Intel patents silicon bridges as alternative for costly interposers

A recently published patent from Intel details a new method to create super-dies. Initially filed in January 2018, the patent talks about using silicon bridges to connect two or more chips. This is an alternative for pricey interposers or passive interconnects.

Multi-chip modules is something we're going to see more and more in the future. The idea here is that it's becoming easier to pair two or more small chips, rather than producing one monolithic core. The small chips are easier to manufacture, which results in cost savings due to higher yields.

Silicon interposers are expensive, and Intel claims these negate the “perceived MCP-derived cost benefits.” Instead, silicon bridges (or even those manufactured out of other useful materials) will take their place, embedded or attached to the package substrate and connecting up multiple dies, processing logic cores or otherwise, into “super-dies”. These so-called super-dies will be able to utilise multiple processes, dies, traditional design methodologies, and more into a single, interconnected processor.

“These bridges need to support only the dense die-to-die interconnect from die edge to die edge and can consequently be much smaller than a silicon interposer,” the patent application reads. “The silicon bridge concept also eliminates the need for TSV technology.

Further details at PCGamesN<.