The world of chip and substrate fabrication may not be the most thrilling topic for many, but when it has the potential to bring about significant improvements in performance and efficiency, it becomes a subject worth examining. Recent reports have indicated that AMD is considering the introduction of glass substrates in its chip manufacturing process between 2025 and 2026. This development has the potential to revolutionize chiplet-to-chiplet and chip-to-motherboard communication, bringing about a range of benefits.
The Significance of Glass Substrates
Using glass substrates instead of organic ones for communication between chiplets and motherboards offers several advantages in terms of performance and efficiency. Glass substrates provide a flatter surface, increased durability, and easier insertion of interconnects, allowing for more densely packed chips. This move towards glass substrates aligns with the trend in the industry, with other major players like Intel and Samsung also looking at incorporating glass substrates into their semiconductor manufacturing processes.
According to reports, AMD is currently evaluating glass substrate samples from various semiconductor substrate companies as part of its performance assessment. The introduction of glass substrates into AMD’s manufacturing process could bring about significant improvements in its innovative Infinity Architecture. While the timeline for the introduction of glass substrate chips by AMD seems ambitious, it aligns with the plans of other semiconductor substrate manufacturers.
Although the adoption of glass substrates holds promise for enhancing chip performance and efficiency, there are challenges that need to be addressed. The transition to glass substrates may not be immediate for all types of chips, particularly gaming CPUs and regular desktop chips. Glass substrates are currently more beneficial for large, multi-chip packages, making them more suitable for applications in AI and HPC data centers.
While AMD is known for its chiplet designs in gaming processors, the initial introduction of glass substrates may focus more on its EPYC lineup for data centers. The EPYC processors feature a more complex architecture with interconnected chiplets, making them better suited for leveraging the advantages of glass substrates. However, the next generation of EPYC processors is expected to continue using traditional organic substrates, indicating a limited window for the adoption of glass substrates by 2025 or 2026.
The potential introduction of glass substrates in chip and substrate fabrication represents a significant step forward in improving performance and efficiency. While there are challenges to overcome and specific applications where glass substrates will be more beneficial, the trend towards adopting this advanced technology is evident across the industry. As AMD and other manufacturers explore the possibilities offered by glass substrates, the future of chip manufacturing looks promising with the potential for groundbreaking innovations.
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