3D integrated circuits (3D ICs) are emerging as a revolutionary approach to design, manufacturing and packaging in the semiconductor industry. Offering significant advantages in size, performance, power efficiency and cost, 3D ICs are poised to transform the landscape of electronic devices. However, with 3D ICs come new design and verification challenges that must be addressed to ensure successful implementation.
The primary challenge is ensuring that active chiplets in a 3D IC assembly behave electrically as intended. Designers must start by defining the 3D stack-up so that design tools can understand the connectivity and geometric interfaces across all components in the assembly. This definition also drives automation of cross-die parasitic coupling impacts, laying the groundwork for 3D-level analysis of thermal and stress impacts.
