Lotte and Doosan Forge Alliance for AI Data Center PCB Materials, Targeting 1.6T Networking Era

Lotte Energy Materials and Doosan Electronics BG have signed an MOU to jointly develop and supply core materials for AI networking PCBs.

This partnership addresses the urgent need for low-signal-loss materials, driven by the shift to ultra-high-speed networks like 800G and 1.6T.

By combining Lotte's ultra-smooth copper foil (HVLP) with Doosan's low-loss CCL, they aim to secure a competitive edge in the rapidly growing AI hardware market.

Lotte Energy Materials and Doosan Electronics BG have announced a strategic partnership to pioneer next-generation materials for AI hardware.

At its core, this collaboration is a direct response to a fundamental challenge in the AI era: speed. As data centers upgrade to handle massive AI workloads, network speeds are accelerating dramatically from 112G to 224G technologies, enabling 800G and even 1.6T (terabits per second) connections. However, sending data at such high frequencies is like trying to whisper clearly across a noisy room—the signal degrades quickly. This 'signal loss' is a critical bottleneck.

So, what's causing this signal loss? The problem lies within the Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), the green boards that form the backbone of all electronics. Two main factors are at play. First is the roughness of the copper foil used for the circuits. A rougher surface causes the electrical signal to scatter and lose energy. Second is the quality of the insulating material the copper is laminated onto, known as Copper Clad Laminate (CCL). A lower-quality CCL can absorb and dissipate the signal's energy.

The timing of this partnership is driven by a key market event: Broadcom's recent announcement that it is shipping its new 102.4T switch, which utilizes this next-generation 224G technology. This has shifted the demand for high-performance materials from a 'nice-to-have' to an 'absolute must-have.' The entire industry now needs a solution to the signal loss problem to make these new switches work effectively.

This is where the Lotte-Doosan alliance comes in. Lotte specializes in producing 'HVLP' (Hyper Very Low Profile) copper foil, which is exceptionally smooth and minimizes signal scattering. Doosan is a leader in creating advanced low-loss CCL. By joining forces, they can create a perfectly optimized package—the smoothest copper foil integrated with the best insulating material. This isn't a brand-new relationship, as Lotte began supplying its 4th generation HVLP foil to Doosan in late 2024. This MOU formalizes their collaboration, aiming to scale up production and co-develop even more advanced materials for the coming demand surge.

PCB (Printed Circuit Board): The foundational board where electronic components are mounted and interconnected.
CCL (Copper Clad Laminate): The core material of a PCB, consisting of an insulating layer with a thin layer of copper bonded to one or both sides.
HVLP Copper Foil: Hyper Very Low Profile copper foil, an advanced material with an extremely smooth surface to reduce signal loss at high frequencies.

Lotte and Doosan Forge Alliance for AI Data Center PCB Materials, Targeting 1.6T Networking Era

Lotte Energy Materials and Doosan Electronics BG have signed an MOU to jointly develop and supply core materials for AI networking PCBs.

This partnership addresses the urgent need for low-signal-loss materials, driven by the shift to ultra-high-speed networks like 800G and 1.6T.

By combining Lotte's ultra-smooth copper foil (HVLP) with Doosan's low-loss CCL, they aim to secure a competitive edge in the rapidly growing AI hardware market.

Lotte Energy Materials and Doosan Electronics BG have announced a strategic partnership to pioneer next-generation materials for AI hardware.

PCB (Printed Circuit Board): The foundational board where electronic components are mounted and interconnected.
CCL (Copper Clad Laminate): The core material of a PCB, consisting of an insulating layer with a thin layer of copper bonded to one or both sides.
HVLP Copper Foil: Hyper Very Low Profile copper foil, an advanced material with an extremely smooth surface to reduce signal loss at high frequencies.