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IBM Heralds 3-D Chip Breakthrough

Posted by kdawson on from the more-moore dept.

David Kesmodel from WSJ writes to let us know about an IBM breakthrough: a practical three-dimensional semiconductor chip that can be stacked on top of another electronic device in a vertical configuration. Chip makers have worked for years to develop ways to connect one type of chip to another vertically to reduce size and power use. The IBM technique of "through-silicon vias" offers a thousand-fold reduction in connector length and a hundred-fold increase in connector density. The new chips may appear in cellphones and other communication devices as soon as next year. PhysOrg has more details.

3 of 99 comments (clear)

  1. What?????? by Xinef+Jyinaer · · Score: 5, Funny

    The chips didn't exist as 3-D objects prior to this? Infact, wouldn't a chip that only exists in two dimensions be much more difficult to make?

    --
    Some days I just get bored and Troll post all the memes I can think of...
  2. New Operating System Required For 3d chips by crea5e · · Score: 5, Funny

    LEG-OS. 64 block architecture. Also themeable for star wars and lord of the ring fanboys.

  3. Re:I wonder how they will cool this? by duncanFrance · · Score: 5, Informative

    There are some thermal advantages to this sort of interconnect. Since it keeps the wirelength short it means the drivers don't have to be so powerful. Hence a fair amount less heat will be generated. Driving any amount of capacitance at GHz speeds wastes shed-loads of power.

    Average power dissipated = V*V * f * C

    So reducing V obviously makes a big difference (hence partly why operating voltages of ICs decrease with frequency), but getting C down will help also.