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From: cleary@husc9.harvard.edu (Kenneth Cleary)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: How cheap can prototype chips be built for?
Summary: (Small-quantities of custom designs)
Message-ID: <4215@husc6.harvard.edu>
Date: 19 Sep 90 09:47:06 GMT
Sender: news@husc6.harvard.edu
Followup-To: comp.arch
Distribution: comp.arch
Organization: Harvard University Science Center   Cambridge, MA
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I occasionally hear about students getting small quantities done as
an ending to a course in VLSI design.  How does this get done for a
reasonable price?  I'm talking about a price range around $1000 (US),
not $10,000 (US).  You can't tell me a student has to shell out $10,000,
on top of tuition and other expenses, just to get some silicon...

So...
	What places do these SMALL batches?
	What is the minimum order that you can get down to?
	Are there considerable discounts if you're willing to forgo 
	high-density, assuming that lower scale integration achieves
	better yields, and less manufacturing risk?
	What is the cheapest technology for custom shops (i.e. CMOS
	Bipolar, NMOS, etc.)?
	What format do these shops need the design data in?
	What sorts of experiences have people had?