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Zhang Yiyi,
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On September 15, Liu Ming, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, dean of the Institute of Frontier Technology of Chips and Systems at Fudan University, and professor, said at the Second China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Lingang New Area Semiconductor Industry Development Summit Forum that at this stage, the performance improvement brought by the size miniaturization for processing chips is only about 3%. In many cases, the improvement of processing chip performance is achieved by architectural parallel processing.
The bonus space for miniaturization is already small
During the best period of integrated circuit development, the size of integrated circuits continued to shrink, the density continued to increase, but the power density remained unchanged. Liu Ming believes that looking back at the development of the integrated circuit industry, in the entire process of size miniaturization, whether it is materials, device structure, or lithography technology, packaging and EDA tools, even business models are constantly innovating.
She took the field of materials as an example, saying that in the 1980s, there were only 12 materials in the integrated circuit production line, in the 1990s, five new materials entered the integrated circuit production, and after the 20th century, a large number of new materials entered the production line.
Today's silicon-based integrated circuits are more like a platform. It is precisely because of its openness and inclusiveness that silicon technology can continue to develop, allowing other new technologies and new materials to make up for its shortcomings.
Device structures are also being updated and developed from generation to generation. In the face of higher density and smaller devices, lithography technology is constantly innovating, and EUV technology is further evolving. Liu Ming pointed out that at the 7-nanometer process node, EUV is only used for 50% to 60%, and at the 3-nanometer process node, 20 layers of lithography require EUV technology. Without EUV technology, it would be difficult to achieve mass production.
Can free electron laser be used as EUV light source? Liu Ming said in his speech that this is also a hot topic internationally. Some other technologies such as soft science will also play an increasingly important role in lithography technology.
In the development of the entire integrated circuit industry, size miniaturization has become the most important driving force, and it has indeed brought huge dividends to the improvement of integrated circuit performance. In the "good times" of integrated circuit development, the computing power of processing chips can be increased by 52% each year simply by size miniaturization, which has promoted the rapid development of computers.
But now, Liu Ming pointed out that this bonus space is gradually shrinking. At this stage, the performance improvement brought by the size miniaturization of processing chips is only about 3%. In many cases, the improvement of processing chip performance is achieved by architectural parallel processing.
Advanced packaging is an alternative path
How far can size miniaturization go? Which path should the integrated circuit industry choose? Liu Ming pointed out in his speech through a series of data that if the miniaturization path is not feasible at present, advanced packaging is actually a path that can be chosen.
"If we use silicon manufacturing technology to replace traditional packaging, we can achieve an increase in the performance interconnection index." Liu Ming said that there are many advanced packaging technologies, and the naming methods are also different. From wafer stacking, wafer-level packaging, to heterogeneous integration at the transistor-level manufacturing end, their precision can evolve to millimeters and nanometers, and the interconnection density is also growing rapidly.
"At present, integrated chips based on advanced packaging have become the first choice for high-performance chips." Liu Ming said that at the same process node, if advanced packaging technology is used to integrate integrated chips, a performance improvement of about 15% can be achieved.
Advanced packaging technology is the preferred technology for all high-performance processors. She said that in the short term, whether through self-development or import, we have no way to obtain EUV lithography machines that can be used to make products. In the absence of advanced lithography machines to develop advanced processes, integrated chips based on advanced packaging should be the only way to get rid of restrictions and develop independent high-end chips.
From early microprocessors, to later mobile phone chips, to today's smartphones, there is a product that can support a generation of technology and has a huge market demand. But now, the prelude to the era of smart Internet of Things has been opened. In this era, it is difficult for people to find a single product that can support the development of a generation of technology. The number of users using advanced silicon process design will decrease, so selecting the appropriate chip according to product requirements and then integrating it into a product using integrated chip technology will be able to meet the needs of the diverse market in the future.
*Disclaimer: This article is originally written by the author. The content of the article is the author's personal opinion. Semiconductor Industry Observer reprints it only to convey a different point of view. It does not mean that Semiconductor Industry Observer agrees or supports this point of view. If you have any objections, please contact Semiconductor Industry Observer.
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