Glass-core substrates
A new kind of package base made from glass instead of the plastic-like film used today - flatter and sturdier, so bigger, denser chip packages can be built.
Ranks low (47/100) - set apart by strategic relevance (58) and rising momentum (60).
Why it matters
It is the leading structural alternative to organic ABF and the enabler of panel-scale, very-large multi-die packages the ABF format struggles to support.
Why now
Intel, Samsung and Absolics moved glass-core roadmaps to 2026-2028 as AI package sizes outrun what organic ABF can hold flat, turning glass from research into a supply-chain contender.
If Glass-core substrates runs short
If glass yield, cracking or line qualification slip, the industry stays pinned to concentrated ABF supply for large packages, capping package-size gains.
In depth · editorial + model
Glass-core substrates replace organic ABF build-up with a rigid glass panel: better flatness and thermal stability enable larger bodies, finer routing and more I/O for multi-chiplet AI packages. Intel, Samsung and Absolics (SKC) are racing to volume. It is the leading structural alternative to organic ABF and the enabler of panel-scale, very-large multi-die packages the ABF format struggles to support. Intel, Samsung and Absolics moved glass-core roadmaps to 2026-2028 as AI package sizes outrun what organic ABF can hold flat, turning glass from research into a supply-chain contender. If glass yield, cracking or line qualification slip, the industry stays pinned to concentrated ABF supply for large packages, capping package-size gains.
Who makes Glass-core substrates
The companies exposed to Glass-core substrates
How to think about it
- New materials can invite new entrants
- Flatness sets the ceiling on package size
What to watch
- Intel/Samsung/Absolics volume timelines
- Glass panel yield & cracking
- Through-glass-via tooling maturity
Frequently asked
What is Glass-core substrates?
A new kind of package base made from glass instead of the plastic-like film used today - flatter and sturdier, so bigger, denser chip packages can be built.
Why does Glass-core substrates matter for AI?
It is the leading structural alternative to organic ABF and the enabler of panel-scale, very-large multi-die packages the ABF format struggles to support.
Who makes Glass-core substrates?
The companies the model tags as producers or suppliers of Glass-core substrates: BOE Technology Group.
Which companies are most exposed to Glass-core substrates?
BOE Technology Group, Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. - 2 companies in total are mapped to Glass-core substrates.
What happens if Glass-core substrates runs short?
If glass yield, cracking or line qualification slip, the industry stays pinned to concentrated ABF supply for large packages, capping package-size gains.
Where does Glass-core substrates sit in the AI value chain?
Glass-core substrates sits in the Chips layer of the AI value chain.
Go deeper on Glass-core substrates
- The materials, geographies and policies it depends on - heat-mapped
- Substitutes, relief valves and the domino chains if it tightens
- The live tension score, momentum and news drivers
- Four levels of analysis - from plain-English to strategic
model v2.8 · research, not advice
Model scores are illustrative reads from our model of the AI value chain - not investment advice.