Indistinguishable From Magic: Manufacturing Modern Computer Chips

It takes years just to figure out how to use the machines to produce actual working chips. They're the most specialized, intricate, expensive machines in the world. They're operated in enormous clean rooms that only allow for 1 half-micron sized particle per cubic foot. No fab is going to run them without exactly following the procedures they have spent billions developing and testing. They are also going to avoid potential delays as much as possible because these machines have to be running for as much of their useful life as possible to recoup the vast expense. The level of risk-averseness is insane, but warranted. If you haven't watched this video, I highly recommend it: Indistinguishable From Magic: Manufacturing Modern Computer Chips ▶ this video It's a little outdated now, but very comprehensive and gives you an idea of how totally nuts the chip business is.

If you think this is cool, watch this video. I've linked a relevant to the comment portion, but entire video is amazing: ▶ this video P.S. if anyone knows a more modern version of this talk, I would love to see it.

I found this to be basically an ad. My favourite video on them is this one from many years ago, it’s a presentation by an engineer not being paid by a fab: ▶ this video

Best resource I have run in to about this is this talk: ▶ this video It quickly introduces the various hacks we do in order to get ~30nm features on silicon. But the talk is quite dated (early 2010's), but never ceases to amaze me. Semiconductors are indistinguishable from magic indeed.

Indistinguishable From Magic: Manufacturing Modern Computer Chips [0]. This talk is delivered really well and always leaves me with a sense of awe in how CRAZY it is that humans figured out integrated circuits. Its a bit out of date, but it gives enough of a peek under the hood to understand why Intel has had such difficulties going to 10 and 7mn processes[1]. [0]: ▶ this video [1]: link

I highly recommend watching this, it's one of the best videos available on how chips are actually built and gives a great overview: "Indistinguishable From Magic: Manufacturing Modern Computer Chips" - ▶ this video

▶ this video This talk on YouTube is the most in depth explanation of IC manufacuring I have seen. I highly recommend it to anyone, no matter their background. You really gain an appreciation of how insanely complex modern computers are. It’s from 2012 but he talks extensivly about how (2012-)future chips will be made. And most of the information is still applicable.

There's a brilliant talk, given in 2009 at HOPE09, NYC titled "Indistinguishable From Magic: Manufacturing Modern Computer Chips". At roughly 36 minutes, there's a cross-section of a (in 2009) modern chip. The topmost layer is the shiny rainbowy topmost metal-layer you see on typical (from the top) die photographs. The very, very small comb-looking bottommost-layer is the individual transistors, and structures there are of the size that give a "xxx nm" process its name. ▶ this video I very much recommend everyone to watch this video, to get a sense for the complexity that goes into producing a modern CPU. To come back to the thread I'm answering here: The logic analyzer on the Alto (probing microcode) connected to interconnects of individual gates probably would be connected to signals somewhere in the lower middle of the stack in a modern CPU, I guess.

This talk on how silicon chips are manufactured, called "Indistinguishable from Magic" shows just how magical they are: ▶ this video

Magic (at least as far as I'm concerned). I would love to see an updated version of this video: ▶ this video

This video is in the same vein, and does a great job putting this machine into perspective in teh chip making process, but it's sadly a decade old now. ▶ this video

Yes that's pretty similar to what is used. Each mask takes days to get simulated. It is getting "old" but this great video is covering it ▶ this video