Samsung is gearing up to play a significant role in Qualcomm's push into the AI data center space. The Korean firm's FC-BGA (Flip-Chip Ball Grid Array) substrates will power Qualcomm's first AI200 accelerator for data centers, with mass production of the substrates already underway.

Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Samsung's components manufacturing arm, recently began mass production of FC-BGA substrates at its Busan facility. These substrates connect high-integrated semiconductor chips using flip-chip bumps and are primarily installed in CPUs and GPUs for PCs, servers, and automobiles.

Qualcomm unveiled the AI200 last year as its first dedicated AI accelerator for data centers. The accelerator integrates an in-house Oryon CPU and Hexagon NPU with power-efficient LPDDR5 memory, offering a low total cost of ownership (TCO) and optimized performance to support AI workloads. The company is expected to launch the AI200 in the second half of this year.

Samsung Electro-Mechanics has an established relationship with Qualcomm, already supplying package substrates for the chipmaker's application processors used in IT devices. With this expansion into AI accelerators, the two companies are deepening their partnership. While the initial supply volume of FC-BGA for the AI200 is not large, it could increase significantly as Qualcomm scales up production.

According to an industry official, "It appears that the supply of FC-BGA for AI accelerators was smoothly concluded, given Samsung Electro-Mechanics' long-standing cooperation with Qualcomm. Qualcomm plans to release the AI200 this year and the AI250 next year, and Samsung Electro-Mechanics can benefit from the diversification of its revenue sources as a result."

The FC-BGA substrates for the AI200 feature low to mid-10s internal layers, constructed using copper circuits and ABF insulating material. In contrast, ultra-high-performance AI accelerators can incorporate more than 20 layers.