Naming of New Technologies

The naming of new technologies can be difficult and often inaccurate.  Over time, standards are developed and language becomes aligned. 

The cost of leading-edge nodes, combined with the lack of scaling of significant design blocks (ex:  analog) and die sizes reaching reticle size, is driving disaggregation (splitting up) of chip functions into their best price/performance nodes requiring new technologies to interconnect these functions.  

We are voicing our support in naming these small IP blocks “chiplets”.  It is not a perfect name but fits into our vernacular well and is gaining acceptance in our industry.  Our definition of “chiplet”, and what it is not, follows.  

We appreciate your inputs. 

David McCann

VP EPS Technology

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Chiplet is not a package type, it is part of a packaging architecture. It is an integrated circuit block that has been specifically designed to communicate with other, similar chiplets, to form larger more complex ICs. Thus, in large and complex chip designs the design is subdivided into functional circuit blocks, often reusable IP blocks, called "chiplets", that are manufactured and recombined on high density interconnect.

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