BACK SIDE WAFER-SCALE INTEGRATION WITH MODULAR POWER DELIVERY
Techniques for power delivery are disclosed. A wafer-scale silicon interposer (WSSI) is accessed. A front side of the WSSI is bonded to a plurality of functional chips. The WSSI includes a plurality of through-silicon vias (TSVs). A plurality of modular power substrates (MPSs) is attached to a back side of the WSSI. Each MPS is coupled to one or more functional chips within the plurality of functional chips. The plurality of MPSs is mechanically connected to one or more control circuits. The one or more control circuits include a plurality of DC-to-DC power converters. The one or more control circuits send DC power to the plurality of MPSs. The sending includes a first voltage conversion. The DC power that was sent is transferred, by the plurality of MPSs, to the plurality of functional chips. The transferring is based on the plurality of TSVs.
1 . A method for power delivery comprising:
accessing a wafer-scale silicon interposer (WSSI), wherein a front side of the WSSI is bonded to a plurality of functional chips, and wherein the WSSI includes a plurality of through-silicon vias (TSVs);
attaching, to a back side of the WSSI, a plurality of modular power substrates (MPSs), wherein each MPS is coupled to one or more functional chips within the plurality of functional chips;
connecting mechanically the plurality of MPSs, to one or more control circuits, wherein the one or more control circuits include a plurality of DC-to-DC power converters;
sending DC power, by the one or more control circuits, to the plurality of MPSs, wherein the sending includes a first voltage conversion; and
transferring the DC power that was sent, by the plurality of MPSs, to the plurality of functional chips, wherein the transferring is based on the plurality of TSVs.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of MPSs is based on a form factor mirroring one or more corresponding functional chips, within the plurality of functional chips, on the front side of the WSSI.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more control circuits comprise one or more control boards.
4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the one or more control boards comprise a unified control board (UCB).
5 . The method of claim 4 wherein the connecting mechanically accommodates a maximum lateral displacement of the UCB due to thermal expansion during operation.
6 . The method of claim 5 wherein a coefficient of thermal expansion of the UCB is different than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the WSSI.
7 . The method of claim 5 further comprising matching each DC-to-DC power converter within the plurality of DC-to-DC power converters included on the UCB to one or more respective MPSs in the plurality of MPSs.
8 . The method of claim 4 further comprising feeding the DC power, by one or more high current bus bars, to the UCB.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein a voltage range of the DC power that was fed comprises a first voltage range.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the sending includes altering, by the plurality of MPSs, the DC power that was sent, wherein the altering is based on a second voltage conversion.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the second voltage conversion results in a voltage less than a threshold.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the first voltage conversion results in a second voltage range.
13 . The method of claim 1 wherein the WSSI includes one or more optical waveguides.
14 . The method of claim 1 further comprising enabling power control, by a digital controller chip, of the plurality of MPSs.
15 . The method of claim 14 further comprising electrically coupling the digital controller chip to the plurality of MPSs, wherein the coupling is based on a plurality of rigid-flex strips.
16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the plurality of rigid-flex strips includes one or more power control signals.
17 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first voltage conversion is accomplished by the plurality of DC-to-DC power converters.
18 . The method of claim 1 wherein the attaching is based on one or more controlled collapse chip connection bumps (C4s).
19 . The method of claim 1 wherein the connecting mechanically is based on a high voltage socket.
20 . An apparatus for power delivery comprising:
a wafer-scale silicon interposer (WSSI), wherein a front side of the WSSI is bonded to a plurality of functional chips, and wherein the WSSI includes a plurality of through-silicon vias (TSVs);
a plurality of modular power substrates (MPSs), wherein the plurality of MPSs is based on a form factor mirroring one or more corresponding functional chips, within the plurality of functional chips, on the front side of the WSSI, and wherein the plurality of MPSs is attached to a back side of the WSSI; and
one or more control circuits, wherein the one or more control circuits include a plurality of DC-to-DC power converters, and wherein each DC-to-DC power converter in the plurality of DC-to-DC power converters includes a mechanical connection to a respective MPS in the plurality of MPSs.
21 . The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the one or more control circuits comprises one or more control boards.
22 . The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the one or more control boards comprise a unified control board (UCB).
23 . The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the mechanical connection accommodates a maximum lateral displacement of the UCB due to thermal expansion during operation.
24 . The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the mechanical connection is based on a high voltage socket, wherein the high voltage socket transfers power from the UCB to the plurality of MPSs.
25 . The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the UCB includes a digital controller chip, and wherein the digital controller chip controls power delivery to the plurality of functional chips.
26 . The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the mechanical connection includes a plurality of rigid-flex strips.
27 . The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the plurality of rigid-flex strips includes one or more power control signals from the digital controller chip to the plurality of MPSs.
28 . The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising one or more high current bus bars, wherein the one or more high current bus bars are coupled to the one or more control circuits.
29 . A system for power delivery comprising:
a wafer-scale silicon interposer (WSSI), wherein a front side of the WSSI is bonded to a plurality of functional chips, and wherein the WSSI includes a plurality of through-silicon vias (TSVs);
a plurality of modular power substrates (MPSs), wherein the plurality of MPSs is based on a form factor mirroring one or more corresponding functional chips, within the plurality of functional chips, on the front side of the WSSI, and wherein the plurality of MPSs is attached to a back side of the WSSI;
one or more control circuits, wherein the one or more control circuits include a plurality of DC-to-DC power converters, and wherein each DC-to-DC power converter in the plurality of DC-to-DC power converters includes a mechanical connection to a respective MPS in the plurality of MPSs, wherein the system, when provided DC power, is configured to:
send DC power, by the one or more control circuits, to the plurality of MPSs, wherein the sending includes a first voltage conversion; and
transfer the DC power that was sent, by the plurality of MPSs, to the plurality of functional chips, wherein the transferring is based on the plurality of TSVs.