AT&S advances glass core substrates for AI, high-performance computing and photonics

New substrate technology offers a stable foundation for larger and more powerful chip packages. Strong investments in research and the successful integration of new machines at the new plant in Leoben position AT&S to be a driving force in the next generation of advanced packaging.

Leoben, April 22, 2026 - AT&S is advancing glass core substrates from research toward industrial use in artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, high-speed communications and photonics. As chips for AI data centers and advanced networks become larger and more complex, conventional substrate materials reach their limits in dimensional stability, signal quality, and energy efficiency. Glass offers a promising alternative: it stays flat, reduces electrical loss and supports highly precise structures, making it well suited for the next generation of advanced microchip packages.

In practical terms, a glass core substrate is the stable inner layer of a chip package. It features fine copper structures that distribute power and transmit data between processor, memory, and the wider system. Because glass is exceptionally planar and electrically stable, it can support smaller structures, cleaner signal transmission, and larger package formats than conventional organic materials. Applications such as AI accelerators and high-bandwidth data centers benefit from more performance, minimal space requirements, lower losses, and better thermal behavior.

Built for next-generation computing

AT&S has been working on glass substrate technology for several years and is in the process of developing the capabilities to bring it to industrial use. This includes through-glass vias for vertical electrical connections, advanced copper patterning, and panel-based manufacturing approaches for future high-volume production. The company's competence center for R&D and IC Substrate production in Leoben, supported through the European Union's IPCEI ME/CT framework, plays a central role in this effort and links research and industrialization.

"Glass core substrates are helping shape the systems that will power the AI era. They provide a stable foundation for larger, more capable chip packages and create opportunities for new functionalities, including optical links inside the package itself. At AT&S, progress is always the result of close collaboration across research, engineering, manufacturing, supply chain management and our partner network. Together, we transform a promising idea into a reliable product," says AT&S CTO Peter Griehsnig.

Clear path to industrial deployment

One of the most important opportunities for glass core substrates lies in co-packaged optics: the integration of optical connections alongside electrical structures directly in the package. Because glass combines dimensional stability with optical transparency, it is a strong candidate for future systems that need to move very large volumes of data with minimal latency and low power consumption. That is particularly relevant for AI infrastructure, where performance gains increasingly depend not only on raw compute, but also on how efficiently data can move through the system.

Glass supports larger multi-die packages for GPUs, CPUs, and memory-rich systems and aligns with the semiconductor industry's move toward panel-level manufacturing. AT&S is addressing the challenges of large-scale deployment, including handling thinner glass safely, ensuring reliability under thermal stress, and preparing manufacturing and inspection systems for volume production. With the competence center in Leoben and additional manufacturing and research hubs in Europe and Asia, AT&S is well positioned to help customers design, prototype, and scale glass-based systems for the next generation of AI and high-performance computing.

AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft - Advanced Technologies & Solutions
AT&S is a leading global manufacturer of high-end IC substrates and printed circuit boards. AT&S develops and produces leading-edge interconnect technologies for key digital industries: mobile devices, automotive & aerospace, industrial, medical and high-performance computing for AI applications. With production sites in Austria (Leoben, Fehring), China (Shanghai, Chongqing), Malaysia (Kulim), India (Nanjangud) and a European competence center for R&D and IC substrate production in Leoben, AT&S is actively shaping the digital transformation - through forward-looking investments in research and development and the responsible use of resources. The company currently employs around 13,000 people.

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