Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!optilink!manley
From: manley@optilink.UUCP (Dave Manley)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: Mass produced custom chips
Message-ID: <6286@optilink.UUCP>
Date: 22 Apr 91 22:35:52 GMT
References: <12742@pt.cs.cmu.edu>
Organization: Optilink Corporation, Petaluma, CA
Lines: 24

From article <12742@pt.cs.cmu.edu>, by lindsay@gandalf.cs.cmu.edu (Donald Lindsay):
> In article <3329@crdos1.crd.ge.COM> davidsen@crdos1.crd.ge.com 
> 	(bill davidsen) writes:
>>Will the day ever come when we can fast build custom CPUs?
>>  - fully automated chip layout.
>>  - A program the customer could run on a PC or workstation to select
>>    the options, and then send then in by email, floppy, or whatever.
>>  - direct computer controlled chip generation without a mask.
> 
> On the fabrication side, the trend has been to what you might call
> megafabs, with long construction times and nine digit price tags. I
> have been listening for years for hints that a minifab or microfab
> could be built, and things are looking up. 

Someone (I could try to find the reference) does sell a gate array 'microfab'.
I believe it is a 2u CMOS process.  Physically I think it (the fab not the array)
is about 20 feet on a side. I don't remember how large the array sizes were.
I think it is priced ~1M.

If fast is four weeks United Silicon Structures (no I don't work for them)
advertises 1-2u CMOS full custom, no minimum quantity.

Now, maybe your question should be: Will the day ever come when we can cheaply,
fast build custom CPUs?