In 3D Silicon and Glass Interposers: Technologies, Applications & Markets the query is  whether next-generation package substrates are myth, niche, or high-volume necessity? Several companies are investigating silicon interposers and there is great interest in the topic, but there is no clear consensus on applications and timing for adoption.

The current incarnation of the silicon substrate is a simplified version of the full 3D-TSV being developed by many companies, and TechSearch International released its forecasts for silicon interposers, based on interviews with IDM, OSAT, and substrate companies.

It analyses the key drivers, expected benefits, and the various technology options and alternatives. In addition, the company covers the 3D interposer industry players and the respective supply chain changes.
 
“These players, in search of growth opportunities, have positioned as service providers for the back-end operations for the making of through silicon vias (TSV’s) and other related wafer-level assembly operations, explains Jean-Marc Yannou,(left) project manager at Yole Développement.  "Thanks to 3D silicon/ glass interposers, they can go one step further, and actually propose products combined with their service offer.”

Several factors account for the growing momentum of 3D silicon and glass interposers: the continuously increasing gap between printed circuit boards (PCBs) and integrated circuits (ICs), both in terms of geometries and materials, has driven research and development of new innovative semiconductor assembly and packaging solutions over the past decade which have including System-in-Package (SiP), Package-on-package (PoP), flip-chip Ball grid Array (fc-BGA) and more recently fan-out Wafer Level Packaging (FOWLP).

Will 3D silicon/glass interposers be an intermediate step to 3D TSV’s in active IC’s, or is this a long term trend? How will the supply chain evolve to serve these emerging technologies. These are the questions Yole Développement address in this first-ever dedicated reporton 3D glass/ silicon interposers.

Despite the emerging character of the 3D silicon/glass in- terposer solutions and the associated uncertainties, this report brings clear answers as to which applications and uses they are likely or unlikely to support in the future, and whether these will stay niche or rather expand to high volume manufacturing.

Otto Schott Research Award 2010
The €25,000 Otto Schott Research Award of was presented to French scientist Professor Tanguy Rouxel (director of the Applied Mechanics Laboratory (LARMAUR ), University of Rennes, France) for his research achievements in the area of mechanical properties of glasses and glassy materials.

Highly respected internationally as a scientist, his fundamental research on organic polymers and metallic glasses, chalcogenides and oxide glasses explores structure of glass in the atomic and nano value range as in his work on "The brittle to ductile transition in a Si3N4/SiC composite with a glassy grain boundary phase"

“The work of Tanguy Rouxel is essential to gain a better understanding of the elastic properties and deformation of glasses and how to reduce damages,” commented Professor Carlo Pantano, of the Trustees Board. “His ability to apply insights from what appear to be completely different fields to glass science and technology certainly ranks as one of his most remarkable skills,” he added calling Rouxel an excellent networker who actively participates in numerous scientific projects.

And yes, Schott's  microelectronic/hybrid packages (left) hermetically seal not just one, but several encapsulated and non-encapsulated components within a housing.

There are two different sealing technologies possible, which can also be used in combination to integrate all conventional types of contacts within a single hybrid package. These are glass-to-metal sealing (GTMS) and ceramic-to-metal sealing.