从集成电路到集成系统

From integrated circuits to integrated systems

芯片与微电子系统是现代电子信息与智能技术的基础,芯片由集成电路(integrated circuits,IC)技术实现,而微电子系统则可由本文提出的集成系统(integrated systems,IS)技术实现.集成系统概念的提出参照了集成电路的思想,并基于以下4方面原因:首先,集成电路是手段,系统才是目的,单个集成电路往往不具备系统功能,需要与其他电路或元器件相结合才能构成系统.其次,标准硅基集成电路的摩尔定律已面临挑战.第三,微电子系统的前道芯片设计加工与后道封装集成逐步收敛.最后,目前的封装集成技术采取分立的实施步骤.集成系统研究如何将各种不同材料、不同工艺、不同结构的元器件、天线、集成电路芯片进行集成,实现所需功能和性能的微电子系统.集成系统的一个核心理念是能否像设计、加工集成电路一样设计、加工微电子系统.本文将介绍集成系统的背景、概念、特征、面临的挑战、需解决的关键科技问题,以及一些研究进展.

Chips and microelectronic systems are the foundation of modern electronic information and intelligent technologies.Chips are actualized with the technology of integrated circuits(ICs),while microelectronic systems can be realized with the technology of integrated systems(ISs),as proposed in this article.For four main reasons,this article proposes the concept of ISs regarding the idea of the IC.First,the IC is only the means,and the system is the final objective.A single IC often does not have the functionality of a complete system and needs cooperation with other circuits or components to form a complete system.Second,the technical route of standard silicon-based ICs,namely,Moore’s Law,has faced many challenges.Third,the design and front-end-of-line(FEOL)process of ICs are gradually merged with the back-end-of-line(BEOL)integration and packaging.Finally,current package integration technologies mainly use separate implementation procedures.ISs will integrate components,antennas,and chiplets with different materials,different processes and different structures to implement microelectronic systems of specific functionality and performance.The core concept of ISs is whether microelectronic systems can be designed and fabricated just like ICs.This article introduces the background,concept,features,challenges,key scientific and technological problems,and some preliminary research progress of ISs.