CPU Collector: High-Res i8008 Die Shot – Intel’s 54-Year-Old Milestone
- here's a breakdown of the information from the provided text, focusing on how the images of the i8008 CPU die were created and what the images reveal:
- * Initial Overview: Macrographs were taken first to provide a general view of the chip after decapping.
- * Visible Features: * 18-pin bond pad connectors (for interfacing with the socket).
here’s a breakdown of the information from the provided text, focusing on how the images of the i8008 CPU die were created and what the images reveal:
Image Creation Process:
* Initial Overview: Macrographs were taken first to provide a general view of the chip after decapping.
* Detailed Survey: A “Wild/Leica stereomicroscope with phototube” was used for a more detailed examination.
* High-Resolution Final Image: The most detailed image was created by painstakingly aligning and stitching together 216 individual micrographs using equipment from “CPU Duke.”
What the Die Shot Shows:
* Visible Features:
* 18-pin bond pad connectors (for interfacing with the socket).
* Markings: “Intel 1971”, “8008”, and “HF” (likely honoring hal Freeny, a designer on the i8008 team).
* Microscopic details:
* The 10-micron PMOS structure is coarse enough to be visible under a light microscope.
* P-channel MOS structure is visible under the metal surface.
* Polysilicon appears dark green, while non-conducting material appears bright green in the microscopy shots.
* Further Analysis:
* A link is provided to Ken Shirriff’s analysis of the 8008 die (https://www.righto.com/2017/03/analyzing-vintage-8008-processor-from.html),allowing viewers to cross-reference the new die shot with existing knowledge of the 8008’s architecture (ALU,registers,stack counter,data bus,etc.).