# Free Chips Pierre, _gnugen_, 3.5.2023 ![gnugen logo](img/gnugen.svg)

A bit of context

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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) 🚀

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Available technologies 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 🤐
## Why to Open Source? * No integration overhead 🪢 * No knowledge overhead 🧠 * No strategical overhead 👑 * No compliance overhead 🦺 > Streamlined 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. 🫵**
## Quick Landsgemeinde > Who wants overhead? > Who wants reproducibility? > Who wants to reinvent the wheel? > Who wants to keep their IP?
## 🤩 Are you hyped enough? 🫨 * Some technical bits * Practical work (if ya fancy 😊)
# Some technical bits * Meet the Process Design Kit (PDK) * Check out the workflows * Addition contextual knowledge (Rules & MOSFETs)

Hello Sky130!

Semicustom workflow

Fullcustom workflow

Related knowledge: Rules

Related knowledge: MOSFETs

# Practical work ```sh # 🐂/🐧 + 🍏 + 🪟 (Ubuntu 22.04.2 LTS under WSL) git clone https://forge.slowte.ch/workshops/freechips.git # 🐋 docker build --tag freechips https://forge.slowte.ch/workshops/freechips.git#main docker run --interactive --publish 1853:1853 --tty freechips ```
## Semicustom digital design ```sh # Prepare the conda environment cd semicustom conda env create # Not for Docker conda activate semicustom # Launch the jupyter notebook jupyter-notebook # For GNU/Linux, MacOS, WSL jupyter-notebook --ip 0.0.0.0 --port 1853 --no-browser --allow-root # For Docker ```
## Fullcustom digital design ```sh # Prepare the conda environment cd fullcustom conda env create # Not for Docker conda activate fullcustom # Launch the jupyter notebook jupyter-notebook # For GNU/Linux, MacOS, WSL jupyter-notebook --ip 0.0.0.0 --port 1853 --no-browser --allow-root # For Docker ```
# 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 ```