Trainings and Workshops

The backbone of our digital world is already made of glass: A network of optical fibers spans the globe and lets data cross our globe. We also experience the digital world through a pane of glass: We interact with the online world every day through the glass display of our smartphones.

For almost 20 years, Fraunhofer IZM has been working on giving glass an even greater role in data transmission. But even today, copper is used when data has to be transmitted over short distances in the centimeter range, for example on printed circuit boards. In order to use optical signals for these short distances just as they are used in longer-distance fiber optic cables, IZM invented the electrical optical circuit board (EOCB). And in close cooperation with research and industry partners, a complete process was developed to manufacture EOCBs and glass based interposer from glass. This technology gain more and more interest for co-packaging in data center modules of next generation.

Glass is more rigid and can handle more chips on a package than organic substrates including integrated optical interconnects. Our concept enjoy all the benefits that optical signals have over electrical transmission. In addition, glass-based EOCBs and interposer also have all the advantages of glass as a material: very good dielectric properties - especially for high-frequency applications - as well as great dimensional stability, biocompatibility, and high chemical resistance. The thermal management can be in-designed. The expert session will give an insight into the technical approches which are currently in focus of our photonic System-in-package processes using thin glass substrates.