Intel is ready to bring PowerVia to market. This is a new technology that ensures components on chips are powered more efficiently and gives logic circuits more room to breathe.

Intel aims to introduce PowerVia on its Intel 20A node in the first half of 2024. This is the brand name for a new technology for powering components on chips. PowerVia brings the power connectors to the bottom of the chip, which sounds simple but is quite revolutionary.

shift after shift

Traditionally, chips are built up layer by layer on a wafer. First the transistors appear, then the logic circuits and the power supply runs between them. However, the ever smaller components and higher density of a chip significantly increases the complexity of the logic circuits above it. After all, there isn’t much room left to construct all these complex connections. The fact that the power supply is also running there makes the whole thing even more complex.

By removing the power components from the logic circuits, they get more space. The power supply then moves down and feeds the transistors from the back. That sounds simple, but has major implications for the structure of the microchip. Finally, the construction suddenly begins with the microscopically small tension lines.

Ready to use

Intel has now achieved this with PowerVia. The manufacturer has already tested the technology and expects to implement it in its future microchips. Its benefits go beyond reduced design complexity. Because the electricity has to cover fewer distances to the components, which increases efficiency.

Intel 20A will be a very important hub for the company. Not only PowerVia is introduced, also the design of the transistor changes. FinFET can be discarded and replaced with RibbonFET, which is more suitable for the small size of the components and can prevent leakage.