Through-Glass Vias and the Long Road to Glass Substrates
Glass-based substrates are gradually replacing organic substrates in PCBs due to their superior properties. However, challenges remain in creating through-glass vias (TGVs) that are defect-free and properly coated with copper. The advantages of glass substrates extend beyond chip packaging, making them suitable for advanced sensors and communication devices.
- ▪Glass substrates are beginning to replace organic substrates in PCBs due to better material properties.
- ▪Creating defect-free through-glass vias is a significant challenge that requires precise laser drilling techniques.
- ▪Glass substrates offer advantages such as chemical resistance, higher heat resistance, and transparency to RF.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Through-Glass Vias And The Long Road To Glass Substrates No comments by: Maya Posch May 25, 2026 Title: Copy Short Link: Copy Credit: Keith Best, Semiengineering. Glass-based substrates are slowly beginning to push out organic substrates commonly used in PCBs due to often superior material properties. One area where glass substrates have however struggled is with through-hole vias and providing the conductive copper path through them. A 2024 article by [Keith Best] gives a good overview of the topic, with recent news showing how much companies like Intel are pushing for glass substrates, specifically for the packaging of dies. One major advantage with vias in glass substrates is that they can be much smaller, enabling smaller than 0.1 mm diameter holes with far finer pitch.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Hackaday.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from Hackaday
