Public

Thread: BTW It's GF180MCU not GF180 πŸ™‚ -- Going

20 Discord messages from 𐦂𖨆π€ͺπ– ‹ - Friends/tinytapeout/threads/btw-its-gf180mcu-not-gf180-going.md.

Category: 𐦂𖨆π€ͺπ– ‹ - Friends Parent channel: #tinytapeout Thread ID: 1422636870235586570

Messages: 20

message-1422637186880114838

2025-09-30T17:32:16.673+00:00 β€” urish

Reply/reference

<details> <summary>Reference data</summary>
{
  "channelId": "1409664261952639098",
  "guildId": "1361349522684510449",
  "messageId": "1422636870235586570"
}
</details>

Content

<details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-09_media/2b6c3aac0ae09fc8a72a4b2e17d7f9c9-39032.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false,
    "roles": [
      {
        "color": null,
        "id": "1423020172595298314",
        "name": "Mod",
        "position": 4
      }
    ]
  },
  "message": {
    "mentions": [
      {
        "avatarUrl": "2025-09_media/9679bb77da48d47c905b398d98a83780-75B68.png",
        "color": null,
        "discriminator": "0000",
        "id": "169786952432746498",
        "isBot": false,
        "name": "mithro_",
        "nickname": "Tim 'mithro' Ansell",
        "roles": []
      }
    ]
  }
}
</details>

message-1422637190051004488

2025-09-30T17:32:17.429+00:00 β€” urish

Content

Do tell more - since in the docs/tooling, we use gf180mcuD when referring to the PDK
<details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-09_media/2b6c3aac0ae09fc8a72a4b2e17d7f9c9-39032.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false,
    "roles": [
      {
        "color": null,
        "id": "1423020172595298314",
        "name": "Mod",
        "position": 4
      }
    ]
  },
  "message": {}
}
</details>

message-1422637245835382784

2025-09-30T17:32:30.729+00:00 β€” urish

Content

But when talking in general about the process, we usually shorten to GF180
<details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-09_media/2b6c3aac0ae09fc8a72a4b2e17d7f9c9-39032.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false,
    "roles": [
      {
        "color": null,
        "id": "1423020172595298314",
        "name": "Mod",
        "position": 4
      }
    ]
  },
  "message": {}
}
</details>

message-1422637367222861834

2025-09-30T17:32:59.67+00:00 β€” Tim 'mithro' Ansell (@mithro_)

Content

Yeah, don't shorten to GF180, fine to shorten gf180mcuD to GF180MCU though.
<details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-09_media/9679bb77da48d47c905b398d98a83780-75B68.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false
  },
  "message": {}
}
</details>

message-1422638162248732857

2025-09-30T17:36:09.219+00:00 β€” urish

Content

GF180MCU is annoying to type πŸ™‚
<details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-09_media/2b6c3aac0ae09fc8a72a4b2e17d7f9c9-39032.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false,
    "roles": [
      {
        "color": null,
        "id": "1423020172595298314",
        "name": "Mod",
        "position": 4
      }
    ]
  },
  "message": {
    "inlineEmojis": [
      {
        "code": "slight_smile",
        "id": "",
        "imageUrl": "2025-09_media/1f642-83E8A.svg",
        "isAnimated": false,
        "name": "πŸ™‚"
      }
    ]
  }
}
</details>

message-1422638242288631850

2025-09-30T17:36:28.302+00:00 β€” urish

Content

We will also need to rethink our shuttle naming convention at some point
<details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-09_media/2b6c3aac0ae09fc8a72a4b2e17d7f9c9-39032.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false,
    "roles": [
      {
        "color": null,
        "id": "1423020172595298314",
        "name": "Mod",
        "position": 4
      }
    ]
  },
  "message": {}
}
</details>

message-1422638351739129938

2025-09-30T17:36:54.397+00:00 β€” urish

Content

ttgf26[abcdef...]   won't easily scale to multiple processes
<details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-09_media/2b6c3aac0ae09fc8a72a4b2e17d7f9c9-39032.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false,
    "roles": [
      {
        "color": null,
        "id": "1423020172595298314",
        "name": "Mod",
        "position": 4
      }
    ]
  },
  "message": {}
}
</details>

message-1422647634622943385

2025-09-30T18:13:47.609+00:00 β€” Leo Moser (mole99) (@mole99)

Content

To clear things up: GF180MCU is the process. gf180mcu is the PDK family and gf180mcuA/B/C/D are the PDK variants.
<details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-09_media/3c7c17f3225f6e56f4dccd83f14383f2-73F83.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false,
    "roles": [
      {
        "color": null,
        "id": "1423020172595298314",
        "name": "Mod",
        "position": 4
      }
    ]
  },
  "message": {}
}
</details>

message-1422647793218093056

2025-09-30T18:14:25.421+00:00 β€” Leo Moser (mole99) (@mole99)

Content

Same for SKY130, sky130 and sky130A/B.
<details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-09_media/3c7c17f3225f6e56f4dccd83f14383f2-73F83.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false,
    "roles": [
      {
        "color": null,
        "id": "1423020172595298314",
        "name": "Mod",
        "position": 4
      }
    ]
  },
  "message": {}
}
</details>

message-1422648189768569026

2025-09-30T18:15:59.966+00:00 β€” Leo Moser (mole99) (@mole99)

Content

IHP is a bit different though πŸ˜…
There it's: SG13G2 (or SG13CMOS), ihp-sg13g2 and ihp-sg13g2 (family and variant are the same).

Reactions

<details> <summary>Reactions data</summary>
[
  {
    "count": 1,
    "emoji": {
      "code": "thumbsup",
      "id": "",
      "imageUrl": "2025-09_media/1f44d-27259.svg",
      "isAnimated": false,
      "name": "πŸ‘"
    },
    "users": [
      {
        "avatarUrl": "2025-09_media/2b6c3aac0ae09fc8a72a4b2e17d7f9c9-39032.png",
        "color": null,
        "discriminator": "0000",
        "id": "732347216412278825",
        "isBot": false,
        "name": "urish",
        "nickname": "urish"
      }
    ]
  }
]
</details><details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-09_media/3c7c17f3225f6e56f4dccd83f14383f2-73F83.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false,
    "roles": [
      {
        "color": null,
        "id": "1423020172595298314",
        "name": "Mod",
        "position": 4
      }
    ]
  },
  "message": {
    "inlineEmojis": [
      {
        "code": "sweat_smile",
        "id": "",
        "imageUrl": "2025-09_media/1f605-42B43.svg",
        "isAnimated": false,
        "name": "πŸ˜…"
      }
    ]
  }
}
</details>

message-1422669425391173672

2025-09-30T19:40:22.933+00:00 β€” Tim 'mithro' Ansell (@mithro_)

Content

GF180IC and GF180BCDLite would be potential future GF 180nm techs
<details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-09_media/9679bb77da48d47c905b398d98a83780-75B68.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false
  },
  "message": {}
}
</details>

message-1422669451484074084

2025-09-30T19:40:29.154+00:00 β€” Tim 'mithro' Ansell (@mithro_)

Content

IC == Industry Compatible
<details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-09_media/9679bb77da48d47c905b398d98a83780-75B68.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false
  },
  "message": {}
}
</details>

message-1422670913488420956

2025-09-30T19:46:17.723+00:00 β€” urish

Content

And I was sure it stands for "Intelligent Creatures"
<details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-09_media/2b6c3aac0ae09fc8a72a4b2e17d7f9c9-39032.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false,
    "roles": [
      {
        "color": null,
        "id": "1423020172595298314",
        "name": "Mod",
        "position": 4
      }
    ]
  },
  "message": {}
}
</details>

message-1422670990512623789

2025-09-30T19:46:36.087+00:00 β€” urish

Content

or at least "Intel's Competitor"
<details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-09_media/2b6c3aac0ae09fc8a72a4b2e17d7f9c9-39032.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false,
    "roles": [
      {
        "color": null,
        "id": "1423020172595298314",
        "name": "Mod",
        "position": 4
      }
    ]
  },
  "message": {}
}
</details>

message-1422727558545408162

2025-09-30T23:31:22.957+00:00 β€” algofoogle (Anton Maurovic) (@algofoogle)

Content

Ahh I see…
<details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-09_media/943b637dbdf34731305e66dde0369276-F77A2.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false
  },
  "message": {}
}
</details>

message-1422727619136327700

2025-09-30T23:31:37.403+00:00 β€” algofoogle (Anton Maurovic) (@algofoogle)

Content

I just thought it was really cold πŸ˜‰ πŸ₯Ά
<details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-09_media/943b637dbdf34731305e66dde0369276-F77A2.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false
  },
  "message": {
    "inlineEmojis": [
      {
        "code": "wink",
        "id": "",
        "imageUrl": "2025-09_media/1f609-9EC67.svg",
        "isAnimated": false,
        "name": "πŸ˜‰"
      },
      {
        "code": "cold_face",
        "id": "",
        "imageUrl": "2025-09_media/1f976-D536D.svg",
        "isAnimated": false,
        "name": "πŸ₯Ά"
      }
    ]
  }
}
</details>

message-1422739765425471590

2025-10-01T00:19:53.304+00:00 β€” Tim 'mithro' Ansell (@mithro_)

Content

My understanding is that GF180IC allows designs which were targeted at "other foundries standard 180nm process nodes (like say TSMC's 180nm node)" to be manufactured with no changes (except changing GDS layer ids). It may have been used when things like second sourcing where required.
<details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-10_media/9679bb77da48d47c905b398d98a83780-75B68.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false
  },
  "message": {}
}
</details>

message-1422740212471169178

2025-10-01T00:21:39.888+00:00 β€” Tim 'mithro' Ansell (@mithro_)

Content

BCDLite is a cost optimized version of GF's BCD process technology. BCD (bipolar-CMOS-DMOS) technology allows to drive discrete high voltage components (several hundred of operating voltage) at high frequency while keeping high integration with advanced CMOS technology nodes.
<details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-10_media/9679bb77da48d47c905b398d98a83780-75B68.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false
  },
  "message": {}
}
</details>

message-1422740227234992209

2025-10-01T00:21:43.408+00:00 β€” algofoogle (Anton Maurovic) (@algofoogle)

Content

Well no joke, that sounds pretty cool to me. Bill Mensch could be interested in something like that especially since his 6502 IP is β€œcustom layout” but retargetable, as I understand
<details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-10_media/943b637dbdf34731305e66dde0369276-F77A2.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false
  },
  "message": {}
}
</details>

message-1422740357656870962

2025-10-01T00:22:14.503+00:00 β€” Tim 'mithro' Ansell (@mithro_)

Content

But this is all hearsay and gossip, not necessarily the actual truth πŸ™‚

Reactions

<details> <summary>Reactions data</summary>
[
  {
    "count": 1,
    "emoji": {
      "code": "thumbsup",
      "id": "",
      "imageUrl": "2025-10_media/1f44d-27259.svg",
      "isAnimated": false,
      "name": "πŸ‘"
    },
    "users": [
      {
        "avatarUrl": "2025-10_media/943b637dbdf34731305e66dde0369276-F77A2.png",
        "color": null,
        "discriminator": "0000",
        "id": "1071653002986926112",
        "isBot": false,
        "name": "algofoogle",
        "nickname": "algofoogle (Anton Maurovic)"
      }
    ]
  }
]
</details><details> <summary>Other message metadata</summary>
{
  "author": {
    "avatarUrl": "2025-10_media/9679bb77da48d47c905b398d98a83780-75B68.png",
    "discriminator": "0000",
    "isBot": false
  },
  "message": {
    "inlineEmojis": [
      {
        "code": "slight_smile",
        "id": "",
        "imageUrl": "2025-10_media/1f642-83E8A.svg",
        "isAnimated": false,
        "name": "πŸ™‚"
      }
    ]
  }
}
</details>