EMC Society Distinguished Lecturer Series: From PDN Ecology to 3D Heterogeneous Systems: Robust PI Design for Chiplets
From PDN Ecology to 3D Heterogeneous Systems: Robust PI Design for Chiplets
Speaker Bio:
Professor Si-Ping Gao
Full Professor, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA)
Abstract:
Chiplet-based architectures introduce unprecedented complexity into the power delivery network (PDN) ecology, extending the supply path across multiple physical domains—from the voltage regulator module (VRM) to the board, package, interposer, micro-bump arrays, and finally to the on-die power rails. Building on an impedance-centric design philosophy, this lecture begins by clearly defining the chiplet PDN as a multi-layer ecosystem whose performance is determined not by isolated components, but by the impedance profile presented to the die. Fundamental concepts—including target impedance, transient current spectra, PDN ratio, and the interaction between switching activity and impedance peaks are reviewed and extended to the heterogeneous integration context. The lecture highlights why chiplet systems are particularly susceptible to simultaneous switching noise, return-path discontinuities, and rogue-wave–type voltage collapses.
Building upon these principles, the lecture introduces practical methodologies for shaping the chiplet PDN impedance profile by eliminating avoidable resonances, minimizing spreading inductance, and engineering low-mounting-inductance decoupling strategies. Through realistic case studies—including interposer-level IR-drop benchmarking, PDN layer co-design, and multi-chip transient simulations—the session demonstrates how frequency-domain impedance targets translate into time-domain voltage-noise performance. Advanced topics such as hybrid simulation–measurement workflows, AI-assisted PDN optimization, and the construction of chiplet-level target impedance curves are also discussed. The lecture concludes by outlining a robust design process that balances performance, cost, schedule, and risk, equipping engineers with the analytical intuition needed to achieve predictable, repeatable, and EMC-compliant power delivery in next-generation heterogeneous systems.
Speaker Bio:
Professor Si-Ping Gao is a Full Professor at the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA), where he also serves as Director of the Center for Advanced RF IC and System (C-ARFIS). He has more than 15 years of research and development experience in electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), signal and power integrity (SI/PI), and high-speed electronic systems. Prior to joining NUAA, he held research and engineering positions at A*STAR IHPC, National University of Singapore, and AMD, gaining extensive experience across academia, national research institutes, and industry. His work bridges fundamental electromagnetic theory with practical system-level design for advanced electronics and heterogeneous integration.
Prof. Gao received his B.Eng., M.Eng., and Ph.D. degrees from NUAA and was a PhD exchange scholar at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He has authored over 100 refereed journal and conference publications and holds multiple patents. His research contributions span computational electromagnetics, EMC/EMI modeling, SI/PI for high-speed and chiplet-based systems, ferrite-based frequency selective limiters, novel shielding materials, and on-chip plasmonic interconnects. His work has been widely recognized through numerous best paper awards and international distinctions.
Prof. Gao is a Senior Member of IEEE and an active contributor to the IEEE Electromagnetic Compatibility Society. He is the recipient of the IEEE EMC-S Young Professional Award (2021) and has been recognized as a Distinguished Reviewer of IEEE Transactions on EMC. He has served the EMC community in multiple leadership roles, including Chair of the IEEE EMC Singapore Chapter, under whose leadership the chapter received the IEEE EMC-S Chapter-of-the-Year Award. He has also played key roles in organizing major international conferences as TPC Chair, Technical Paper Chair, and Guest Editor, and is a frequent invited speaker and educator in EMC, SI/PI, and advanced RF systems.
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Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Time: 10:00pm – 11:30pm (EDT)
(10:00am – 11:30am on Wed Sept. 23 at Singapore Standard Time)