Integrated power management and vertical power delivery are becoming essential for power delivery for high performance processors and AI engines. This is facilitating the concept of granular power whereby large arrays of dc-dc converters are integrated within the processor package platform thereby enabling dramatic reduction in overall system energy. This paradigm shift is being enabled by the miniaturisation of magnetic inductors using thin-film magnetic films on silicon and PCB-embedded structures to replace bulky wire-wound devices. This talk will discuss the commercial emergence of magnetics-on-silicon technology (MagIC) and associated PCB-embedded magnetics technologies which are enabling Power Supply on Chip and Power Supply in Package platforms. The various integrated magnetic technologies will be introduced along with their relative performance capabilities. The talk will also discuss the need for the parallel development and utilisation of Heterogeneous Integration and Chiplet platforms for 2.5D and 3D packaging of integrated power as evidenced in the EU and the USA Chips Acts. Key challenges still to be addressed, both from a technology and supply-chain perspective, will also be presented.
