Intel is on the cusp of a chipmaking revolution with PowerVia, a groundbreaking approach to delivering power to chips that required a fundamental reimagining of both chip manufacturing and testing.
Traditionally, computer chips have been constructed layer by layer, starting with the smallest components and adding increasingly larger layers of wiring and interconnects. This approach includes the wires responsible for delivering power to the chip. However, as chips have become smaller and denser, this layered approach has resulted in a complex web of interconnects and power connections that can hinder chip performance.
Intel recognized these issues and embarked on a decade-long journey to find a solution. Their answer is “backside power,” a method to move power wires to the underside of the chip, leaving the front side exclusively for interconnection.
This new approach, named PowerVia, involves flipping the chip after transistor construction and polishing off the backside to expose the layer where power wires will connect. The result is a direct and efficient path for power delivery to the chip’s transistors.
The benefits are significant. PowerVia reduces the complexity of chip manufacturing and enhances chip performance. Power wires that previously occupied up to 20% of the front side are eliminated, allowing interconnect layers to be streamlined. This simplification offsets the costs associated with the new manufacturing process, making it more cost-effective than the old method.
PowerVia also delivers tangible performance improvements. Testing on the Intel E-core chip using PowerVia demonstrated over a 5% frequency boost and over 90% cell density, resulting in faster and more energy-efficient computing.
A unique challenge in implementing PowerVia was developing debugging techniques for a chip with transistors sandwiched in the middle. Despite initial concerns and hesitancy, the Intel team successfully developed debugging capabilities and identified any issues, even those intentionally introduced.
PowerVia will make its debut with the Intel 20A node, entering production in 2024. This innovative approach puts Intel ahead of competitors by roughly two years in backside power delivery. It promises to usher in a new era of chip performance, with the first chip to benefit from PowerVia being Arrow Lake, a next-generation Intel processor for PCs built using the Intel 20A process.
Intel’s PowerVia is not just a leap in chipmaking; it’s a leap in computing efficiency, performance, and innovation.
