Mitsubishi Chemical to Mass-Produce Negative Thermal Expansion Filler for Semiconductor Packaging by Fiscal 2027

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation is advancing the commercialization of a new negative thermal expansion filler, "M-Filleris NTE." This material contracts when heated, reducing thermal expansion in semiconductor packaging materials. The company plans to begin sales of pilot products by the end of fiscal 2026, followed by customer evaluation and qualification, with mass production sales targeted for the second half of fiscal 2027.

The announcement comes amid surging demand for more powerful chips driven by AI servers and high-performance computing (HPC). Advanced packaging technologies such as chiplets and 3D stacking are packing more chips into smaller spaces, leading to increased heat generation, making thermal management and package dimensional stability growing concerns.

Epoxy resins and silica fillers are commonly used to control thermal expansion, but loading levels are approaching practical limits. Mitsubishi Chemical states that M-Filleris NTE offsets the expansion of surrounding materials by contracting as temperature rises. The filler is based on the company's inorganic materials design technology and overcomes limitations of conventional negative thermal expansion materials, including narrow operating temperature ranges, irregular shapes, high specific gravity, and high water absorption.

M-Filleris NTE exhibits negative thermal expansion from room temperature to 400°C; its spherical particles provide excellent flowability and dispersibility when mixed into materials such as epoxy resins. The material achieves low alpha particle emission through impurity control to reduce soft errors in semiconductor applications, and its specific gravity and water absorption are comparable to conventional semiconductor-grade silica fillers.

Potential applications include semiconductor encapsulation materials, underfill materials, and build-up film materials, expanding the applicable range of packaging processes. Mitsubishi Chemical also plans to leverage its existing epoxy resin business to offer masterbatches pre-mixed with epoxy resins and other components, in addition to supplying standalone fillers, to shorten customer material design and development time.

The company intends to expand the M-Filleris product line by offering other functional fillers for heat dissipation and electrical performance. Mitsubishi Chemical positions this launch as part of its entry into the semiconductor materials market, which is expected to benefit from sustained growth in AI and data center demand.