With the continuous advancement of science and technology, the semiconductor industry is undergoing a profound transformation. In the past, semiconductors were designed and manufactured with "large-scale integrated circuits" (VLSIs) in mind, which relied on integrating as many functions as possible into a single chip. However, as technology continues to evolve, more and more small chips are seen as the new key to redefining semiconductor design. Chiplets not only offer significant advantages in terms of performance, power consumption, and cost, but they also provide powerful support for emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), 5G, autonomous driving, and edge computing.
Advantages of chiplets
1. High Performance and Low Power Consumption Chiplets typically have a streamlined design that removes unnecessary functionality to reduce complexity. This allows them to reduce power consumption while maintaining high performance. For many modern devices, especially portable and wearables, low power consumption is critical. Chiplets not only extend battery life, but also optimize energy use without sacrificing performance.
2. Small size, large integration Despite its small size, small chips can integrate multiple functions. In recent years, with the development of 3D packaging and more advanced manufacturing processes (such as 7nm, 5nm node technologies), chiplets have been able to integrate more functionality and computing power in a smaller space. This high level of integration not only saves space, but also provides more flexibility in the design of the equipment.
3. Cost-effectiveness The production cost of chiplets is generally lower than that of large integrated circuits, especially when produced in large quantities. Manufacturers can reduce the cost per chip by dicing smaller wafers and streamlining the production process. This is especially important for projects with limited budgets or applications with more basic needs.
Figure: The role of chiplets in redefining semiconductor design
The use of chiplets in emerging technologies
1. Internet of Things (IoT) In IoT applications, the number of devices is large and diverse, ranging from smart home devices to industrial sensors to smart health devices. Chiplets provide these devices with massive computing power while ensuring low power consumption and small size for easy integration into a wide range of sensors, gateways, and end devices. The demand for chiplets in IoT devices has led to the rapid development of small, low-power chips.
2. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Despite the computationally demanding nature of AI applications, as technology advances, chiplets are beginning to be able to support AI algorithms in edge computing, especially in tasks such as image recognition, speech processing, and natural language processing. By optimizing the computational flow of neural networks, AI acceleration chips can provide efficient processing power while maintaining low power consumption. Chiplets are essential for edge AI devices such as smart cameras, drones, self-driving cars, and more, as they can perform real-time data processing without relying on cloud computing.
3. 5G Communications The rapid development of 5G networks has brought with it the need for high-speed transmission and low-latency communications, and chiplets play an important role here. Due to the highly integrated requirements of 5G devices, small, efficient chips must be used to achieve high-speed communication, low latency, and high-frequency signal processing. Chiplets can help improve the performance of 5G base stations, user equipment, and transmission networks, especially in signal processing in mmWave bands.
4. Autonomous Driving and Edge Computing Autonomous vehicles need to process large amounts of data from sensors (e.g., radar, lidar, cameras, etc.), which requires efficient, low-power processing chips. With its low power consumption and high integration, chiplets can achieve real-time data processing in automobiles, reduce dependence on cloud data transmission, and improve response speed and system reliability.
The future of chiplets and semiconductor design
1. Heterogeneous integration Future semiconductor designs will increasingly adopt a heterogeneous integration approach, that is, chiplets with different functions (e.g., processors, memories, sensors, wireless modules, etc.) into a single package. This design further improves the performance and efficiency of the system while reducing power consumption. Chiplets have a natural advantage in achieving this because they are easier to integrate with other types of chips.
2. Customized chips Another trend in chiplets is the rise of customized chips. In order to meet the needs of specific applications, more and more companies are designing miniaturized chips for specific tasks. For example, custom chips for AI processing, image recognition, or cryptographic computing. Chiplets can be optimized for real-world needs, increasing performance and reducing unnecessary power consumption.
3. Quantum Computing and Nanotechnology With the development of quantum computing and nanotechnology, future semiconductor designs are likely to further evolve in the direction of chiplets, especially in the field of quantum computing. Quantum computing chips require extremely high precision and extremely small size, and may be able to achieve efficient information processing and storage with the help of ultra-small chip designs.
Conclusion
The shift to chiplets is not a flash in the pan, but a response to real-world technological pressures. As monolithic designs become more difficult and expensive to develop, modular chiplets provide a way to move forward. However, their ecosystem relies on collaboration, standardization, and innovation.