INTEL

Semiconductor giant shared new details about 3D chip packaging technology

During the Hot Chips 34 conference, Intel shared new details about the 3D chip packaging technology that will be used in Meteor Lake, Arrow Lake and Lunar Lake processors, and will allow to combine multiple crystals produced according to different technological processes on a substrate in one time. At the same time, the manufacturer dispelled several previous rumors about the Meteor Lake chip series.

The integrated graphics of Meteor Lake processors will not be manufactured using the 3nm process, as some rumors claim. According to Intel, the graphics on these processors were designed using 5nm process technology. Meteor Lake processors will consist of multiple crystals (tiles) connected using the Foveros bus.

Intel shared a block diagram (pictured above) of Meteor Lake with six performance cores and eight low power cores. These cores will form part of a computing chiplet, which will be produced according to Intel 4 (7nm) process technology. The company didn't specify this, but the block diagram shown probably belongs to the processor of the upcoming Meteor Lake-P mobile series for compact gaming and quite productive work laptops.

Intel has previously shown off another Meteor Lake computing chiplet, reportedly from one of its Meteor Lake-U mobile processor models, which has two high-performance cores and up to eight power-efficient cores and will likely come with lower-performance integrated graphics.

Intel specified that the Meteor Lake SoC and I/O (IO) blocks will be manufactured using TSMC N6 (6nm) process technology, while the integrated graphics matrix will use TSMC N5 (5nm) technology. In this case, all chiplets will be combined by a Foveros crystal on Intel 22nm process technology.

Intel also confirmed that the Meteor Lake and Arrow Lake processor series are expected to launch in 2023 and 2024, respectively. The chips in this series will be presented in the mobile and desktop segments.

The company added that the Lunar Lake series of processors that will come after Arrow Lake are energy-efficient solutions with a TDP rating of 15W, which is likely a sign of their mobile nature. The company has yet to announce whether it plans to launch Lunar Lake models with an increased TDP.

Source: Intel