How are Microchips Made? 🖥️🛠️ CPU Manufacturing Process Steps
Branch Education2 HN recommenders · recommended in 2 months, 2024–2025
explainer · general · evergreen · 2024–2025 on HN
Branch Education walks through a semiconductor fab and the dozens of steps used to turn silicon wafers into microchips, with 3D animation. It covers lithography, deposition and etching at a high level.
Pointed to as a clear visual reference for chip manufacturing steps.
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4 comments from Hacker News
Just to add to this, the Branch Education YouTube channel has great videos detailing the manufacturing process as well, here's one for starters: ▶ this video
In the description they say a video on lithography is on the way. In the mean time maybe this one from the same channel: ▶ this video Great channel
A video showing those steps, for the curious: ▶ this video It's probably not 100% identical to TSMC's process.
The graphic from the OIST in the link makes reference to both the reduced power needed and reduced capital costs, less mirrors & cheaper EUV light source. Also, less power -> less heat -> less cooling. I scoured for some other info as well: A single chip would go through a photo-lithography tool about 80 times. A photo-lithography tool can work on approx. 125 wafers per hour (5 FOUPS). A wafer contains ~230 chips. Current EUV light source requires a 20kw carbon laser. ▶ this video link