Chiplet-Based Systems

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What is the problem

• Moore's Low is slowing
• Manufacturing costs are rising
• You could make larger chips to increase performance but:
• They are more expensive to make
• Verification costs are higher
• Manufacturing defects in densely packed logic reduce wafer yield
• You could create specialized chips but it is difficult to make a financial case for that

What are chiplet-based systems

Chiplet-based systems propose the integration of multiple discrete chips within the same package via an integration technology such as a multi-chip module or silicon interposer. Ex:

From: https://www.sigarch.org/chiplet-based-systems/

Why chiplets

Cost

Previously, chiplets weren't considered practical because you introduce multiple parts plus having to contend with on-dye communication between them. However, now the smaller chips have sufficiently cheap manufacturing costs (compared to larger) that this is a viable alternative.

Flexibility

If you want to move from mobile, to desktop, to server this may be a matter of just increasing the number of chiplets. It is also possible that if we develop the proper standards that we could have a future system where we have general interconnects which would allow multiple different vendor chiplets to work together. Ex: Common Heterogeneous Integration and IP Reuse Strategies (CHIPS)

Questions

What is process technology?

A process technology is the process of creating a single chip. In this case, you could use older process technologies to create the chiplets and then put them together.