PADS AND PIN-OUTS IN THREE DIMENSIONAL INTEGRATED CIRCUITS

1 . A method, comprising:

forming a programmable layer of a hard-wired device by using a plurality of first masks in common with a programmable device fabrication process;

forming a hard-wire layer of the hard-wired device by using a plurality of second masks omitted from the programmable device fabrication process, wherein the hard-wire layer is operable to hard-wire the programmable layer with a logical functionality; and

forming a pad layer of the hard-wired device by using a plurality of third masks in common with the programmable device fabrication process.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming an interconnect layer of the hard-wired device by using a plurality of fourth masks in common with the programmable device fabrication process.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming an interconnect layer of the hard-wired device by using a plurality of masks that modify a characteristic associated with the programmable device fabrication process.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the characteristic comprises one of a timing characteristic or a power characteristic.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

using a first semiconductor die to perform said forming a programmable layer;

using a second semiconductor die to perform said forming a hard-wire layer;

flipping the second semiconductor die to couple a top side of the second semiconductor die to the first semiconductor die to form a stacked arrangement; and

using the stacked arrangement to perform said forming a pad layer.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein said flipping the second semiconductor die comprises one of:

bonding the top side of the second semiconductor die to a top side of the first semiconductor die; or

gluing the top side of the second semiconductor die to the top side of the first semiconductor die.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein said using the stacked arrangement comprises removing material from a bottom side of the second semiconductor die.

8 . A method, comprising:

forming a plurality of layers of a hard-wired device by using a first plurality of masks in common with a programmable device fabrication process, wherein said forming a plurality of layers includes:

forming a programmable layer; and

forming a pad layer; and

forming a hard-wire layer of the hard-wired device by using a second plurality of masks omitted from the programmable device fabrication process, wherein the hard-wire layer is operable to hard-wire the programmable layer with a logical functionality.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

forming an interconnect layer of the hard-wired device by using a third plurality of masks in common with the programmable device fabrication process.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

forming an interconnect layer of the hard-wired device by using a plurality of masks that modify a characteristic associated with the programmable device fabrication process.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the characteristic comprises one of a timing characteristic or a power characteristic.

12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

using a first semiconductor die to perform said forming a programmable layer;

using a second semiconductor die to perform said forming a hard-wire layer;

flipping the second semiconductor die to couple a top side of the second semiconductor die to the first semiconductor die to form a stacked arrangement; and

using the stacked arrangement to perform said forming a pad layer.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said flipping the second semiconductor die comprises one of:

bonding the top side of the second semiconductor die to a top side of the first semiconductor die; or

gluing the top side of the second semiconductor die to the top side of the first semiconductor die.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said using the stacked arrangement comprises removing material from a bottom side of the second semiconductor die.

15 . A method, comprising:

forming a hard-wired device operable to provide a logical functionality in common with a programmable device fabrication process, wherein said forming a hard-wired device includes:

using a plurality of first masks in common with the programmable device fabrication process to form a programmable layer;

using a plurality of second masks omitted from the programmable device fabrication process to form a hard-wire layer operable to hard-wire the programmable layer with the logical functionality; and

using a plurality of third masks in common with the programmable device fabrication process to form a pad layer.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein said forming a hard-wired device further comprises:

using a plurality of fourth masks in common with the programmable device fabrication process to form an interconnect layer.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein said forming a hard-wired device further comprises:

using a plurality of masks that modify a characteristic associated with the programmable device fabrication process to form an interconnect layer.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the characteristic comprises one of a timing characteristic or a power characteristic.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein said forming a hard-wired device further comprises:

using a first semiconductor die to form the programmable layer;

using a second semiconductor die to form the hard-wire layer;

flipping the second semiconductor die to couple a top side of the second semiconductor die to the first semiconductor die to form a stacked arrangement; and

using the stacked arrangement to form the pad layer.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein said using the stacked arrangement comprises removing material from a bottom side of the second semiconductor die, and wherein said flipping the second semiconductor die comprises one of:

bonding the top side of the second semiconductor die to a top side of the first semiconductor die; or

gluing the top side of the second semiconductor die to the top side of the first semiconductor die.