Protecting die-2-die interfaces…

At Sofics we get a lot of questions about the required ESD robustness for the die-2-die (D2D) interfaces between chiplets in a package. People wonder how to select the right ESD standard and what robustness level they need to design for. Sofics has supported several chiplet projects for AI, data center communication applications recently.

Selecting optimized ESD protection for CMOS image sensors

Today, you can find CMOS image sensors almost everywhere in consumer, automotive, health and security applications. There has been a lot of innovation to enable demanding requirements.

The article provides a summary about the 3 main aspects that IC designers need to consider when selecting the ESD protection clamps for their image sensor projects.

Optimized Local I/O ESD Protection in FinFET Technology for 2.5D and 3D hybrid integration

Semiconductor companies using 2.5D and 3D hybrid integration need to consider Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) protection early in the design, even for die-2-die interfaces that remain inside the package. There are several challenges but also opportunities. The use of a local ESD protection clamp at the TSV offers more robustness, higher performance, more flexibility, all in a strongly reduced silicon footprint.

Optimized Local I/O ESD Protection for SerDes In Advanced SOI, BiCMOS and FinFET Technology

Semiconductor companies are developing ever faster interfaces to satisfy the need for higher data throughputs. However, the parasitic capacitance of the traditional ESD solutions limits the signal frequency. This paper demonstrates low-cap Analog I/Os for high speed SerDes (28Gbps to 112Gbps) circuits created in advanced BiCMOS, SOI and FinFET nodes.

ESD protection for 2.5D and 3D packages

More and more companies are turning to advanced semiconductor packaging. This trend has an effect on ESD protection. Earlier in 2021, Sofics submited a paper for the IP-SOC USA conference about ESD protection for 2.5D and 3D packaging. The abstract, the presentation and video are available here.

ESD protection for 2.5D and 3D packages

A growing number of semiconductor applications are turning to 2.5D and 3D integration. Integrating multiple dies in a single package can reduce total power consumption, reduce required PCB area, enhance performance and it can speed up development cycles.

It is important to consider Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) protection early in the design phase. The 2.5D and 3D hybrid integration introduces new ESD challenges but also opportunities.