Green on-chip inductors for three-dimensional integrated circuits: concepts, algorithms and applications

This chapter deals with a completely different aspect of circuit and design as compared to the previous chapters. This chapter discusses three-dimensional integrated circuits (3D ICs) as compared to the planner integrated circuits of the previous chapters. The 3D ICs have shown significant promise for the future post-CMOS era circuits and systems to build high-performance systems with minimal silicon foot print. This chapter specifically discusses practical approaches to through-silicon-via (TSV) inductors which constitute the vertical signal, power and thermal paths which is very critical for 3D ICs.