2 ms·
> You’re exaggerating. WLCSP photosensitivity is an uncommon phenomenon that requires a very strong and specific light source "In 1967, Dawon Kahng and Simon M
by timschmidt 1y ago
> You’re exaggerating. WLCSP photosensitivity is an uncommon phenomenon that requires a very strong and specific light source
"In 1967, Dawon Kahng and Simon Min Sze at Bell Labs proposed that the floating gate of a MOSFET could be used for the cell of a reprogrammable ROM (read-only memory).[3] Building on this concept, Dov Frohman of Intel invented EPROM in 1971,[3] and was awarded U.S. patent 3,660,819 in 1972. Frohman designed the Intel 1702, a 2048-bit EPROM, which was announced by Intel in 1971.[3]"
"The programming process is not electrically reversible. To erase the data stored in the array of transistors, ultraviolet light is directed onto the die. Photons of the UV light cause ionization within the silicon oxide, which allows the stored charge on the floating gate to dissipate. Since the whole memory array is exposed, all the memory is erased at the same time. The process takes several minutes for UV lamps of convenient sizes; sunlight would erase a chip in weeks, and indoor fluorescent lighting over several years.[8] Generally, the EPROMs must be removed from equipment to be erased, since it is not usually practical to build in a UV lamp to erase parts in-circuit."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPROM https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPROM
- lttlrck 1y agoI remember placing stickers over EPROM windows to protect them from sunlight. Deep deep archived memory that one...
- RetroTechie 1y agoHehe.. remembered an optimum wavelength ~255nm (and indeed - Wikipedia says 253.7nm. Close enough :). > sunlight would erase a chip in weeks Been there, done that. When I wasn't in a hurry, I'd stick some EPROMs in a foam & put 'em under a window. Usually took a bit under 3 weeks. But no point trying in the midst of winter; probably works but could take months. Loved those windowed ceramic packages. Especially microcontroller parts like (iirc) 87C52. Lovely patterns to have a look at with magnifier.
- K0balt 1y agoWhen I was a kid I used to spend hours exploring the surface of windowed ICs with my field microscope. I have a weird association of microchip architecture and the depictions of the surface of the “Death Star” in Star Wars. I think I used to imagine I was flying over the surface of the chip lol. I was slightly saddened by the electron microscopy of smaller node sizes as time went on, the features became more globby and a little less beautiful.