Rapidly increasing power dissipation of ICs and systems is the biggest challenge confronting semiconductor designers. And Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA) understands this problem very well. Hence, to address this issue, the GSA alliance has taken a big step by creating a 3D IC initiative.

To lead the 3D IC initiative, GSA has retained semiconductor industry veteran, Herb Reiter, president of eda 2 asic Consulting and long-time GSA leader and advocate. Part of this plan includes the formation of the 3D IC Working Group, which will be led by Reiter. This group includes participants from all major semiconductor companies and the supply chain including EDA, packaging and foundry.

Furthermore, to help direct and participate in this effort, the GSA has formed relationships with IMEC, ITRI, SEMI, SEMATECH, and Si2.

In fact, to gain awareness for 3D ICs, GSA has presented papers at multiple global events this year. For instance, at Design Automation and Test in Europe (DATE) 2010 in Dresden, GSA held a meeting that attracted more than 40 European system and IC designers, as well as EDA representatives, to the 3D Tutorial. And during DAC 2010 in Anaheim, Calif., the GSA 3D IC meeting hosted approximately 100 attendees. Other sessions and panels were organized by GSA at SemiCon West and the GSA Emerging Opportunities Expo & Conference.

Additionally, Reiter has contributed articles to the GSA Forum, Future Fab magazine and has been invited to submit a 2.5 versus 3D article to Yole Développement’s November issue of Micronews. Reiter also moderated a 3D panel at LSI's Accelerating Innovation Conference in early October and will have a poster presentation at IEEE International 3D System Integration Conference (3DIC) in Munich this November.

Next year, the second annual Memory Conference in March in San Jose, Calif. will focus on memory and logic integration and highlight the benefits of 3D IC Technology, said GSA.

In a statement, Jodi Shelton, president of GSA, said, “Our members are increasingly reviewing ‘2D SoC’ roadmaps and are studying how, when and for which applications they must transition to a new paradigm to continue meeting their customers’ demands. This is why the GSA 3D IC Initiative is so intently focused on bringing a strong awareness to the benefits and importance of this technology.”

In another statement, commented Reiter, “The wireless industry is pushing for 3D IC stacks to meet the power and space constraints in Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs).At the same time users of networking, graphics and computing equipment demand 3D ICs to meet the next generations’ bandwidth and performance requirements. A broad range of system and IC designers plan to work efficiently to combine heterogeneous process technologies in a 3D IC stack.”