Hybrid chips to enable a sustainable internet of things technology: opportunities and challenges

A new technological approach is needed for the development of emerging electronic components and systems within the Internet of Things (IoT) era. New advancements and innovations are required in architectural design and hybrid systems heterogeneous integration to address the challenge of widespread IoT deployment, its power demands and sustainability. Hybrid chips are one of the emerging technologies that can help overcome the current limitations in terms of energy consumption, performance and sustainability that could shape the future of electronic systems for targeted applications. Hybrid chips combine different materials and manufacturing technologies on the same substrate or package using advanced flexible heterogeneous integration techniques, with the focus of merging the advantages of each unit or technology toward enhanced performance and new levels of emerging functionalities. The categorization of hybrid chips spans across rigid hybrid chips that follow a multi-chiplet approach, semi-flexible chips that integrate flexible units with semi-rigid ones such as thinned silicon integrated circuits, and lastly, flexible chips in which all components are inherently flexible. This perspective article analyzes technical challenges that arise concerning the development of sustainable materials and processing technologies, complex heterogeneous integration, as well as advanced packaging architectures, standardization, and reliability testing. The economic implications for the semiconductor technology transition to hybrid chips is presented in terms of manufacturing costs, economic feasibility, and market readiness. Key insights and future application opportunities are provided, while recent advancements in the field are summarized. This perspective article suggests that by addressing these challenges, hybrid chips have the potential to transform electronic components and systems across a wide range of industries and use case scenario. The advancement of hybrid chip technologies by enhancing the collaboration between industry and academia as well as policymakers will be a crucial part in the realization of required sustainability goals within the worldwide Chips Act initiative, while ensuring the technological progress has the right balance between improved performance and sustainability.