Multi-Chiplet Marvels: Exploring Chip-Centric Thermal Analysis

By Louis Tsai, Cadence

Managing and mitigating heat-related issues to preserve longevity and reliability.

The relationship between power consumption and thermal dynamics for chips is intricate. As power is consumed during the operation of a chip, it results in the generation of heat. This heat may dissipate from the device, metal routing, or the die itself, leading to increased temperatures on the chip. The dissipation process perpetually expends redundant energy, thereby compromising on the overall chip efficiency. Within the materials encapsulated within a chip, heat can be transferred via conduction, convection, or radiation. As long as heat is produced, it dissipates throughout the system, establishing a feedback loop. The apprehension towards heat issues within a chip is rooted in the degradation of chip performance as temperature rises. The escalation of temperature leads to a substantial increase in leakage current, causing numerous transistors to enter a runaway situation. Circuits are meticulously designed under reasonable constraints; however, when heat-related issues arise, one can envision a scenario where most of the power is generated through the charging and discharging of parasitic capacitances during transitions.

Addressing the mitigation of heat and its associated challenges within a chip or system poses a formidable task in the semiconductor industry.

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