Column: Silicon systems design Chiplets and AI automation


package to enhance performance scaleability and manufacturing flexibility.


By Mike Bartley, CEO, Alpinum


redefi ning how silicon systems are conceived, validated and delivered. What began as a cost-saving approach, breaking monolithic SoCs into smaller reusable functional units, has evolved into a collaborative ecosystem built on interoperability, automation and innovation.


A


s semiconductor design complexity grows, the industry’s move toward chiplet-based architectures and AI- assisted verifi cation is


This shift reflects a fundamental


change in how engineers approach performance, scaleability and design efficiency, driven by combined modular hardware and intelligent design automation. Figure 1 shows a modular design, with a conceptual view of multi- die integration with CPU, memory, RF and DSP chiplets interconnected through silicon interposers and through- silicon vias (TSVs). This modular design approach illustrates how heterogeneous dies can be combined within a single


From integration to composition The semiconductor industry is shifting from traditional monolithic system-on- chip (SoC) architectures to modular, multi-die and chiplet-based designs. This approach enables more integrated and customisable silicon solutions that scale efficiently, optimise yields and address rising fabrication costs. It enhances production efficiency, improves design flexibility and supports cost-effective development, making chiplets essential to next-generation semiconductor innovation across various applications. Traditional SoC design has reached


its cost, yield and scaleability limits. Chiplets offer a modular alternative, allowing designers to combine building blocks from different vendors, each optimised for a specific process node or functionality.


Figure 1: Example of a chiplet-based system architecture


14 November 2025 www.electronicsworld.co.uk


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