Industry Expert Blogs

What are typically second- or third-order effects in 2D chip designs are elevated into primary effects in multi-die systems. It’s no wonder, given the many interdependencies in these complex architectures. For example, heat dissipation from one die could impact the performance of the component next to it, or the system as a whole. What’s more, thermal and power delivery problems are exacerbated at 3D because dissipating heat becomes much more difficult. Similarly, signal integrity issues such as crosstalk and electromagnetic interference stemming from one chiplet can hamper the entire system. These are just a couple of examples that scratch the surface of the multi-physics effects that can impede multi-die systems.

The shift from monolithic SoCs to multi-die systems introduces many new considerations. In this new realm, design teams can’t afford to view the package or single dies separately from the whole system. For an optimal system and a convergent, accelerated flow, it’s essential to look at the whole system, from technology to dies and package together, and also to co-optimize it together, with guidance from tightly integrated multi-objective analyses. We refer to this hand-in-glove approach as System Technology Co-Optimization (STCO).

STCO ideally starts at the beginning when teams are conceiving their systems. From feasibility studies and architecture planning to implementation and signoff, a comprehensive die/package co-design approach that accounts for multi-physics effects is critical for design success. Read on to learn more about the importance of co-design and co-optimization. You can also gain additional insights by watching our on-demand, six-part webinar series, “Requirements for Multi-Die System Success.” The series covers multi-die system trends and challenges, early architecture design, co-design and system analysis, die-to-die connectivity, verification, and system health.

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