Essential Guide to Semiconductors, The

Overview of Custom Chips

Over time, it has become possible for almost anyone to create his or her own custom chip. Instead of being limited to just multinational corporations with billions of dollars invested in manufacturing equipment, chip design is now within reach of the average college student or well-equipped home hobbyist.

These new dilettantes can't manufacture their own chips, of course. That still does require billion-dollar chip-fabrication factories. However, it is possible to design your own chip. To make it real, you can either have a big company manufacture it for you, or you can “burn” the design into a blank chip made for the purpose. Either way, it's an opportunity for the budding chip designer to see his or her creation in ...