On ultra-short wireless interconnects for NoCs and SoCs: Bridging the ‘THz Gap’

We review and analyze the critical features of ultra-short range wireless links. These features will be required for advancing NoC and SoC integration to the next level, as transistor scaling and hetero-integration on silicon substrates are expected to reach their full potential by the end of the decade. Based on published transceiver data, the scalable wireless NoCs for multi-core processors and reconfigurable networks for SoCs are within reach of Si/SiGe BiCMOS technology in the next few technology generations. However, before such THz-band CMOS wireless transceivers can become reality and work efficiently, compact high-gain on-chip antennas, high-density on-chip inductors with magnetic cores, and tunable-gain LNAs/PAs that can lower power consumption will be necessary.