4 ms·
>t'd be fabulous if atomic went the Open PDK route like Skywater 130nm: https://skywater-pdk.readthedocs.io/en/main/ https://skywater-pdk.readthedocs.io/en/main
by kken 4y ago
>t'd be fabulous if atomic went the Open PDK route like Skywater 130nm: https://skywater-pdk.readthedocs.io/en/main/ https://skywater-pdk.readthedocs.io/en/main/ but even a setup with a 'here's the fab price list click here to pay us $x'000k and sign our NDA to get access' would be a big step forward. Combined with reduced manufacturing costs it would make it far easier for smaller players to experiment with custom silicon.
Yeah, but the business model of providing accessible standard CMOS technology would not really require building new tools, wouldn't it? I think the appeal would be in being able to build devices in highly customized technology.This would require fast learning cycles at low cost. Not really something a MPW helps with.
- gchadwick 4y agoWell if your view is the barriers to entry to standard CMOS technology are far too high and it's possible to do things more cheaply and openly, (e.g. using cheap equipment source from China as per Zeloof: https://mobile.twitter.com/szeloof/status/1549937044067172352 https://mobile.twitter.com/szeloof/status/154993704406717235...) then you might conclude some custom tooling to be a key part of the puzzle to help tie everything together you can get off the shelf (or in-time replace off the shelf tooling to get a neater solution). I mention skywater 130nm not because of the MPW program but because it's an open PDK, you can just download it and go use it, without needing to pay anything or sign any legal agreements. Maybe Atomic would go the same way?