Induction-based inter-chip communication
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsShamsul ABEDIN, Stephen MOREIN, Tina C. TOUPAL, Zhen ZHOU
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Abstract
Various aspects relate to electronic memory devices and mechanisms for communicating with electronic memory devices. A plurality of stacked semiconductor wafers forms a wafer stack. A logic base die is configured to support the plurality of stacked semiconductor wafers. At least one through silicon via is formed through the plurality of stacked semiconductor wafers, wherein the at least one through silicon via is configured to form an inductive coil that is configured to provide a communication interface to the plurality of stacked semiconductor wafers.
Claims20
A device comprising:
- a plurality of wafer stacks stacked adjacent one another, the plurality of wafer stacks comprising:
- a plurality of stacked semiconductor wafers;
- a logic base-die configured to support the plurality of stacked semiconductor wafers;
- and
- a plurality of through-semiconductor vias formed through the plurality of stacked semiconductor wafers and the logic base-die,
- wherein the plurality of through-semiconductor vias is configured to form a plurality of chip inductors configured to provide a communication interface to the plurality of stacked semiconductor wafers.
A method of inter-chip communication comprising:
- receiving a predefined inductor signal pattern;
- activating, by way of a plurality of transmit analog front-end circuits, a plurality of corresponding transmit communication inductor coils of a three-dimensional semiconductor cube, the plurality of corresponding transmit communication inductor coils having a transmitting inductor width;
- receiving by way of a plurality of receive analog front-end circuits, a plurality of corresponding receive communication inductor signals at a plurality of receiving communication inductor coils at a host platform, wherein the plurality of receiving communication inductor coils have a receiving inductor width that is smaller than the transmitting inductor width;
- measuring a candidate signal strength of a candidate receive communication inductor signal in the plurality of corresponding receive communication inductor signals;
- and
- selecting a communication inductor for use in communication based on the candidate signal strength.
A method for selectively activating sub-inductors in a host platform to facilitate communication between the host platform and potentially misaligned three-dimensional semiconductor devices, the method comprising:
- receiving a predefined inductor signal pattern and an associated mapping of addresses;
- activating, by way of a plurality of transmit analog front-end circuits, a plurality of corresponding transmit communication inductor coils of a three-dimensional semiconductor cube, the plurality of corresponding transmit communication inductor coils comprising a plurality of transmitting sub-inductors;
- receiving by way of a plurality of receive analog front-end circuits, a plurality of corresponding receive communication inductor signals at a plurality of receiving communication inductor coils at a three-dimensional semiconductor device in the potentially misaligned three-dimensional semiconductor devices;
- looking up in the associated mapping of addresses an identification of a candidate communication inductor;
- measuring a candidate signal strength of a candidate communication inductor signal in the plurality of corresponding receiving communication inductor signals;
- transmitting a signal-strength output pattern plurality of transmit analog front-end circuits;
- and
- selecting a communication inductor for use in communication based on the candidate signal strength.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.