Introduction

The concept of chiplets—small, modular integrated circuit components—has been gaining traction in recent years, promising to revolutionize the semiconductor industry by offering more flexible and cost-effective design processes. However, a thriving chiplet marketplace, reminiscent of an open IP market where chip components can be mixed and matched, remains an elusive goal. Semiconductor Engineering provides an insightful dialogue with industry experts about the status and potential of chiplets.

Progress and Challenges

A year ago, industry leaders discussed the potential of chiplets, noting the challenges posed by the lack of standardization and reuse of chiplets across systems. Now, although significant progress has been made, many hurdles remain in creating the envisioned ecosystem.

Standardization Woes

One of the primary challenges is standardization. The current ecosystem lacks a universal agreement on protocol layers that define chiplet communication across different systems. While efforts like UCIe aim to establish standards, gaps remain, particularly in protocol layers and form factor standardization.

"There is a lot of standardization missing... We do have something around UCIe, but it is missing some important pieces," said Letizia Giuliano, VP for product marketing and management at Alphawave Semi.

Advancements

Despite these challenges, there have been advancements. The idea of multi-die designs has matured, with industries becoming more aware of the advantages and necessitating standards. The concept of organizing systems around available chiplets is gaining traction, which could propel further standardization efforts.

Moreover, the market is seeing "incremental baby steps" towards the point where chiplets can be utilized across multiple projects, fostering scalability and cost-efficiency.

The Marketplace Vision

As the vision of a chiplet marketplace unfolds, the question remains: when can consumers start buying chiplets like any other market commodity?

Mark Kuemerle, vice president of technology for Marvell, highlights the potential for such a marketplace but acknowledges that it requires significant standardization and ecosystem maturity. Tailored chiplets currently dominate due to custom systems' needs, but eventually, industry progression could allow for off-the-shelf solutions.

The Path Forward

The panelists expressed optimism for the long-term evolution of the chiplet ecosystem. While bespoke systems are critical now, the push towards standardization, coupled with increasing technological demands, will drive innovation.

Several initiatives, like imec's automotive chiplet program (ACP) and Arm's introduction of chiplet system architecture, show that strides are being made. The industry envisions a future where, much like the IP industry, chiplets can be widely shared, re-used, and adapted to new configurations with ease.

Conclusion

While industry stakeholders like rob Kuemerle suggest a chiplet marketplace might still be up to eight years away from realization, it is essential not to overlook current achievements and the trend hinting at inevitable market maturity. With ongoing advancements in fabrication, design, and standardized approaches, the chiplet revolution remains promising albeit nascent. The journey ahead is challenging but holds the potential for substantial benefits, making it a field worth watching as it develops.