For the next generation of high performance computers, the new challenges are to shorten the distance for transporting data (to accelerate the transfer of information) between multi-microprocessors and memories, and to cool these electronic components despite the increased heat flux that results from increased transistor density. Recent technological advances show a tendency for the development of 3D integrated circuit stacked architectures with interlayer cooling (multi-microchannels in the silicon layers). However, huge challenges exist in such design/concept, i.e. flow distribution to hundreds microchannels distributed in the different interlayers, thermo-hydrodynamic and geometrical limitations, manufacturing etc. 3D-ICs with interlayer cooling are still about a decade away, so a viable shorter term goal is 3D stacks with backside cooling, taking advantage of Si layers now able to be thineer down toonly 50 μm thickness.Thus, the present work presents thermo-hydrodynamic simulations for 3D stacks considering only a backside cooler, which simplifies considerably the assembly and guarantees a high level of reliability. In summary, the results showed that this concept is thermally feasible and potentially that interlayer microchannels (between stacks) will not be necessary.
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