Samsung Electro-Mechanics is expanding its silicon capacitor business through integrated solutions. According to ZDNet, the company plans to supply silicon capacitors alongside MLCCs and high-performance semiconductor substrates.
Silicon capacitors are passive components fabricated from silicon wafers. They temporarily store electrical charge and release it as needed to help maintain stable voltage within semiconductor packages, as noted by The Elec. Unlike conventional MLCCs, which achieve capacitance by stacking multiple ceramic layers, silicon capacitors form electrodes inside finely etched holes in the wafer. This structure allows the device thickness to be reduced to less than 100 micrometers (μm), the report adds.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics expects the silicon capacitor market to grow by more than 18% annually, according to The Elec. The report notes that applications are expanding beyond mobile devices into AI servers, automotive electronics, aerospace, and optical communications, with AI servers emerging as the largest demand driver as power density rises and package integration advances.
Industry analysts cited by Maeil Business Newspaper said Samsung Electro-Mechanics has differentiated itself in the silicon capacitor market by leveraging its existing MLCC and FC-BGA businesses. While Japan’s Murata and Taiwan’s TSMC also produce silicon capacitors, Samsung Electro-Mechanics is the only company with capabilities spanning all three areas.
Meanwhile, according to The Elec, silicon capacitor technologies vary across suppliers. Samsung Electro-Mechanics employs a DRAM-based architecture, while TSMC is known to use a trench structure derived from logic process technology. Samsung Electro-Mechanics manufactures its silicon capacitors on 300mm wafers, which are commonly used in memory semiconductor production.
Kim Won-ki, a group leader at Samsung Electro-Mechanics, said the company is integrating silicon capacitors into its package substrate portfolio as part of a total-solution strategy, while leveraging its MLCC and silicon capacitor offerings to address diverse customer needs. He added that Samsung Electro-Mechanics has begun ramping production of silicon capacitors embedded in FC-BGA substrates, which are widely used in AI data centers and PC CPUs, according to ZDNet.
Silicon capacitors are finding new applications in aerospace and optical communications, with both sectors emerging as key growth markets. According to ZDNet, their stable performance under wide voltage and temperature fluctuations makes them well suited for low-Earth-orbit satellites. The report also highlights growing demand from optical communications, where the extremely high frequencies used in data center optical links limit material options.
As noted by The Elec, Samsung Electro-Mechanics entered the silicon capacitor market in earnest last year, supplying products to customers including Marvell for AI ASICs and Samsung Electronics for Exynos 2600 AP packages. More recently, the company secured a KRW 1.5 trillion supply agreement with a major global technology company, marking the largest single contract in Samsung Electro-Mechanics’ history. Revenue from the deal is expected to begin contributing to earnings in 2027.
