RF Antenna and Backside Waveguide Links for Multi-Chip Packages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated circuit devices face challenges with increasing signal loss and complexity in communication due to scaling issues, particularly with metal conductive routes, latency, bandwidth density, and thermal control as frequency and device count increase, despite advancements in monolithic integration and wafer stacking.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating radio frequency logic circuitry and antennas within or attached to integrated circuit devices, along with radio frequency waveguides on their backside surfaces, to enhance signal transmission and reduce loss by directing radio frequency signals between multiple devices, while also addressing thermal management through thermally conductive materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If metal conductive routes are used for signal transmission between integrated circuit devices, then electrical connectivity is achieved, but signal loss increases significantly with increasing frequency and distance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional metal conductive routes (electrical/mechanical system) with radio frequency waveguides that transmit electromagnetic signals. This substitution eliminates the skin effect and resistive losses inherent in metal conductors at high frequencies, enabling signal transmission with significantly reduced loss at increased frequencies and distances between integrated circuit devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces radio frequency waveguides as intermediary structures between integrated circuit devices. These waveguides serve as mediators that couple antennas on different devices through electromagnetic field propagation, enabling communication without direct metal conductor connections and thereby reducing signal loss.
2Productivity
If more integrated circuit devices are added to an integrated circuit package to increase connectivity, then bandwidth capacity improves, but routing complexity increases considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from planar two-dimensional routing of metal conductors to three-dimensional waveguide structures. Waveguides can extend vertically and through multiple layers, providing additional spatial dimensions for signal routing. This dimensional expansion enables complex interconnections between multiple integrated circuit devices without the routing congestion and complexity associated with traditional planar metal traces.
3Productivity
If monolithic integration and wafer stacking are used to overcome scaling issues, then integration density improves, but thermal control and latency challenges remain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication system into distinct radio frequency transceivers integrated within individual integrated circuit devices, connected through waveguides. This segmentation allows each device to operate independently with its own thermal management, preventing heat accumulation and control difficulties that arise in tightly integrated monolithic or stacked configurations where heat dissipation paths are limited.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration allows for increased signal frequency with reduced radio frequency signal loss, improved bandwidth, and effective thermal management, enabling efficient communication across multiple integrated circuit devices.
Implementation Method 1
a radio frequency waveguide on a backside surface of the first integrated circuit device and on a backside surface of the second integrated circuit device
Implementation Method 2
addressing thermal management through thermally conductive materials
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic assembly, such as an integrated circuit package, may be formed comprising a package substrate, a plurality of integrated circuit devices electrically attached to the package substrate, wherein each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices includes an active surface and a backside surface, and wherein a first integrated circuit device and a second integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices includes radio frequency logic circuitry and a radio frequency antenna formed in or attached thereto, and a radio frequency waveguide on the backside surface of the first integrated circuit device and on the backside surface of the second integrated circuit device.