3D IC Market Analysis

In-depth Analysis of 3D IC Market Industry Landscape

The demand for 3D packaging using Through-Silicon Vias (TSVs) is on the rise, driving the development of 3D Integrated Circuits (ICs). IC design and packaging teams are closely examining the vertical stacking of multiple chips and chipsets as the need for higher density, increased bandwidth, and lower power becomes more pressing. This technology, known as 3D-IC, offers various advantages over traditional single-die planar designs.

In simple terms, 3D-IC technology allows designers to stack multiple homogenous and heterogeneous die/chipsets, such as those for logic, memory, analog, and RF, into a single design. By doing so, they can pack more functionality into smaller form factors, improve performance, and reduce costs by integrating advanced packaging technologies. This approach serves as an alternative to monolithic System-on-Chip (SoC) integration, potentially avoiding the expensive transition to a new process node for all the features designers want in a single design.

The significance of 3D-IC architectures lies in their impact on various industries, including mobile communications, networking, graphics, and computing. This is particularly true in fields where there is a demand for ultra-lightweight, compact, and low-power devices. Examples of specific applications include multi-core CPUs, packet buffers/routers, GPUs, smartphones, tablets, netbooks, cameras, DVD players, and set-top boxes.

Despite the growing interest in 3D-IC technology, it is still in its early stages. The production and design of semiconductors must now include 3D IC packaging. This technology has both macro and micro-level impacts. On a macro level, it directly affects cost, power consumption, and performance. On a micro level, it influences the fundamental operation of every chip.

One of the driving factors behind the increasing demand for 3D IC packaging is the development potential for vendors, especially in the context of growing data centers. The amount of big data stored in data centers globally is projected to reach 403 exabytes in 2021, with a significant portion of this total attributed to the United States. In 2021, there were 700 hyperscale data centers, a substantial increase from 259 in 2015. These factors collectively contribute to the acceleration of market growth.