Through-Silicon Via

What Does Through-Silicon Via Mean?

A through-silicon via (TSV) is a type of via (vertical interconnect access) connection used in microchip engineering and manufacturing that completely passes through a silicon die or wafer to allow for stacking of silicon dice. TSV is an important component for creating 3-D packages and 3-D integrated circuits. This type of connection performs better than its alternatives, such as package-on-package, since its density is higher and its connections shorter.

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Techopedia Explains Through-Silicon Via

Through-silicon via (TSV) is used in creating 3-D packages that contain more than one integrated circuit (IC) that is vertically stacked in a way that occupies less space while still allowing for greater connectivity. Before TSVs, 3-D packages had the stacked ICs wired at the edges, which increased the length and width and usually required an additional "interposer" layer between the ICs, resulting in a much bigger package. The TSV removes the need for edge wiring and interposers, which results in a smaller and flatter package.

Three-dimensional ICs are vertically stacked chips similar to a 3-D package but act as a single unit, which allows them to pack more functionalities in a relatively small footprint. TSV further enhances this by providing a short high-speed connection between the different layers.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…