Chiplet-Based Architectures: Redefining the Future of System-on-Chip (SoC) Design

By Hameed Ul Hassan Mohammed, Staff Application Engineer, ProteanTecs, Austin, Texas, USA

ABSTRACT:

The rising pressure on performance, energy efficiency, and scalability of current computing systems has led to considerable innovation in the chip design methodology. The monolithic System-on-Chip (SoC) architectures which are commonly used are nearing their physical and economic boundaries, especially owing to the problems at advanced processes such as yield and thermal-management and complex issues in design. To address the issue, chiplet-based architecture has subsequently been developed as a structural way of change that spearheads large chip division into small yet useful segments, referred to as chiplets. Such chiplets are manufactured separately but are subsequently combined into one package with the help of advanced packaging technologies. The paper is an excursion into the paradigm shift as realized by monolithic SoCs to chiplet-based architectures, and how they are advantageous in terms of reusability, scalability and heterogeneous integration. It discusses major enabling technologies, including highbandwidth interconnects (e.g., UCIe and Infinity Fabric), advanced packaging (e.g. 2.5D and 3D stacking), and power delivery implications. Also, the paper covers disadvantages related to chiplet design such as latency, thermal problems, inter-chiplet communication and standardization. The paper shows how chiplet are helping performance through realworld examples of industry giants such as AMD, Intel, and Apple to offer performance flexibility and manufacturing flexibility with a reduced time to market. Moreover, it also takes a look at the future possibilities of the chiplet ecosystem on processing open innovation and allowing a greater, more modular chip design that is cost-effective. After all, the emerging trend of chiplet-based systems will play a critical role in designing the next generation of highperformance and energy-efficient computing systems.

Keywords: Chiplets, System-on-Chip (SoC), Modular Design, Advanced Packaging, High-Bandwidth Interconnects

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