Philoptics Delivers Next-Generation 2.0mm Glass Substrate TGV Equipment to New Client...Expanding Global Client Base

Philoptics has secured a new global client in the glass substrate market, which is regarded as a next-generation semiconductor packaging technology. The company succeeded in receiving the order by meeting the client’s quality standards in a high-difficulty TGV (Through Glass Via) processing evaluation for 2.0mm-thick glass substrates, achieving a defect rate of 0 ppm.

On September 29, Philoptics announced that it had received an order for next-generation TGV equipment from a new global client. This equipment is designed to precisely drill holes in 2.0mm-thick glass substrates. The company explained that, led by major big tech companies, interest in 2.0mm-thick glass substrates is growing rapidly, and related technology development is now accelerating.

In this order process, Philoptics demonstrated its technological capabilities in a processing evaluation on mass-production-sized glass substrates measuring 510mm x 515mm. Notably, the company achieved a defect rate of 0 ppm even while delivering high performance in core processing indicators such as aspect ratio and the waist diameter ratio (intermediate to upper diameter).

It is believed that the final order was awarded thanks to Philoptics meeting the client’s strict quality standards while also delivering improved hole processing performance and quality compared to previous equipment.

This order also carries significance as it reflects the accelerating global adoption of glass substrates. Recently, major semiconductor firms in the US and Taiwan, which had previously been observing market developments, have begun to move toward adopting glass substrates as a next-generation packaging technology. Accordingly, some in the industry suggest that the commercialization timeline for glass substrates may be advanced compared to previous expectations.

Philoptics continues to broaden its client base in line with the market’s expansion. Since building up delivery records for mass-production equipment in 2022, the company has expanded its supply channels beyond substrate manufacturers to various core firms throughout the glass substrate value chain. With this order, Philoptics is adding a major global supply chain leader as a new client, further accelerating client diversification.

Synergy between equipment orders is another notable point. Along with TGV equipment, Philoptics will also supply an Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) system to this client. This enables rapid detection of defects in the processing workflow through automated optical inspection immediately after the TGV process.

In particular, as the thickness of glass substrates increases, the difficulty of TGV hole processing rises, and the importance of inspection processes also grows. Philoptics expects that its total solution of providing both TGV processing and inspection equipment will help clients improve overall process efficiency.

A Philoptics representative stated, "While increased glass substrate thickness allows for better warpage control, the complexity of the overall process increases rapidly, especially in maintaining TGV hole geometry and in managing the risk of voids during Cu filling."

The representative further emphasized, "To overcome voids in the Cu filling process, substrate breakage during Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP), and to boost mass-production yields across the entire value chain, securing the highest quality and yield in TGV processing is the fundamental starting point."

He added, "This order is a meaningful milestone, demonstrating our capabilities by working closely with major global clients to meet their ever-increasing technological demands. We will continue to strengthen our position as a core partner leading the next-generation glass substrate ecosystem."

With this order as a turning point, Philoptics intends to expand its global client base by leveraging TGV processing technology capable of handling thick 2.0mm-class glass substrates, and to enhance its equipment supply capabilities across both TGV and inspection systems.

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