Keysight Technologies, Inc. has introduced 3D Interconnect Designer, a new addition to its electronic design automation (EDA) portfolio. The solution addresses the mounting complexity of designing 3D interconnects for high-chiplet and 3DIC advanced packages used in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure and data centre applications.

As chiplet architectures are increasingly adopted, engineers face complex 3D interconnect designs for multi-die and stacked-die applications which traditional workflows struggle to handle efficiently. As a result, teams spend significant time manually optimising the interconnects that include vias, transmission lines, solder balls, and micro-bumps while ensuring signal and power integrity in densely packed systems. This results in more design spins and longer product development cycles, creating a bottleneck that can delay product launches and increase development costs.

Keysight EDA software streamlines the process with a dedicated workflow for designing and optimising 3D interconnects accurately. The tool handles complex geometries, including hatched or waffled ground planes, which are critical to overcome manufacturing and fabrication constraints, especially silicon processes such as interposers and bridges, in advanced package designs. By enabling engineers to quickly design, optimise, and validate 3D interconnects used in chiplets and 3DICs, it minimises iterations and speeds time-to-market.

Key benefits include:

  • Accelerates design cycles: Streamlined automation removes time consuming manual steps in 3D interconnect design, minimising errors and boosting first pass success.
  • Reduced compliance risk: Validates designs against emerging standards such as universal chiplet interconnect express and bunch of wires , ex voltage transfer function, early in the lifecycle, reducing the risk of late-stage failures that lead to costly redesigns.
  • Predicts performance accurately: Electromagnetic-based simulation provides precise electrical analysis of printed circuit boards and package 3D interconnect designs.
  • The solution integrates with Keysight’s EDA tools as well as supporting the standalone version, enabling teams to incorporate 3D interconnect design and optimisation into existing workflows. When combined with Chiplet PHY Designer, engineers can design and optimise 3D interconnects specifically for chiplets and 3DICs, ensuring accuracy and reducing costly iterations in multi-die systems.

The new products will enable communications service providers to monetise AI devices with differentiated connectivity and launch new services. This new lineup includes new AI-ready radios and Ericsson Silicon featuring neural network accelerators that boost AI inference capabilities in Massive multiple input multiple output (MIMO) radios. The neural network accelerators are programmable matrix cores that are integrated in the Ericsson many-core architecture and optimised for AI and machine learning.

The new portfolio suite is structured around three pillars:

  • Next‑generation massive MIMO and remote radios engineered for higher downlink efficiency and uplink performance breakthroughs. This includes expanded performance breakthroughs including high-power frequency division duplexing (FDD) massive MIMO with AIR 3286, AIR 3211 combining massive MIMO on both time division duplex and FDD and expanded 8‑receiver portfolio enabled by Radio 4891 and Radio 4458, which will improve uplink performance to support AI and AR applications. Further, Radio 4488 and Radio 4464, designed for network consolidation and radio access network sharing. Furthermore, time division duplex massive MIMO advancements including AIR 3267 with 600 MHz instantaneous bandwidth in just 13 kg, and AIR 6492 with higher power 480W and 256 antenna elements for next level performance.
  • A new suite of AI-powered functionalities to improve efficiency and reliability, while meeting the latency requirements demanded by AI applications. The new AI-powered functionalities consist of AI-managed beamforming, AI-powered outdoor positioning, and a state-of-the-art AI model for instant coverage prediction, which complements Ericsson’s market-leading AI-native link adaptation software. To support CSPs meeting the bounded latency and reliable uplink speeds required by AI and augmented reality applications, tools like the new latency prioritised scheduler and low latency mobility have been added, which deliver up to seven times faster response times and a better and more reliable connection.
  • Interleaved and passive antennas that enhance spectrum utilisation and simplify site design. The new energy-efficient passive antennas, built on trio net design, maximise uplink performance, carrier aggregation, and spectral efficiency. The expanded Interleaved AIR portfolio now adds three new configurations to the two already launched, supporting full flexibility for TDD and FDD massive MIMO deployments.

Commenting on the launch, EDA design and verification general manager, Keysight, said, “With today’s complexity, manual 3D interconnect design and optimization have become a significant bottleneck. By streamlining the process and providing early insights into potential issues like signal and power integrity, we are enabling engineers to get products to market faster and deliver compliant designs on tighter timelines.”

Meanwhile, head of networks strategy and product management, Ericsson, said, “As AI transforms traffic patterns and raises consumer expectations, networks must provide precise performance where and when it’s needed most. At Ericsson, we are committed to delivering that needed performance. We are also embedding AI solutions across our full portfolio, introducing AI RAN software solutions that deliver revolutionary improvements in spectral efficiency. We are now taking the final step to full AI enablement across our portfolio by introducing neural network accelerators in our leading Massive MIMO portfolio.”

Further, network development and infrastructure director, VodafoneThree, said, “By bringing the Vodafone and Three networks together, on a single, high-performing 5G infrastructure powered by Ericsson’s RAN, VodafoneThree is ushering in a new era of connectivity – unlocking next generation technology and paving the way for AI-driven innovation. We are embedding AI throughout our network, reducing operational complexity, boosting energy efficiency, and delivering faster, more reliable connectivity for our customers in every corner of the country.”