One-Tenth the Width of a Hair, Worth 1.5 Trillion Won... Samsung Electro-Mechanics Secures Major AI Clients with Silicon Capacitors

Mass Production of ‘Si-Cap’ with Advanced Semiconductor Processing
Completing a High-End Lineup Following MLCCs and Package Substrates
Achieving Ultra-Fast Control by Reducing Parasitic Inductance by 100 Times

Samsung Electro-Mechanics has put its "silicon capacitor" at the forefront as a solution to the Achilles’ heel of next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors: abrupt power fluctuations and signal noise. By establishing a mass production system for silicon capacitors—integrating advanced semiconductor processes—following its existing multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) and flip-chip ball grid array (FCBGA) substrates, the company is being recognized for completing a full lineup of advanced components targeting the high-performance AI infrastructure market.

On June 11, Samsung Electro-Mechanics held a product learning session (SEMinar) to unveil the core technological capabilities and mid- to long-term business strategies for silicon capacitors, which are expected to push AI semiconductor performance to its limits. Kim Wonki, Group Leader of Silicon Capacitor Development at Samsung Electro-Mechanics, who led the technical briefing, said, “The specification requirements for AI data centers, mobile application processors, and physical AI are converging towards high performance, high integration, and high reliability,” adding, “The silicon capacitor is the key component that can solve all three challenges simultaneously.”

Wong Ki Kim, Head of Silicon Capacitor Development Group at Samsung Electro-Mechanics, is conducting a product learning session (SEMinar) at the Samsung Electronics Taepyeongno Building on the 11th. Photo by Jin Young Kim

The Fusion of ‘Rooftop Water Tanks’ and ‘Charcoal Structures’... An Ultra-Thin Dam Created with Semiconductor Processing

A capacitor acts as a "dam (water tank)" that temporarily stores power and supplies electricity to semiconductors at lightning speed when needed, while also serving as a "filter" that removes minute electrical noise. Since AI semiconductors require multicore parallel processing, they draw huge amounts of current in an instant whenever loads are applied, causing rapid voltage swings.

Kim compared this to an apartment’s water supply system. He explained, “Just as household water pressure drops at night when dishwashing and shower times overlap, problems arise in data centers when various components simultaneously draw a surge of power to process search queries. Much like a rooftop water tank stores and distributes water in an apartment, the capacitor’s core function is to collect and supply energy in the circuit at a consistent rate over time to maintain voltage stability.”

Structure of Samsung Electro-Mechanics Silicon Capacitor. Samsung Electro-Mechanics

Unlike conventional MLCCs, which are made by stacking ceramic sheets, Samsung Electro-Mechanics' mass-produced silicon capacitors utilize a DRAM manufacturing process. By drilling microscopic holes into the surface of a silicon wafer to maximize surface area and then depositing high-purity dielectric layers and electrodes inside, they achieve a structure similar to how charcoal’s porous architecture is used for air purification or water filtration. The core storage layer is as thin as one-tenth the width of a human hair (10μm), and the thickness can be adjusted by grinding the backside of the silicon wafer.

Kim explained, “DRAM has long used exceptionally good capacitors for information storage. By taking just the capacitor part—excluding the transistor section—and redeveloping it to meet the voltage and capacity requirements of data centers, we created the silicon capacitor.”

Eliminating Unwanted ‘Parasitic Inductance’... Unshakable Reliability at High Frequencies and High Temperatures

The silicon capacitor’s most powerful feature is its parasitic inductance (ESL), which is more than 100 times lower than that of MLCCs. The term "parasitic elements" refers to unwanted circuit effects—such as pipes vibrating or signals distorting when current passes through a narrow channel—that can cause fatal signal delays for AI chipsets requiring high-speed response if the values are too high.

Kim explained, “Conventional MLCCs have structural limitations, with only 2 or sometimes 4 to 8 terminals for electrical connection. In contrast, semiconductor-based silicon capacitors can have over 60 terminals. It’s like opening dozens of faucets at once to maximize flow—this greatly reduces parasitic inductance, making them ideal for modern AI servers that idle and then activate suddenly.”

Samsung Electro-Mechanics Silicon Capacitor. Photo by Jinyoung Kim

Additionally, they experience almost no capacity loss due to voltage or temperature changes, maintaining stable characteristics even in harsh environments above 250 degrees Celsius. Citing the aerospace sector as an example, Kim stated, “Low-orbit satellites circle the Earth ten times a day, with half their orbit exposed to intense sunlight and the other half in deep shade. If performance changes with temperature, the system has to be overdesigned to handle the worst-case scenario. Silicon capacitors maintain consistent capacity despite environmental changes, making system matching much easier.”

“Complementary with MLCCs”... Accelerating the Ramp-Up of the Embedded Substrate Market

Samsung Electro-Mechanics drew a clear line regarding the so-called 'MLCC replacement theory' raised by some. Kim noted, “There were internal discussions early on about whether this would cannibalize the existing MLCC market, but now, silicon capacitors are filling the areas where MLCCs alone cannot meet system design needs. Rather, the relationship is complementary, expanding the overall market.”

MLCCs, which leverage volume to handle high capacity and high voltage, and silicon capacitors, which are specialized for ultra-compact size and high-frequency performance, complement each other rather than compete. In fact, more and more cases in cutting-edge AI server architectures are mixing both components for optimal system performance.

Silicon Capacitors and MLCC Application Areas. Samsung Electro-Mechanics

The presence of silicon capacitors is growing in the embedded market, where components are built into substrates. Kim stated, “The business of embedding silicon capacitors inside FCBGA substrates is just starting to ramp up in earnest, and we’ve begun expanding supply, focusing on AI servers and data centers.”

Meanwhile, according to market research firms, the global silicon capacitor market is expected to experience ultra-high-speed growth, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) reaching 18% from 2026 to 2031. Samsung Electro-Mechanics aims to diversify its high-capacity, multifunctional lineup and secure market leadership, taking as a catalyst a recent silicon capacitor supply contract with a global major company worth 1.5 trillion won.

Regarding Samsung Electro-Mechanics' unique sales strategy, Kim said, “Our package solution, MLCC, and silicon capacitor marketing personnel work together on sales promotions. From the customer’s perspective, this eliminates the risk of manufacturers blaming each other for component defects, and it enables comprehensive consulting on the required voltage and capacity right on-site, drastically shortening development time. That’s our competitive edge.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.