Is it Packaging, or is it Fab?

There's an interesting story up on EDN, titled "Wafer-level packaging pushes past new mobile demands."  The gist of the discussion seems to be exploring where packaging ends and 3-D IC fabrication begins.

Farewell Tier Logic - We hardly knew you

I'm quite disheartened by the report that Tier Logic has gone the way of so many other promising FPGA startups.

TSMC Vaporware: 3-D "Ecosystem"

EETimes reports that TSMC is:

"… putting the pieces in place to enable 3-D designs based on silicon interposers and through silicon vias (TSVs)."

Elpida Prepping for 3-D Commercialization

Semiconductor International has a very informative story regarding 3-D directions at Elpida Memory, Inc.

Applied Materials Announces New Equipment for 3-D

Applied Materials recently put out a press release to announce some very interesting new equipment for 3-D fabrication.  The Applied Producer® InVia™ dielectric deposition system uses CVD to deposit the oxide liner for TSVs.  The company claims that their new equipment:

SanDisk 32GB microSDHC - Stack of 8 4GB die

Mostly, I'm sharing this story because of the cool photo that Wired's GadgetLab included.  The basic news is that SanDisk has announced a 32 GByte microSDHC card.  They used a 32 nm process (cool symmetry — 32 billion bytes and 32 billionths of a meter) and arranged the die in an 8 high stack of 4 GB die.  Apparently the suggested retail price is around US$200.

IMAPS Conference - Great Stuff!

The International Microelectronics and Packaging Society (IMAPS) recently wrapped up their 6th International Conference and Exhibition on Device Packaging.  For those of us that couldn't swing a week in Scottsdale, we can thank Dr. Phil Garrou, the event's General Chair, and well known 3D technology expert, for posting a great synopsis.  Some of the key points include:

Quantum Film - CMOS Image Sensor Killer?

This is kind of off topic, but since image sensors are among the first commercial success stories for vertical integration, I thought that it was worth noting.  InVisage Technologies, Inc. has announced the development of a "quantum film" that represents a dramatic improvement over current technologies.  According to the story in EETimes, the InVisage process involves suspending lead-sulfide nanoparticles in a polymer matrix.  Here's the pertinent bit from the story:

Novellus & IBM Form Cu TSV Joint Dev Program

This press release from Novellus flashed across my screen today.  Apparently they have set up a joint effort with IBM to commercialize a Cu TSV process using:

IBM Chilling Chip Stacks with Fluid in Microchannels

EETimes has a very interesting story about work at IBM, along with École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH).  They're using fluids (including, perhaps, water) passing through 50 µm diameter microchannels to cool stacked die.

IMEC Using Synopsys TCAD Simulation Tools

After my recent blurb regarding the readiness of design tools to tackle 3D integration, I feel like I need to present at least some of the other side.

Tier Logic Uncloaks – It’s a 3D FPGA Company!

Just as I was getting ready to head over to the IEEE CPMT-SCV 3D IC Integration meeting last night, this fascinating story popped up.  Tier Logic, a Santa Clara 3D FPGA venture has finally dropped their cloak of invisibility to reveal another 3D FPGA company.

IEEE CPMT-SCV Meeting Report - 3D IC Integration: The Next Generation of Electronics (Updated)

The IEEE Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology Society, Santa Clara Valley Chapter put together a great program last night:  "3D IC Integration: The Next Generation of Electronics."  The speaker, Dr. W. R. Bottoms, did a wonderful job of illuminating the current state of the industry.  He clearly shares the excitement that we've been blogging about.  I even managed to pick up some interesting tidbits by paying attention to the conversations at the meeting.

Dr. Garrou on SEMI's Industry Strategy Symposium 2010

One of the benefits of following sources like Perspectives From the Leading Edge is that I get a peek into events that wouldn't allow a simple engineer like me through the venue doors.

ALLVIA Integrates Embedded Capacitors into Silicon Interposers

The smart folks over at ALLVIA have integrated passive components directly into the silicon interposer that resides between the die and the substrate.

Great Blog: Perspectives From the Leading Edge

I recently came across another great blog, "Perspectives From the Leading Edge," that focuses on vertical integration technology.

Progress on Driving Down the Cost of TSVs

The cover story in Semiconductor International's February 2010 issue is Driving Down the Cost of TSVs.  The story provides good insight into the progress towards reducing the cost of the entire TSV process flow.

IEEE: Design Challenges Loom for 3-D Chips

A very good overview of the current state of TSV technology came out today on the IEEE Spectrum site.  The whole piece is well worth a read, and I strongly encourage everyone with an interest in the subject to check it out.  The first illustration is priceless

ALLVIA Presentation: Through Silicon Vias - Design & Reliability

I came across this excellent slide deck titled Through Silicon Vias (TSV):  Design and Reliability (PDF) from our friends at ALLVIA, the TSV foundry specialists.

Exciting 3D IC Integration Event Coming Up!

The IEEE Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology Society, Santa Clara Valley Chapter is putting together what promises to be an extremely interesting program titled, "3D IC Integration: The Next Generation of Electronics."  The fun will commence at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, March 10, 2010, in Santa Clara.

Semi-Therm Course: Cooling Challenges in 3D Packaging

For those, like me, that don't cast our info nets nearly wide enough, this event might have escaped our attention.  That is unfortunate.  The 26th Annual Thermal Measurement, Modeling and Management Symposium is being held next week in Santa Clara.  One course, "Cooling Challenges in 3D Packaging" is of particular interest to those who follow this humble blog.  The short course will be presented by Dereje Agonafer, Ph.D.  Dr. Agonafer is a Professor and Director, Elec, MEMS & Nanoelectronics Systems Packaging Center at the University of Texas at Arlington (Faculty profile).

ISSCC Forum: Silicon 3D-Integration Technology and Systems

I'm really mad at myself for not heading up to the ISSCC this year.  The conference featured a full day forum on 3D Integration.  Although I'm sorry that I missed it, I'm thrilled by the attention, as it clearly demonstrates just how important this technology is becoming.  I was particularly gratified to see a good mix of industry and academic interests involved in the 3D forum.

End of CMOS Scaling? Ho-Hum - Wrong Question!

The International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) is currently underway in San Francisco.  As has been the case for as long as I can remember, the attendees are apparently (I couldn't swing attending the conference) discussing the end of the world as we know it.  Variously referred to as the end of silicon scaling, the end of CMOS viability and the end of Moore's law, the premise is always the same.  At xx node, silicon just won't work anymore.  Generally I just let this conversation flow over me, but one story in EETimes caught my eye.

IEEE SCV EDS Symposium: 3D Interconnect - Shaping Future Technology (Updated)

Thanks to a much appreciated intervention by Dr. Prasad Chaparala, the event chairman, I was able to attend the IEEE SCV EDS Symposium: 3D Interconnect - Shaping Future Technology after all.  It was fantastic!  The information and insight were priceless.  I've started preparing a series of posts covering the event, of which this will be the first.

NuPGA Leverages 3D Stacks to Revolutionize Programmable Logic

EETimes had a great article covering the exciting developments at NuPGA (Their site is currently "Under Construction" — Hopefully more will come, soon).

2010 IEEE SCV-EDS/Applied Materials Technical Symposium - Sold Out

Unfortunately, I've been a bit lax in keeping up with my IEEE event announcements, so I didn't notice this symposium until a colleague brought it to my attention.  When I tried to register, I discovered, to my dismay, that the meeting was already "full."  Sadness…  It looks like it will be extremely interesting:

IC Insights Predicts Delays for TSVs

And just as we're getting started, comes this somewhat glum commentary from IC Insights. According to the story from CommsDesign:

Welcome!

They say that beginnings are important, but beginnings are also a challenge.  With that in mind, I'd like to introduce myself and this blog.  We're creating a venture, and a community, around the idea that semiconductor manufacturability has become constrained by die area.  Users demand more functionality.  Even with shrinking geometries, die size is becoming unmanageable.  Yields are negatively affected, performance and power consumption are clearly hurt as smaller wires have longer runs.

We assert that the solution is analogous to boundary constrained urban areas (think Manhattan).  When they can't expand out anymore, they go up.  We believe that the most viable option for cramming more functionality into smaller areas, while improving performance and minimizing power consumption, lies in vertical integration — die stacking.

We formed 4DChips to provide technology and services that will enable system designers to readily address user requirements by taking advantage of multi-level vertical integration.  This blog will be our primary medium for sharing insight and developments.  We'll also highlight our partners, and hope to feature content from them as the relationships develop.

I've been developing, marketing, selling and delivering technology for nearly thirty years. Most of my background is in software engineering and chip development.  Most recently, I have been fascinated by developing mobile software.  My other venture BluMtnWerx has a number of apps currently selling in the iTunes App Store.

I hope that you'll find the content that we share to be both useful and informative.  I also invite everyone to participate in the conversation by posting comments and/or becoming partners.

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