DigiTimes 称友达（AUO）与康宁展示 510×515mm 玻璃核心基板、尺寸契合台积电传闻规格，引发供货台积电猜测，但三方均未证实

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AUO matching glass substrate size stokes TSMC collab speculation

Rebecca Kuo, Tainan

Sep 10, 2026, 14:49

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Credit: Michael Lee

AUO is accelerating its transformation by extending its established large-format panel manufacturing capabilities into advanced semiconductor packaging.

At SEMICON Taiwan 2026, AUO partnered with Corning to showcase a 510 × 515mm glass core substrate (GCS). Because the dimensions match those market sources have indicated TSMC could adopt for glass substrates at a future production stage, the demonstration has fuelled industry speculation about potential cooperation between the two companies.
As AI semiconductors evolve toward greater computing power, larger package sizes, and higher bandwidth, advanced packaging technologies are developing rapidly, with fan-out panel-level packaging (FOPLP) emerging as a new competitive battleground.
As package dimensions continue to expand, conventional organic substrates face challenges involving warpage, dimensional stability, signal transmission, and power delivery. Glass substrates have consequently emerged as a technology attracting growing industry investment.
TSMC's current advanced packaging development is focused on CoPoS, with a planned substrate size of 310 × 310mm in the near term. 2026 is expected to be a critical year for equipment and materials supplier validation, followed by trial production in 2027 and volume production in the second half of 2028.
Glass substrates, meanwhile, are viewed as an important technology for the subsequent stage, with market expectations pointing to volume production after 2030.
Matching substrate dimensions draw industry attention
TSMC has yet to publicly disclose the official dimensions of its next-stage glass substrate. Previous market reports, however, have indicated that TSMC could use a 510 × 515mm format for pre-production simulation and validation in the second half of 2027.
AUO and Corning showcasing a glass substrate with the same dimensions at SEMICON Taiwan 2026 has therefore attracted particular market attention.
Regarding its advanced packaging strategy, AUO chairman Paul Peng previously said the company has invested in developing technologies for AI chip advanced packaging and co-packaged optics (CPO). R&D and collaborative projects are already underway for through-glass via (TGV) and redistribution layer (RDL) technologies, although Peng said the company could not disclose its partners at this stage and would provide further details once the technologies mature.
AUO's collaboration with Corning primarily combines Corning's semiconductor-grade glass materials with AUO's capabilities in large-format glass processing, precision metallization, and RDL processes. The companies are progressively advancing TGV, via metallization, and reliability validation while continuing to optimize materials and processes.
Compared with conventional organic substrates, glass substrates offer a low coefficient of thermal expansion, high dimensional stability, and low signal loss. These properties can mitigate warpage in large-scale packaging structures while supporting higher-density circuit layouts and high-speed signal transmission, making glass a potentially important material for AI servers, high-performance computing (HPC), high-bandwidth memory (HBM), and CPO applications.
AUO is also increasing investment in these technologies. At the end of July, the company approved an additional NT$8.641 billion (US$275 million) capital expenditure budget covering production lines for TGV, RDL, and glass core processes.
The investment highlights AUO's gradual reallocation of resources from conventional panel manufacturing toward higher-value businesses, including AI semiconductor advanced packaging and high-speed optical communications.
Potential TSMC partnership remains unconfirmed
TSMC is also working with Ibiden and Innolux to validate the feasibility of introducing glass substrates into next-generation CoWoS advanced packaging, seeking to address challenges involving warpage, thermal management, signal transmission, and power delivery in future large-scale AI chip packages.
Industry sources believe the collaboration indicates that glass substrates are moving beyond conceptual research and into the industrial validation stage.
Market speculation has consequently emerged that AUO could follow Innolux in establishing a collaborative relationship with TSMC. However, none of the companies involved have confirmed such cooperation.
Beyond glass substrates, AUO is actively integrating resources across its group for CPO optical communications.
At SEMICON Taiwan 2026, the company showcased a system-level Micro LED CPO optical communications module. AUO is responsible for mass transfer, RDL packaging, optical coupling, and system architecture, integrating Micro LED transmitters from Ennostar, Micro PD receivers from Tyntek, and photosensitive dielectric insulating materials from Daxin Materials. The module also incorporates Corning's optical fiber solutions.
AUO said the system targets high-speed short-reach transmission of around 10 meters in data centers and can be applied to high-speed interconnect scenarios including CPO and active optical cables (AOCs).
The CPO optical communications module is already in the design and sampling stage in cooperation with international optical communications component suppliers. AUO estimates commercialization will still require approximately two to three years.
Asset sales support shift toward AI and advanced packaging
Alongside its push into AI advanced packaging and optical communications technologies, AUO is continuing to dispose of lower-return manufacturing assets as part of its asset-light strategy.
In 2026, AUO agreed to sell its C5E plant at the Luzhu Science Park in Kaohsiung to Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) for NT$6.3 billion before tax, with an estimated disposal gain of approximately NT$4.28 billion.
AUO also agreed to sell land, buildings, and associated facility infrastructure at its Taoyuan plant to Quanta Computer for NT$19.7 billion, generating an estimated disposal gain of approximately NT$13.39 billion.
More recently, AUO agreed to sell its Singapore plant to US-listed Western Digital's Singapore subsidiary, Western Digital Singapore Pte. Ltd., for SGD350 million before tax, equivalent to approximately NT$8.753 billion. The disposal gain will be determined after the buyer obtains approval from local authorities.
By accelerating the disposal of manufacturing assets, AUO can reduce the capital expenditure burden associated with traditional panel manufacturing while redirecting funds toward new businesses including AI, advanced semiconductor packaging, and optical communications.
Because some asset sales and ownership transfers will require additional time to complete, the associated disposal gains are expected to be recognized progressively and contribute to non-operating income.

Source: data compiled from MOPS; infographic compiled by DIGITIMES
Operationally, AUO reported consolidated revenue of NT$23.102 billion in August 2026, up 13.4% sequentially but down 5.9% year-over-year. Consolidated revenue for the first eight months totaled NT$183.394 billion, down 1.8% from the same period a year earlier.

Article
translated by Scarlett Yu and edited by Jerry Chen

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