LG Electronics Production Technology Institute (LG-PRI) has signed a contract to supply an Osat with a laser direct imaging (LDI) lithography system for advanced semiconductor packaging. LG's maskless LDI tool can pattern metal interconnects down to 1.5-µm line-and-space, suitable for packaging substrates and redistribution layers on 600×600 mm substrates. The system uses a 405-nm laser-diode light source and avoids the cost and lead time of photomasks by generating patterns digitally in real time.
LG positions the tool for advanced organic and glass substrates in semiconductor packaging, displays, and high-density PCBs, competing against KLA, Screen Holdings, Limata, and ORC. While LG's 1.5-µm capability trails some competitors' sub-micron offerings, LG plans competitive pricing to establish market share. The timing is strategic: TSMC's CoWoS remains a bottleneck, and LG's LDI can pattern the RDL interposers used in chiplet architectures with higher throughput than conventional lithography, making it attractive for cost-sensitive Osats building supply alternatives.
For AI accelerator integrators relying on advanced packaging for multi-die designs, LG's entry into chiplet packaging equipment expands the supply base for critical interconnect patterning. The tool's ability to adjust patterns in real time to account for substrate warping or dimensional variation may improve yields on organic and glass substrates, reducing the packaging cost premium on systems requiring CoWoS-class performance.