Glass substrates are emerging as a superior alternative to organic PCB substrates, particularly for high-density chip packaging. The key challenge is creating through-glass vias (TGVs) — tiny conductive holes smaller than 0.1 mm — using femtosecond lasers without introducing microcracks or residual stress. Recent research shows that careful tuning of laser parameters can largely prevent post-drilling defects in Borofloat 33 glass. Beyond chip packaging, glass substrates offer chemical resistance, high heat tolerance, RF transparency, and hermetic sealing, making them valuable for sensors and communication devices. Companies like Intel are actively prototyping glass substrate solutions for die co-packaging.
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