Latest news with #SKC
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
Could glass help Samsung crack next semiconductor conundrum?
Glass substrates inch closer to commercialization — poised to redefine performance, power efficiency in chips Glass substrates, long viewed as a promising next-generation component in advanced chip packaging, are now nearing real-world deployment, as Samsung Electronics signals a transition away from conventional silicon interposers. According to industry sources Wednesday, Samsung plans to adopt glass substrate interposers for its advanced semiconductors by 2028 to 'meet customer demands.' While the company neither confirmed nor denied the development, it stated, 'We are investing in (research and development) and preparing in line with industry trends.' In semiconductor manufacturing, interposers are critical in advanced packaging technologies. They connect high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips with graphics processing units (GPUs) or other logic chips, enabling faster data transfer and improved overall performance. Although chipmakers have traditionally relied on silicon substrates for their manufacturing maturity and compatibility, they are increasingly exploring glass as a high-performance alternative that offers improved energy efficiency. 'If glass substrates are successfully adopted, they could become a very attractive material,' said a chip materials professor on condition of anonymity. 'But there are still significant hurdles to clear before they can be commercialized.' A game changer for advanced packaging Glass core substrates are widely seen as a potential game changer in the semiconductor landscape. They serve as thin, rigid platforms that allow for side-by-side mounting of logic and memory chips, forming the foundation of high-performance computing systems. Their advantages are substantial: exceptional heat resistance, ultra-flat surfaces for greater chip density and finer patterning capabilities. According to SKC, the parent company of glass substrate maker Absolics, the material can improve chip processing speeds by up to 40 percent and reduce power consumption by more than 40 percent compared to traditional silicon substrates. Despite these benefits, commercialization has been slow, primarily due to the brittleness of glass and the high-precision demands of the manufacturing process. Nevertheless, leading chipmakers — including Samsung, Intel, AMD, Broadcom and Nvidia — are actively exploring the adoption of glass substrates in their next-generation chip products. 'Competition in the chip market is intensifying, and players are constantly seeking breakthroughs to set themselves apart,' said Lee Byung-hun, professor of electrical engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology. 'It's encouraging that Samsung continues to pursue differentiation to strengthen its competitive edge.' Amid growing momentum, the global glass substrate market is projected to grow from $7.2 billion in 2024 to $10.3 billion by 2034, according to market tracker Global Market Insight. Who's winning the game? The first company expected to commercialize glass core substrates is Absolics, a semiconductor materials subsidiary of SKC. The firm has already begun prototype production at its Georgia, US facility, which boasts an annual capacity of 12,000 square meters. Absolics is currently undergoing product qualification with clients and aims to complete preparations for mass production within this year. Its Georgia plant, completed in the first half of last year, made Absolics the first Korean firm to receive $40 million in subsidies under the US CHIPS and Science Act — part of a broader $75 million support package from the US government. Samsung Electro-Mechanics, which announced its entry into the glass substrate market last year, aims to produce its first prototype by the second quarter of this year. It has reportedly begun operating a pilot line at its Sejong plant. LG Innotek is also preparing to enter the space, building a pilot line at its Gumi plant and planning to begin prototype production by year-end. As a latecomer, the company aims to differentiate itself through a strategic partnership with a 'major North American client,' according to its CEO. While companies are racing to develop prototypes in 2024, experts caution that the timeline for full commercialization remains uncertain. 'Company activities are largely driven by client interest, but that does not necessarily guarantee immediate deployment,' said another professor specializing in glass core technologies, also requesting anonymity. 'Absolics, for instance, announced more than a year ago that it had begun product qualification with clients, but no results have been disclosed to date.' 'Glass substrates clearly offer compelling advantages,' the professor added. 'But so do their limitations, especially in terms of long-term reliability. Their use will depend heavily on specific applications, and competing materials remain in play. So while the potential is there, it's still too early to speak with certainty.'
Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
Could glass help Samsung crack next semiconductor conundrum?
Glass substrates inch closer to commercialization — poised to redefine performance, power efficiency in chips Glass substrates, long viewed as a promising next-generation component in advanced chip packaging, are now nearing real-world deployment, as Samsung Electronics signals a transition away from conventional silicon interposers. According to industry sources Wednesday, Samsung plans to adopt glass substrate interposers for its advanced semiconductors by 2028 to 'meet customer demands.' While the company neither confirmed nor denied the development, it stated, 'We are investing in (research and development) and preparing in line with industry trends.' In semiconductor manufacturing, interposers are critical in advanced packaging technologies. They connect high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips with graphics processing units (GPUs) or other logic chips, enabling faster data transfer and improved overall performance. Although chipmakers have traditionally relied on silicon substrates for their manufacturing maturity and compatibility, they are increasingly exploring glass as a high-performance alternative that offers improved energy efficiency. 'If glass substrates are successfully adopted, they could become a very attractive material,' said a chip materials professor on condition of anonymity. 'But there are still significant hurdles to clear before they can be commercialized.' A game changer for advanced packaging Glass core substrates are widely seen as a potential game changer in the semiconductor landscape. They serve as thin, rigid platforms that allow for side-by-side mounting of logic and memory chips, forming the foundation of high-performance computing systems. Their advantages are substantial: exceptional heat resistance, ultra-flat surfaces for greater chip density and finer patterning capabilities. According to SKC, the parent company of glass substrate maker Absolics, the material can improve chip processing speeds by up to 40 percent and reduce power consumption by more than 40 percent compared to traditional silicon substrates. Despite these benefits, commercialization has been slow, primarily due to the brittleness of glass and the high-precision demands of the manufacturing process. Nevertheless, leading chipmakers — including Samsung, Intel, AMD, Broadcom and Nvidia — are actively exploring the adoption of glass substrates in their next-generation chip products. 'Competition in the chip market is intensifying, and players are constantly seeking breakthroughs to set themselves apart,' said Lee Byung-hun, professor of electrical engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology. 'It's encouraging that Samsung continues to pursue differentiation to strengthen its competitive edge.' Amid growing momentum, the global glass substrate market is projected to grow from $7.2 billion in 2024 to $10.3 billion by 2034, according to market tracker Global Market Insight. Who's winning the game? The first company expected to commercialize glass core substrates is Absolics, a semiconductor materials subsidiary of SKC. The firm has already begun prototype production at its Georgia, US facility, which boasts an annual capacity of 12,000 square meters. Absolics is currently undergoing product qualification with clients and aims to complete preparations for mass production within this year. Its Georgia plant, completed in the first half of last year, made Absolics the first Korean firm to receive $40 million in subsidies under the US CHIPS and Science Act — part of a broader $75 million support package from the US government. Samsung Electro-Mechanics, which announced its entry into the glass substrate market last year, aims to produce its first prototype by the second quarter of this year. It has reportedly begun operating a pilot line at its Sejong plant. LG Innotek is also preparing to enter the space, building a pilot line at its Gumi plant and planning to begin prototype production by year-end. As a latecomer, the company aims to differentiate itself through a strategic partnership with a 'major North American client,' according to its CEO. While companies are racing to develop prototypes in 2024, experts caution that the timeline for full commercialization remains uncertain. 'Company activities are largely driven by client interest, but that does not necessarily guarantee immediate deployment,' said another professor specializing in glass core technologies, also requesting anonymity. 'Absolics, for instance, announced more than a year ago that it had begun product qualification with clients, but no results have been disclosed to date.' 'Glass substrates clearly offer compelling advantages,' the professor added. 'But so do their limitations, especially in terms of long-term reliability. Their use will depend heavily on specific applications, and competing materials remain in play. So while the potential is there, it's still too early to speak with certainty.'
Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
Glass chips in: Samsung joins race to revolutionize semiconductor packaging
Glass substrates inch closer to commercialization — poised to redefine performance, power efficiency in chips Glass substrates, long viewed as a promising next-generation component in advanced chip packaging, are now nearing real-world deployment, as Samsung Electronics signals a transition away from conventional silicon interposers. According to industry sources Wednesday, Samsung plans to adopt glass substrate interposers for its advanced semiconductors by 2028 to 'meet customer demands.' While the company neither confirmed nor denied the development, it stated, 'We are investing in (research and development) and preparing in line with industry trends.' In semiconductor manufacturing, interposers are critical in advanced packaging technologies. They connect high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips with graphics processing units (GPUs) or other logic chips, enabling faster data transfer and improved overall performance. Although chipmakers have traditionally relied on silicon substrates for their manufacturing maturity and compatibility, they are increasingly exploring glass as a high-performance alternative that offers improved energy efficiency. 'If glass substrates are successfully adopted, they could become a very attractive material,' said a chip materials professor on condition of anonymity. 'But there are still significant hurdles to clear before they can be commercialized.' A game changer for advanced packaging Glass core substrates are widely seen as a potential game changer in the semiconductor landscape. They serve as thin, rigid platforms that allow for side-by-side mounting of logic and memory chips, forming the foundation of high-performance computing systems. Their advantages are substantial: exceptional heat resistance, ultra-flat surfaces for greater chip density and finer patterning capabilities. According to SKC, the parent company of glass substrate maker Absolics, the material can improve chip processing speeds by up to 40 percent and reduce power consumption by more than 40 percent compared to traditional silicon substrates. Despite these benefits, commercialization has been slow, primarily due to the brittleness of glass and the high-precision demands of the manufacturing process. Nevertheless, leading chipmakers — including Samsung, Intel, AMD, Broadcom and Nvidia — are actively exploring the adoption of glass substrates in their next-generation chip products. 'Competition in the chip market is intensifying, and players are constantly seeking breakthroughs to set themselves apart,' said Lee Byung-hun, professor of electrical engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology. 'It's encouraging that Samsung continues to pursue differentiation to strengthen its competitive edge.' Amid growing momentum, the global glass substrate market is projected to grow from $7.2 billion in 2024 to $10.3 billion by 2034, according to market tracker Global Market Insight. Who's winning the game? The first company expected to commercialize glass core substrates is Absolics, a semiconductor materials subsidiary of SKC. The firm has already begun prototype production at its Georgia, US facility, which boasts an annual capacity of 12,000 square meters. Absolics is currently undergoing product qualification with clients and aims to complete preparations for mass production within this year. Its Georgia plant, completed in the first half of last year, made Absolics the first Korean firm to receive $40 million in subsidies under the US CHIPS and Science Act — part of a broader $75 million support package from the US government. Samsung Electro-Mechanics, which announced its entry into the glass substrate market last year, aims to produce its first prototype by the second quarter of this year. It has reportedly begun operating a pilot line at its Sejong plant. LG Innotek is also preparing to enter the space, building a pilot line at its Gumi plant and planning to begin prototype production by year-end. As a latecomer, the company aims to differentiate itself through a strategic partnership with a 'major North American client,' according to its CEO. While companies are racing to develop prototypes in 2024, experts caution that the timeline for full commercialization remains uncertain. 'Company activities are largely driven by client interest, but that does not necessarily guarantee immediate deployment,' said another professor specializing in glass core technologies, also requesting anonymity. 'Absolics, for instance, announced more than a year ago that it had begun product qualification with clients, but no results have been disclosed to date.' 'Glass substrates clearly offer compelling advantages,' the professor added. 'But so do their limitations, especially in terms of long-term reliability. Their use will depend heavily on specific applications, and competing materials remain in play. So while the potential is there, it's still too early to speak with certainty.'
Boston Globe
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Complacency and overconfidence cost Revolution a win in Kansas City, and Caleb Porter hopes it's a lesson
As for complacency and overconfidence, Porter said he warned against both at halftime. But as much as those traits are despised by coaches, they come with the territory when a team hasn't lost in the league in seven weeks (4-0-3). Advertisement 'Our level in the first half was as good as it gets,' Porter said, 'and if we play like that, I don't think there's a team that can beat us.' He planned to bring his team down to earth by showing 'what went wrong there in the first 15 minutes' of the second half. That might be all it takes to prepare them for visits to D.C. United on Wednesday and CF Montreal on Saturday. Advertisement This breakdown wasn't just a matter of sleepwalking, though. SKC (3-8-4, 13 points) also capitalized on vulnerabilities against the press and defending shots from distance. In the second half, coach Kerry Zavagnin said his team 'went higher … to press the ball, and we turned them over in dangerous areas.' Zavagnin added that 'I think that contributed to it,' Zavagnin said, 'but I say it to you like I did the players: you can make all the tactical adjustments you want. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. But without the will and the determination, it's useless.' Zavagnin's lineup flaws also contributed to SKC's poor start, which served to lull the Revolution into a false sense of security. Three substitutes out of halftime, led by captain Eric Thommy, helped change the dynamic. The first two SKC goals resulted from attempts from just outside the penalty area — Daniel Salloi Garcia made it 3-2 off a counterattack, with a deflection off Brayan Ceballos past Ivacic in the 61st minute. By then, Porter's players realized they should have listened to him at halftime, but what about tactical adjustments? Should Porter have matched Zavagnin's changes? Tweaked how the Revolution played out against the press? Advertisement Maybe, but it is up to the players to read the game. That starts with Ivacic, who usually makes the right call with the initial pass against the press. If the opponent is pressing extra high, Ivacic and the back-liners will look to go long. This time, though, the problems included not reading the situation and becoming too predictable. The result was Yusuf being caught in possession. As Zavagnin said, SKC had to make plays to cause the turnovers, and his halftime admonitions — along with the inspiration of the recent death of New England's Ilay Feingold wore a shirt before Saturday's match paying tribute to late Sporting Kansas City player Gadi Kinda, a fellow Israeli national team player. New England Revolution As for being vulnerable to tries from just outside the penalty area, the Revolution might have closed down more effectively, but those areas are difficult to defend. In fact, they're about the same places SKC left open for late attempts by Matt Polster (whose try in the 73rd failed to test goalkeeper John Pulskamp) and Yusuf. Not to be overlooked is the Revolution's ability to threaten on dead ball situations. Bye's missed header off a corner kick followed sustained pressure on the right wing. Two other sequences — accounting for both times New England put the ball in the net after halftime — began far from goal. After Yusuf drew a 76th-minute foul, the Revolution took a short free kick. Luis Diaz crossed with Ignatius Ganago and central defender Wyatt Omsberg making near- and far-post runs, respectively. Omsberg redirected past Pulskamp, but the shot went in off a sliding Ganago, and was nullified. Rarely will a central defender make a back-post run in that situation, but there was Omsberg, taking on the role of a withdrawn forward and seeming to catch SKC off guard. Advertisement Urruti, meanwhile, converted after a quick throw-in from the Revolution's half to Yusuf, who found Diaz on the right wing. SKC had plenty of time to retreat into defense, but could not keep up with the speed of the throw-in, Yusuf's accuracy, and Diaz's pace. By then, there seemed no doubt the Revolution had their swag back. 'I'm hoping that it's a pivotal moment for our group to really evolve into a team that, instead of being a team that is good for periods, a team that's consistently good and drives games like we did that first half,' Porter said. 'Drives it for 90 minutes, not 45. 'This group can play at a very high level. That's why I believe in this team, I believe in the players. I believe that we have a shot this year to do big things, to accomplish our goals. But for me, it's the mentality. It's not the confidence; this group is very confident. It's the consistency, and at times the lack of sustained aggressiveness. This group, when they get overconfident, they get complacent, and that's what we need to change and correct. Hopefully, we can correct it, because if we correct it, we're going to be a team that I think is going to be very difficult to beat and has a real chance to achieve our goals.'
Los Angeles Times
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Are the Galaxy cursed? Why things are going so wrong for winless defending champs
There's an episode midway through the first season of 'Ted Lasso' in which the team, feeling cursed, decides to remove the spell by gathering in the locker room at night to burn personal items in a flaming trash barrel. It may be time for the Galaxy to consider a similar exorcism because it seems clear someone has put a spell on them too. The team dominated Sporting Kansas City on Sunday but lost despite not allowing a shot. Not a shot on goal. A shot of any kind. That had never happened before in MLS. Last December, the Galaxy won a record sixth league title. They haven't won a game since, with their 11-game winless streak matching the longest to start a season in league history. With just three points through 11 games — the Galaxy are 0-8-3 — it's also the worst start in franchise history and also the worst start by a reigning MLS champion. The team has suddenly become the best at worsts. Will Kuntz, the team's general manager, refuses to blame the paranormal for the historically poor start. He really doesn't have a much better explanation though. 'Cursed would be too strong,' he said Monday. 'But the bounces have definitely been going against us.' That's probably an understatement. In Sunday's loss, the Galaxy outshot SKC 11-0, had the ball for nearly 60 of the 90 minutes, completed nearly three times as many passes and, for the first time in franchise history, didn't allow a shot. Yet they lost when captain Maya Yoshida deflected an SKC cross into his own net in the 13th minute. The season isn't quite a third of the way gone and the Galaxy are already 23 points out of first place and 13 points out of a playoff berth. Maya Yoshida knocks the ball into the goal past Galaxy John McCarthy for an own goal against Kansas City on Sunday. Kuntz, who signed 10 of the 14 players that played in the MLS Cup final, is widely — and deservedly — credited with building the roster that won the title last year, taking a team that matched a full-season franchise-low with eight wins to 24 victories (including playoffs) and a championship in less 18 months. Now he's taking some of the blame for the team's woeful start. The Galaxy lost midfielder Riqui Puig, its most irreplaceable player, to an ACL tear in November's Western Conference final, a loss the GM likens to the Golden State Warriors losing Steph Curry. But Kuntz knew in December he'd be without Puig until at least August; that was an absence he could have planned for. He also knew MLS salary rules would force him to remake parts of a roster that didn't need remaking. He did that by trading midfielders Gastón Brugman and Mark Delgado and striker Dejan Joveljic, the team's leading scorer in 2024. However eight of the 11 MLS Cup starters returned. So what went wrong? It would probably be easier to list what didn't go wrong since the season has been a perfect storm of injuries, poor performance and simple bad luck. Marco Reus, a three-time Bundesliga player of the year, was being counted on to pick some of the slack left by Puig's absence, but he's played just 322 MLS minutes because of injury problems that nearly led the Galaxy to shut him down for the year. At least nine other starters have missed time to injuries already this season with wingers Joseph Paintsil and Gabriel Pec both forced out of Sunday's game in Kansas City after hard fouls. If neither is able to play Saturday in the team's MLS Cup rematch with the Red Bulls, it would leave the Galaxy without all three of their designated players. 'It's been kind of a daisy chain of correlated injury stuff,' Kuntz said. In retrospect would Kuntz have been better off keeping Delgado, who is having a solid season as a playmaker in the middle of LAFC's midfield? Should they have kept Joveljic, whose five goals for Sporting Kansas City would have made a difference for a Galaxy team has scored just eight times in 11 games? (The Galaxy have conceded 21 times, leaving them with a league-worst -13 goal differential.) Probably not, especially since the Joveljic deal brought the cash-strapped team $4 million in return. So if the problem isn't related to who left, it has to be related to who stayed. Last season the Galaxy were the first team in MLS history to have four players score 10 or more goals. This season just one player has scored more than once. Pec, who had 16 goals in 2024, has one this year. Paintsil, who had 10 goals a year ago, has yet to score this season. A year after leading the conference with 69 goals — an average of 2.02 a game — the Galaxy have just eight this season. They've been shut out five times in 11 games — one more than all of last year — are averaging less than a goal a game and have led just once, for 64 minutes, all season. Galaxy defender Maya Yoshida, left, and goalkeeper John McCarthy react after giving up an own goal Sunday. About the only thing coach Greg Vanney hasn't tried is suiting up and trying to score himself. He's had 11 different lineup combinations but the Galaxy remain too rigid, too predictable, using a style of play that was well-suited to last year's team but doesn't fit this season's personnel. As a result the team ranks 26th in the 30-team league in shots on target despite ranking in the top three in passes and passing percentage and sixth in time of possession. Vanney earned a one-year contract extension when he qualified for the playoffs last year, but that extension expires this season. Sources say the team and Vanney's agent, Ron Waxman, are making no progress on a new deal and the longer the team struggles, the less leverage Vanney has and the easier it becomes for the Galaxy to move on. Waxman did not respond to messages seeking comment. Vanney, however, called Sunday's loss 'a solid game and a pretty complete game.' Which raises a question: if a game without a goal, without a win and without a point qualifies as solid and complete, has the bar been set too low? Maybe it is time for Vanney to fire up a Lasso-like barbecue sacrifice of his own. On one hand it couldn't hurt. Yet given the way things have gone so far this season, whose to say the Galaxy wouldn't wind up burning down the stadium. ⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week's episode of the 'Corner of the Galaxy' podcast.
