I have a IC design about 300*300 micrometers. Due to the high cost of IC tape out, is it possible to fabricate the IC jointly with other people? Does the company have such a service?
-
2Are you looking for a ["multi-project wafer service"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-project_wafer_service)? – Ron Beyer Jul 28 '20 at 15:05
-
1@RonBeyer Oh wow. It's like OSHA Park for rich people. – DKNguyen Jul 28 '20 at 15:10
-
https://europractice-ic.com/schedules-prices/ minimum disign between 1mm2 to 25mm2. – seyyedali hosseini Jul 28 '20 at 15:14
-
2@DKNguyen Development of an IC is an expensive process, but if you only need a few prototypes before a full run it works out for manufacturers to pool. – Ron Beyer Jul 28 '20 at 15:25
-
5*Does the company have such a service?* What company? What process? And you should not ask here, you should ask the Foundry. MPWs are very common but used in many foundries. Do realize that most foundries don't care about you and don't even want to talk to you unless you're going to run a multi-million dollar project with them. Also realize that even a small chip on an MPW will often cost $ 10,000 or more. Probably: if you have to ask what it costs, you cannot afford it, applies here. – Bimpelrekkie Jul 28 '20 at 15:57
-
1"Shuttle" is another term here. I would have pointed you to europractice. – stevesliva Jul 28 '20 at 16:35
-
3@DKNguyen OSH Park. Not OSHA Park – user253751 Jul 28 '20 at 17:07
-
1How are you going make connections to a chip that small? You typically do not get highly advanced packaging services with these shared runs. – Elliot Alderson Jul 28 '20 at 20:51
2 Answers
All the majors (TSMC, GlobalFoundaries, Samsung, SMIC, etc.) offer 'shuttle' (multiproject) wafer services. They have regular scheduled runs.
GF: https://www.globalfoundries.com/design-services/multi-project-wafer-program
TSMC: https://www.tsmc.com/english/dedicatedFoundry/services/cyberShuttle.htm
SMIC: http://www.smics.com/en/site/multi_project
It's a common service for any fab really, especially ones with older or specialty processes.

- 49,832
- 2
- 47
- 138
I did my first IC thru AWA in Australia, decades ago. We selected a 1.5 micron CMOS dual poly (for good floating capacitors).
Given I needed to produce oscillators at 180 MHz, and prescalars that also worked (divider 32/33) at 180MHz, that was a useful process.
If I recall rightly, we got 10 die in 28 pin packages (lots of VDD/GND pairs, to provide RF isolation) for a mere $10,000.

- 33,703
- 2
- 18
- 46