Packaging · Topic 12 of 14
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PackagingLesson 12 of 14
Chiplets
Building a system from smaller, reusable dies instead of one big die.
What you’ll learn
- What chiplets are
- Why disaggregation helps yield and cost
- The role of interconnect standards
Why it matters
Chiplets let designers mix processes and improve yield as monolithic scaling slows.
Explanation
Instead of one large monolithic die, a chiplet design splits functions into several smaller dies connected in an advanced package. Smaller dies yield better, can use the best-suited process each, and can be reused across products.
Die-to-die interconnect standards (e.g. UCIe) aim to let chiplets from different sources interoperate.
Visual explanation
Key terminology
- Chiplet
- A small die combined with others in a package.
- Disaggregation
- Splitting a chip into multiple dies.
- Die-to-die interconnect
- The link between chiplets (e.g. UCIe).
Example
A processor built from compute chiplets plus a separate I/O die improves yield and flexibility.
Common mistakes
Watch out for:
- Assuming chiplets are always cheaper — packaging and interconnect add cost and complexity.
Real-world application
Chiplet-based CPUs and accelerators are now mainstream at the high end.
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Chiplets
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HBM
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High-bandwidth memory: stacked DRAM connected by a very wide interface.
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