<fpgaminer>
Why not design a circuit in the shape of a companion cube? Then it would be both form and function!
<azonenberg>
Lol the mounting will be far from ESD safe
<azonenberg>
Bare ~1cm die mounted with cyanoacrylate glue to a 1 inch stainless steel disk
<azonenberg>
Debating whether to try growing thermal oxide over the Si to make it a little more scratch resistant
<azonenberg>
Or encapsulating it in some kind of polymer
<azonenberg>
In any case when it's done, sputter in a few nm of Au or Pt
<fpgaminer>
So will your first test be just to make sure the resolution and such is correct and the process is holding up to your hopes? No functional transistors for awhile, I assume.
<azonenberg>
Correct
<azonenberg>
The first functional test will be a comb drive, actually
<azonenberg>
Still no transistors
<azonenberg>
After that, i'll have to get some TMAH (current developer is NaOH which doesnt play well with CMOS)
<azonenberg>
Try making some simple logic cells (single inverter etc)
<azonenberg>
Followed by a ring oscillator
<azonenberg>
I'm going to need to get myself some microprobes for testing as there's no way i can use a multimeter on these things :P
<azonenberg>
I had some around the apartment but they belonged to a former roommate who has since graduated
<fpgaminer>
You can use a multimeter, just sharpen the probes with a knife! :P
<azonenberg>
Lol
<azonenberg>
Good luck getting them to 5 micron tips
<fpgaminer>
Depends on how steady your hands are
<azonenberg>
Lol
<azonenberg>
I've done microsurgery on 200um PCB traces
<azonenberg>
I've soldered 25um bond wires to probe tips
<azonenberg>
(with difficulty)
<azonenberg>
but 5um is probably beyond me
<fpgaminer>
Daaang. I could probably never do that. My hands shake too much :/
<fpgaminer>
Makes soldering a pain
<azonenberg>
This was a pain because i couldnt actually pick up the wire easily with my tweezers
<azonenberg>
My new tweezers would prob make it a lot easier
<fpgaminer>
Well, even though I don't know too much about the ASIC production process, I am very excited about your work.
<fpgaminer>
Homebrew ASICs sound like a dream come true!
<azonenberg>
Lol, ASIC is a ways out
<azonenberg>
But would certainly be nice
<fpgaminer>
Yeah, I know it will take a long time, but it's still really cool
<fpgaminer>
and any progress is good progress
<azonenberg>
lol yep
<fpgaminer>
Just let me know when the process is advanced enough to re-create the 6502 :)
<azonenberg>
Lol
<azonenberg>
4004 will probably come first
<azonenberg>
A serious goal is to make a working 1:1 replica off published mask art
<fpgaminer>
Is the mask art for the 4004 published?
<azonenberg>
Yes
<azonenberg>
In any case, copyright is expired and you could just reverse it
<azonenberg>
But that saves us the trouble
<azonenberg>
One question is whether my process would be compatible enough to actually use their masks
<azonenberg>
i'd be using metal gates instead of poly for example
<lekernel>
azonenberg: regarding sharpening tips, have you had a look at those DIY tunneling microscopes?
<azonenberg>
No, the only EM i was considering making was a SEM
<azonenberg>
And i can buy tungsten probe tips for cheap from signatone