We now know that the complete process of chip manufacturing includes several major steps, such as chip design, wafer manufacturing and package testing. Each step is the embodiment of advanced technology and advanced technology.
As we mentioned last time, to design a chip, developers must first define requirements, define key information such as instruction set, function, input and output pins, performance and power consumption, divide the circuit into multiple modules, and clearly describe the requirements for each module.
The "front end" developer then designs "circuits" based on the functions of each module, models them in computer language and verifies their accuracy. The "back end" developer designs a "layout" of the circuits, which are regularly copied onto a silicon chip according to their connections.
At this point, the chip design is complete. So why is it harder to make chips than to design them? Because the next step is not something you have the technology to do.
The final part of the design is the flow chip, which is trial production. After the design is finished, some chips are produced in small batches by the foundry for testing. It looks like chip manufacturing, but it's actually chip design.
The flow chip is not technically difficult because the chip design is based on existing processes, and the difficulty is money, money, money, except for a small amount of production that requires the direction of the chip design company.
How expensive is a streaming film? Start with the public offer from CMP (Circuits Multi-ProJets, a non-profit multi-project wafer services organization).
According to this quotation, qualcomm Snapdragon 855, the smallest bare-core (DIE) processor in the industry, for example (size: 8.48mm × 8.64mm, area: 73.27 square mm), the standard price of a flow chip with 28nm process is 499,072.5 euros, that is, nearly 4 million YUAN!
Then, what do chip designers get? 25 bare cores, an average of 160,000 yuan each!
But such a complex design can't have any flaws, otherwise it can't be fixed, you have to start all over again. Then you need to flow again, on the success of the flow piece, may also need to continue to modify and optimize, improve again after the flow piece, and if the redesign processing, generally at least a year. At least a few million dollars each time!
Some people may ask, this is the cost of the problem, why the difficulty? Of course it's difficult. The biggest difficulty in the world is not having money.
In will cost to flow, because many people talking about chip manufacturing difficulties will be pointed out that building a advanced process chip production line need amount of money, but can be seen by flow chip, chip design thirst for funds is also impressive, and on the wisdom of the team, energy, patience is a great test.