Ajinomoto's chip film faces supply test as AI demand climbs

Ajinomoto’s ABF (Ajinomoto Build-up Film) has escalated from a niche substrate material to a critical bottleneck in AI chip scaling. Technically, its unmatched dielectric properties and fine-line capability make it irreplaceable in high-density fan-out and CoWoS-like advanced packaging, directly throttling TSMC and Intel’s ramp. Tightening Japanese export controls amid U.S.-China tech decoupling could inflate material costs by over 15% as Western foundries seek localized supply. Competitors like Mitsubishi Chemical and Panasonic are fast-tracking alternatives, but yield gaps will persist for at least 18 months. Over the next two years, chronic ABF scarcity will force a 'packaging-first' design paradigm—compelling architects to trade off performance for manufacturability—and accelerate commercialization of RDL-less and hybrid bonding technologies.