ABF Substrates Face Mounting Pressure as AI Accelerator Demand Surges Into 2026
The specialized substrates that underpin every high-end AI accelerator are becoming a critical bottleneck as data centers scale to gigawatt-level operations.
The Foundation Beneath the Chip
Sitting at the base of virtually every advanced CPU, GPU, and AI accelerator lies a crucial but often overlooked component: the ABF substrate. These thin layers of insulation and interconnected wiring serve as the bridge between the diminutive silicon dies mounted on top and the expansive printed circuit boards positioned below. Built around Ajinomoto's proprietary build-up film technology, ABF substrates have anchored the semiconductor sector since the late 1990s, supporting everything from personal computers to enterprise servers and networking equipment.
The emergence of artificial intelligence has fundamentally transformed the substrate landscape. Demand has skyrocketed as training and inference workloads for cutting-edge models now operate across sprawling data center complexes, each packed with hundreds of thousands of accelerators consuming hundreds of megawatts of electrical power. Nvidia's shipment figures underscore this acceleration: the company moved roughly 3.2 million Blackwell GPU packages by the conclusion of 2025, with each unit relying on an ABF substrate for its packaging. The sector is now entering a new phase characterized by gigawatt-scale data center facilities, each anticipated to accommodate millions of AI accelerators.
Source: Tom's Hardware