Von Ardenne is targeting advanced packaging on panel-level glass substrates, drawing on its experience in large-scale glass processing and vacuum deposition to develop coating solutions for glass industries, according to Stephen Strausser, CEO of Von Ardenne North America Inc. The family-owned company, headquartered in Dresden, Germany, has about 1,300 employees worldwide. Its coating equipment serves markets including glass, photovoltaics, automotive and aerospace. The semiconductor opportunity is focused initially on advanced packaging, where glass substrates could require deposition for through-glass vias (TGVs) and redistribution layers (RDLs). Von Ardenne’s North American operations are based in Toledo, Ohio, with other locations in China, Vietnam, Malaysia and India. Glass supply and handling remain challenges Stephen Strausser, CEO, Von Ardenne North America Inc. In an interview with EE Times Asia during the SEMICON West 2026 event in San Francisco, California, Strausser identified three broad challenges for panel-level packaging: supply-chain readiness, glass handling and the ability to demonstrate economic advantages over existing approaches. Although glass is already used in several industries, scaling supply to meet semiconductor packaging demand across multiple regions will require additional capacity. Existing glass manufacturers also serve architectural, automotive, aerospace and photovoltaic markets. “The glass industry is not just for that. It is also automotive, aerospace, and PV. They’re going to have to adapt, because it’ll be a whole different level of requirement and demand,” said Strausser. He noted that glass handling presents a separate challenge. Panels may be thicker than silicon wafers, but they remain brittle and can break during processing. Strausser said Von Ardenne’s experience handling glass could be useful as packaging manufacturers develop their processes. However, the industry has yet to settle on standard panel dimensions and thicknesses. Potential formats include 300 mm and 600 mm sizes, with thicknesses ranging from 0.8 mm to 2 mm. Panel shape is also under consideration. For Strausser, the decisive factor is whether panel-level packaging can meet technical requirements at a competitive cost. “If it is not, it is not going to happen. It doesn’t matter how nice it looks or how beautiful it sounds. If it is not cost effective, no one is going to use it.” Initial focus on barrier, seed and RDL layers Von Ardenne is concentrating on three deposition applications: barrier and seed layers for through-glass vias, and layers used to form redistribution lines. These films are deposited before electroplating completes the copper fill in vias or forms the required interconnect structures. Strausser said the company is focusing on these applications because of the company’s strong experience with glass and the specific deposition processes involved. However, he said the company is not initially pursuing every possible coating application. Strausser noted that established semiconductor equipment suppliers have extensive deposition expertise. Von Ardenne aims to differentiate itself through its combination of glass processing and deposition capabilities. Physical vapor deposition (PVD) is attractive because it can produce dense films at relatively low cost when directional deposition is suitable. However, its directional nature can make it difficult to coat complex via profiles, including concave and re-entrant structures. Von Ardenne proposes high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS), which Strausser said can produce denser films with improved adhesion for barrier and seed layers. If future etching processes produce geometries that are difficult to coat with PVD, manufacturers may need alternatives such as plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) or atomic layer deposition (ALD). For now, the industry is assessing which processes can meet the requirements of emerging panel designs. Equi