Multi-project wafer service

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(Redirected fromMulti-project chip)
Multi-project chip (MPC), also known as multi-project wafer (MPW), services integrate onto microelectronics
wafers a number of different integrated circuit designs from various teams including designs from private firms,
students and researchers from universities. Because IC fabrication costs are extremely high, it makes sense to share
mask and wafer resources to produce designs in low quantities. Worldwide, several MPW services are available
from government-supported institutions or from private firms including MOSIS,
[1]
CMP,
[2]
Europractice
[3]
and
WaferCatalyst.
[4]
The first well known MPW service was MOSIS (Metal Oxide Silicon Implementation Service), established by
DARPA as a technical and human infrastructure for VLSI. MOSIS began in 1981 after Lynn Conway organized
the first VLSI System Design Course at MIT in 1978. MOSIS primarily services commercial users now but
continues to serve university students and researchers.
With MOSIS, designs are submitted for fabrication using either open (i.e., non-proprietary) VLSI layout design
rules or vendor proprietary rules. Designs are pooled into common lots and run through the fabrication process at
foundries. The completed chips (packaged or unpackaged) are returned to customers.
Many silicon fabrication facilities offer MPW runs or a company can produce its own MPW, e.g. combine several
of its own designs to form one wafer completely owned by the company. In the latter case, it may be profitable to
use most of the wafer for production chips and a small portion for producing prototypes of next generation chips.
References
1.
^
http://www.mosis.com/
2.
^
http://cmp.imag.fr/
3.
^
http://www.europractice.com/
4.
^
http://www.wafercat.com
External links
The M.I.T. 1978 VLSI System Design Course
(http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/VLSI/MIT78/MIT78.html)
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Categories: Electronic design automation Electronic engineering Semiconductor device fabrication
This page was last modified on 13 December 2013 at 19:12.
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