Beyond BPD: Backside Clock and Signal Routing for Sub-3nm (UT Austin, Intel)


A new technical paper titled "Beyond Backside Power: Backside Signal Routing as Technology Booster for Standard Cell Scaling" was published by researchers from University of Texas at Austin and Intel. Abstract "Advances in process technology enabling backside metals and contacts offer new Design-Technology Co-Optimization (DTCO) opportunities to further enhance power, performance, and area ... » read more

Big Changes Ahead In Power Delivery, Materials, And Interconnects


Part one of this forecast looked at evolving transistor architectures and lithography platforms. This report examines revolutions in interconnects and packaging. When it comes to device interconnects, it’s hard to beat copper. Its low resistivity and high reliability have served the industry exceedingly well as both on-chip interconnect and wires between chips. But in logic chips, with int... » read more

Challenges In Backside Power Delivery


One of the key technologies to enable scaling below 3nm involves delivering of power on the backside of a chip. This novel approach enhances signal integrity and reduces routing congestion, but it also creates some new challenges for which today there are no simple solutions. Backside power delivery (BPD) eliminates the need to share interconnect resources between signal and power lines on t... » read more