News GlobalFoundries announces TSV tech on 20nm

GlobalFoundries has announced it will offer through-silicon via (TSV) production at the 20nm node.

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/hardware/2012/04/27/globalfoundries-tsv-20nm/1

 

I can see why they abbreviate it, 'through-silicon via' is one of the worst descriptions I've ever seen! Is there likely to be much demand for TSV soon? I would have thought it introduced more complications into chip design.

 

What would you call it? Seems perfectly simple to me, a via which goes through the silicon. I am assuming these via are used to connect to the "system" under the silicone and not to other layers within the silicon.

 

Actually the vias can can connect to anything. When you stack two devices you can only reach the top layer of bottom device but with TSV you can implement a bus, not unlike the busses on PCB, that multiple devices can attach to (for example the PCI-e hub, the CPU, the graphics core and the memory for the latter two could all be packaged in a single stack, taking up much less surface area, thermals permitting).

 

And the Yields will be big Q