CIT: Ultra-Flat Copper Tech Wins at CES 2026

The AI semiconductor race just got a significant injection of innovation – and a potential cost-reduction pathway. CIT, a South Korean materials startup, has once again claimed a CES Innovation Award, this time for its CuFlat Package Core (CuFlat-PKGCore) technology. While awards are common at CES, CIT’s back-to-back wins, following their 2025 award for transparent antenna technology, signal a crucial shift: they’re moving beyond materials science and directly into enabling the next generation of AI chip performance.

For context, the relentless pursuit of more powerful AI is driving demand for increasingly complex and dense chip packaging. Traditional materials and processes are hitting limitations in terms of signal integrity, heat dissipation, and environmental impact. The industry has been exploring glass substrates as a potential solution for advanced packaging, but achieving the necessary surface flatness for reliable high-speed signal transmission has been a major hurdle. CIT’s Atomic Sputtering Epitaxy (ASE) technology appears to be a significant step towards overcoming that challenge.

ASE, at its core, is a remarkably precise method of copper deposition. Instead of relying on traditional electroplating or sputtering techniques, ASE builds copper structures atom by atom, resulting in a single-crystal structure without adhesives. This level of control, validated by publications in prestigious journals like Nature and Advanced Materials, is what allows CIT to achieve the unprecedented surface smoothness demonstrated by CuFlat-PKGCore. The elimination of chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) – a notoriously wasteful and energy-intensive process – further underscores the technology’s sustainability benefits.

The Forward Look: CIT isn’t just selling a material; they’re positioning themselves as a key enabler for the future of AI hardware. The proof-of-concept projects with leading companies in the US, Japan, and Korea are critical. However, the real test will be scaling production and integrating CuFlat-PKGCore into existing manufacturing workflows. Expect to see increased competition from established materials science giants like Shin-Etsu Chemical and Sumitomo Chemical, who will likely accelerate their own research into similar technologies. The success of CIT will also hinge on their ability to navigate the complex geopolitical landscape of the semiconductor industry, particularly as tensions rise around access to advanced manufacturing technologies. The current collaborations with companies in key semiconductor hubs (Korea, US, Japan, Taiwan) are a smart move, suggesting CIT understands the need for a diversified and resilient supply chain. The next 12-18 months will be crucial for CIT to move beyond pilot projects and secure large-scale adoption, potentially reshaping the landscape of AI semiconductor packaging.