STM32F103VGT6 : Weekend die-shot

STM32F103VGT6 is one of the largest STMicroelectronics's Cortex-M3 microcontrollers.
1Mb of flash and 96kb of SRAM consumes most of it's enormous 5339x5188 µm die.



180nm SRAM scratches the limits of optical microscopy:

Z80A : Weekend die-shot

Zilog Z80 - legendary successor of 8080 (although, this particular chip is one of it's numerous clones - most likely Z80A made by GDR company MME).
Die size 4950x4720 µm, 5µm manufacturing technology.

IRGB20B60PD1PBF : Weekend die-shot

IRGB20B60PD1PBF - 600V/40A IGBT with internal ultra fast soft-recovery diode.

Diode die : size 1.6x1.6mm:


IGBT die : size 4.2x3.85mm, diameter of "dots" - 7.5µm.

How to «open» microchip and what's inside?

Microchips - are indeed can be considered a black box - as long as it's working you normally don't look inside.
But what if you want to?

Today we'll show how to "open" chips and what's inside.

WARNING! All operations with concentrated (and especially hot) acids are extremely dangerous. Only trained persons should work with them using required protective equipment (acid-prof gloves, protection glasses, protective suit, fume hood and more). Remember that you only have 2 eyes!
This article is for educational purposes only, do not try to repeat!.

Opening microchips

Take some microchips of interest and add concentrated sulfuric acid. Container should be closed, but not airtight, so that fumes can escape (that is extremely important). Heat it to boiling temperature (300 °C). White substance at the bottom is baking soda - it's here to neutralize accidental spills and part of fumes.


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STM NE556 : Weekend die-shot

We couldn't leave our readers without successful die-shot this weekend, so we shoot STMicroelectronics NE556 chip - dual 555 timer.

Die size - 2066x1576µm, smallest features are 10µm.

Invensense MPU6050 : Weekend die-shot fail

Invensense MPU6050 - is a very interesting 16bit gyroscope+accelerometer chip.
Unfortunately, there are 2 dies attached face-to-face, and we were unable to separate them without crushing them into pieces.
Let us know if you know how to separate such attached dies.

Micron MT4C1024 : Weekend die-shot

Micron MT4C1024 - 1 mebibit (2²⁰ bit) dynamic ram.
Widely used in 286 and 386-era computers, early 90's.

Die size - 8662x3969µm.