3D-IC Intensifies Demand For Multi-Physics Simulation

By Ann Mutschler, SemiEngineering (March 20th, 2024)

New challenges are driving big changes throughout the design flow, from tools to job responsibilities.

The introduction of full 3D-ICs will require a simultaneous analysis of various physical effects under different workloads, a step-function change that will add complexity at every step of the design flow, expand and alter job responsibilities, and bring together the analog and digital design worlds in unprecedented ways.

3D-ICs will be the highest-performance advanced packaging option, in some cases reducing the distance that signals need to travel compared to a planar SoC, while also using less power to drive those signals. But with thinner substrates, more concentrated dynamic power density, and enclosed spaces that can trap heat, as well as the potential for noise and other physical effects, getting these devices to work properly will be a massive design challenge.

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