# Free Chips
Pierre, _gnugen_, 3.5.2022
More context
## Wik'history
* **1958** - First IC (Jack Kilby, _Texas Instruments_) 🤖
* **1973** - SPICE is born! (Laurence Nagel, _California_) 🔥
* **1981** - EDA becomes an industry 🏭
* **1984** - First FPGA is born! (_Altera_) ♻️
* **1994** - First generation of HLS (_Synopsys_) 🪄
* **2018** - Open-source RTL2GDSII flow (_OpenROAD_) 🚀
## More Wik'history
Available PDKs are **180nm** (_GlobalFoundries_), **130nm** (_SkyWater_) and **90nm** (_SkyWater_, FDSOI).
First used in the industry between 1999 and 2003. Old but cheap.
**Keep in mind that performance can be traded off!**
## Why to Open Source?
* No license 📜
* No restriction ⛔
* No NDA 🤐
> Who wants overhead?
>
> Who wants reproducibility?
## Why to Open Source?
* No integration overhead 🪢
* No knowledge overhead 🧠
* No strategical overhead 👑
* No compliance overhead 🦺
> Agile workflow makes engineers (at least me) happy.
## Now give real reasons!
Silicon is a **basic commodity**.
_Politicians sometimes forget this..._
* You can go into politics. 🗳️
* You can go into low techs. 🚵
* You can go into free chips. 🎀
**🫵 You can also do the three. 🫵**
## 🤩 Are you hyped enough? 🫨
* Semi-custom digital design
* Practical work (if ya fancy 😊)
# Practical work
> Imagine that it works...
## Semicustom digital design
```sh
# Prepare the conda environment
conda env create --file environment.yml
conda activate freechips
conda update --all
# Launch the jupyter notebook
jupyter notebook
```
# Sources
```
[1] « 90 nm process », Wikipedia. 10 janvier 2023. Consulté le: 10 avril 2023. [En ligne]. Disponible sur: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=90_nm_process&oldid=1132820400
[2] « 130 nm process », Wikipedia. 19 décembre 2022. Consulté le: 10 avril 2023. [En ligne]. Disponible sur: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=130_nm_process&oldid=1128389908
[3] « 180 nm process », Wikipedia. 19 décembre 2022. Consulté le: 10 avril 2023. [En ligne]. Disponible sur: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=180_nm_process&oldid=1128389505
[4] « Electronic design automation », Wikipedia. 4 avril 2023. Consulté le: 10 avril 2023. [En ligne]. Disponible sur: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Electronic_design_automation&oldid=1148158141
[5] M. Granger, English: « Tyrrells hand-cooked vegetable crisps - veg crisps - parsnip, beetroot & carrot crisps with sea salt » according to the packaging. Sold in the United Kingdom. 2021. Consulté le: 10 avril 2023. [En ligne]. Disponible sur: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tyrrells_veg_crisps_1.jpg
[6] F. Fritz, English: AMD@7nm@Zen2_RDNA_APU@Oberon@PlayStation5@CXD90060GG_100-000000189_WM33440U00089_S___DSCx9_poly@5xLED Fritzchens Fritz die photo. 2021. Consulté le: 10 avril 2023. [En ligne]. Disponible sur: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Via@16nm@Centaur_Technology@CHA_SoC@CNS_NCORE_DSC08626-DSC08626_12.jpg
[7] Epop, English: Integrated circuit MC1488D from Signetics Corporation : Quad Line EIA-232D Driver. 2013. Consulté le: 10 avril 2023. [En ligne]. Disponible sur: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MC1488D_S_KME4828_9206KJ.jpg
[8] K. Palosaari, English: Three 4016 ICs, manufactured by ST Microelectronics. 2006. Consulté le: 10 avril 2023. [En ligne]. Disponible sur: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Three_IC_circuit_chips.JPG
[9] hello@bgjar.com, « Free svg background generator », BGJar. https://bgjar.com/ (consulté le 10 avril 2023).
[10] J. Helebrant, microphoto of some electronics circuit board. 2021. Consulté le: 10 avril 2023. [En ligne]. Disponible sur: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Electronics_PCB_circuit_board_003_(51131861191).jpg
[11] J. Helebrant, microphoto of some electronics circuit board. 2021. Consulté le: 10 avril 2023. [En ligne]. Disponible sur: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Electronics_PCB_circuit_board_007_(51132658884).jpg
```
