Want to learn how to design chips?
Learn to design your own ASIC and get it fabricated! Thanks to the new open source Process Development Kit from Google and Skywater and the OpenLane ASIC tools from Efabless, we now have the opportunity to get involved in this exciting field without signing NDAs or paying a fortune for tool licenses.
GCC revolutionised compiling, Linux revolutionised computing. Android revolutionised phones. Arduino revolutionised microcontrollers. RISCV is revolutionising ISAs. The next step is open source Silicon.
This course will give you the experience of creating your own microchip, using free and open source tools.
Of the 250 people who have taken the course, 50 have submitted designs for MPW2, MPW3, MPW4, MPW5, MPW6, MPW7 and MPW8.
We have just received MPW1 and the chips are working!
Ticket options
| Silicon | Boron | Arsenic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access to 6 hours recorded video content & 11 projects | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Access to updates of the course material | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Recorded solution videos | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Access to discord community server | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Access to weekly call | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Access to the group submission - get your open source chip made for real! Max area 300 x 300 um ⓘ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Access to the material for the lifetime of the course ⓘ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Your ASIC mounted on a PCB breakout board | $50 + P&P | ✅ | ✅ |
| How many chips will you receive | 1 | 3 | 300 |
| 1 to 1 office hours support | ❌ | 2 hours | 8 hours |
| Application to ChipIgnite - design can be closed source | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Guaranteed ASIC manufacture ⓘ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Custom PCB design consultancy | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Team access ⓘ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
- Check your email for onboarding information after your purchase.
- Receipt provided upon purchase for deducting as a business expense.
- Contact me if your business has any special requirements.
- Secure payment handling by Stripe.
- Not ready? Join the mailing list to receive updates and promotional discount codes.
- Are the pricing options too expensive? Apply for a ticket grant ⓘ
What do people say about the course?
The course itself is very self sufficient, and on top of that you have the community behind it. People are happy to help and review your work. I would definitely recommend the course!
Watch more in depth feedback here.
Course Overview
- Full course details here.
- We will concentrate on digital design.
- A virtual machine is available or you can install the tools manually.
- The course is continually updated for the latest tooling and PDK.
Format
- 11 hands-on projects, supported with text guides and over 6 hours of videos.
- Support via:
- Recorded solutions videos.
- Discord community server.
- Weekly course hangout call.
- 1 to 1 office hours with Matt: access to expert help on the Boron and Arsenic level tickets.
- Asynchronous - do in your own time.
- A PCB will be optionally available to buy with ASIC pre-soldered for you.
- High resolution set of digital images of the decapped ASIC - see FAQ.
- Access to the course materials for the lifetime of the course.
- Course completion certificate.
Prerequisites
- Basic Linux command line experience helpful.
- Some programming experience helpful.
- No hardware or HDL experience required!
- Please note that M1 Macs are not well supported at this time.
FAQ
Can I get a refund?
I’m so confident you will love the course, if for any reason you are unhappy you can ask for a refund within 30 days of purchase.
How big can I make my custom project?
Your project needs to be 300 x 300 um. See the MPW2 submission for ideas about what is possible in this space. If you need bigger then you can make an individual application to Efabless.
Will I definitely get an ASIC with my design on it?
Chips are only guaranteed on the Arsenic level ticket. Boron and Silicon tickets are entered into the Google/Skywater free shuttle.
The free shuttle is currently run as a lottery and while we have a good chance of getting in there is no guarantee.
You are able to make your own application separately to the group if you wish.
If the application doesn’t make it onto the shuttle, then that also means we don’t get the decapped photos.
How long does the whole course take to complete?
It depends on your existing level of experience and how deep you want to go on your own project. Most people complete each section in 4 hours, so about 20 hours for coursework. Then you will need some amount of time to prepare your own project.
Is there a time limit to complete the course?
You can take as long as you want with the course materials. Office hours expire 3 months after you onboard.
When do I need to submit my final design?
It depends on the next shuttle. As we don’t know this in advance I will announce this through discord and email. If you want to submit to the group project I will give you a deadline of 2 weeks before the shuttle closing date to make sure I have enough time to aggregate all the designs into a single submissions.
Do I need an FPGA to develop my design?
For simple and small designs like the ones I include in the course, you can use simulation to check everything is working fine. If you want to make a more complex project, then it’s probably a good idea to test your design on an FPGA.
What is the life of the course?
For as long as I’m running this course.
What is team access?
Take the course with your colleagues. You will work through the course material as a group and submit a single design between you. Weekly sync calls will keep you on track to complete the course.
Is there a cheaper option?
We have a grant that provides a Silicon-level ticket option for the Zero to ASIC course for those unable to afford the course at full price. Please apply here.