packaging substrates.

Related technologies: AT&S has developed a variety of advanced packaging technologies, including TGV substrates, for high-density and high-performance applications.

9. IBM Research

Overview: IBM Research has extensive R&D experience in semiconductor and packaging technology.

Related technologies: IBM has made important progress in the basic research and application development of TGV technology, promoting the application of this technology in high-performance computing and communications.

10. Research institutions and universities

Overview: Well-known research institutions and universities including Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Stanford University are also actively researching TGV packaging technology.

Related technologies: These institutions have promoted the innovation and application of TGV technology through cooperative projects and independent research.

The research and development and application of these companies and institutions in the field of TGV technology have promoted the development of electronic packaging technology and improved the performance and reliability of electronic devices.

Trends in glass substrates?

The application of glass substrates in the electronics and semiconductor industries shows several important trends that reflect changes in technological progress, market demand and application areas. The following are some major trends in glass substrate technology and market:

1. High-frequency and high-bandwidth applications

Driving force: The rapid development of 5G, millimeter-wave communications, data centers and high-performance computing.

Trend: Due to the low dielectric constant and low loss factor of glass substrates, they can meet the needs of high-frequency and high-bandwidth applications. In the future, more high-frequency applications will adopt glass substrates to ensure signal integrity and transmission speed.

2. Optoelectronics and optical communications

Driving force: The continued growth of data transmission rate and bandwidth requirements.

Trend: The transparent properties of glass substrates give them unique advantages in optoelectronic devices and optical communication modules, and they will be more widely used in optical sensors, optical interconnects, and optical packaging in the future.

3. Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)

Driving force: Miniaturization and high-precision requirements for MEMS devices.

Trend: The high-precision processing and thermal stability of glass substrates make them an ideal choice for MEMS device packaging. In the future, glass substrates will play an important role in more MEMS applications, such as sensors and actuators.

4. Heterogeneous integration and three-dimensional packaging

Driving force: The need to improve system integration and performance.

Trend: Glass substrates will be increasingly used in heterogeneous integration and three-dimensional packaging. By implementing multi-layer interconnects and through-holes on glass substrates, the integration and performance of devices can be improved.

5. Cost reduction and process optimization

Driving force: Pressure from mass production and market competition.

Trend: With the increase in the application of glass substrates, the manufacturing process will continue to be optimized and the production cost will gradually decrease. The cost-effectiveness of glass substrates will be further improved by improving manufacturing technology and material selection.

6. Environmental protection and sustainable development

Driving force: Global attention to environmental protection and sustainable development.

Trend: Glass substrates have advantages in environmental protection and sustainability because glass is a recyclable and environmentally friendly material. In the future, the application of glass substrates in green electronic products will increase.

7. New materials and new processes

Driving force: Technological progress and research and development of new materials.

Trend: With the development of new glass materials and processing technologies, the performance and application range of glass substrates will be further expanded. For example, the development of ultra-thin glass and flexible glass will provide more possibilities for the new generation of electronic devices.

8. Market expansion and diversified applications

Driving force: Growing demand in consumer electronics, medical equipment, automotive electronics and other fields.

Trend: The application of glass substrates will expand from traditional semiconductor and communication fields to more emerging markets. Especially in medical electronics and automotive electronics, the advantages of glass substrates will be further explored and utilized.

9. Fusion of advanced packaging technology

Driving force: Improvement of system performance and reliability requirements.

Trend: The combination of glass substrates with other advanced packaging technologies (such as Fan-Out Wafer-Level Packaging, FO-WLP) will become an important direction for future development. This fusion can further enhance the overall performance and packaging density of the system.

In summary, the trends of glass substrates in technology and the market reflect their broad application prospects and continuously improving technical performance. With the increase in demand and the advancement of technology, glass substrates will play an increasingly important role in many fields.