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page_id: wsd-can-masks-partially-be-reused-c2489ee7
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title: "Thread: Can masks partially be reused?"
slug: wsd-can-masks-partially-be-reused-c2489ee7
route: /evidence/i-information/questions/threads/can-masks-partially-be-reused
section: reference
access: public
summary: 12 Discord messages from ℹ️ - Information/⁉️-questions/threads/can-masks-partially-be-reused.md.
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tags: [discord, wafer-space, archive]
last_updated: 2026-08-19
talk_url: /evidence/i-information/questions/threads/can-masks-partially-be-reused.talk.md
talk_route: /evidence/i-information/questions/threads/can-masks-partially-be-reused/talk
---
# Thread: Can masks partially be reused?
Category: **ℹ️ - Information**
Parent channel: **#⁉️-questions**
Thread ID: `1535544860789051413`
Messages: **12**
## message-1535544860789051413
**2026-08-08T07:07:03.856+00:00 — rahulbhagwat**
- Message ID: `1535544860789051413`
- Author ID: `488155070052171816`
- Nickname: rahulbhagwat
- User name: rahulbhagwat
- Type: `Default`
- Discord message: https://discord.com/channels/1361349522684510449/1535544860789051413/1535544860789051413
- Archive source: https://discord.wafer.space/wafer-space/%E2%84%B9%EF%B8%8F%20-%20Information/%E2%81%89%EF%B8%8F-questions/can-masks-partially-be-reused/2026-08/2026-08.json
**Content**
```text
https://youtu.be/3MKRjt59hh4?si=43BobvNwE528ZjsH&t=173
In the video he says Taalas builds a base layer but different routing layers per model (eg. metal 5 - 10 is different per design)
I was wondering if something like this reduces non recurring mask set costs since you could reuse masks for the bottom layers?
```
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"description": "Taalas has built a chip with a single AI model wired directly into its metal layers, with no programmability at all, so one part runs one model and nothing else. In the public demo it returns a complete answer in about 33 milliseconds, which works out at roughly 14,200 tokens per second for one user, where an H200 sits nearer 230. When the compa...",
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## message-1535545489720610929
**2026-08-08T07:09:33.805+00:00 — tnt (@246tnt)**
- Message ID: `1535545489720610929`
- Author ID: `596068704471482370`
- Nickname: tnt
- User name: 246tnt
- Type: `Default`
- Discord message: https://discord.com/channels/1361349522684510449/1535544860789051413/1535545489720610929
- Archive source: https://discord.wafer.space/wafer-space/%E2%84%B9%EF%B8%8F%20-%20Information/%E2%81%89%EF%B8%8F-questions/can-masks-partially-be-reused/2026-08/2026-08.json
**Content**
```text
Yes
```
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## message-1535546161794912368
**2026-08-08T07:12:14.04+00:00 — rahulbhagwat**
- Message ID: `1535546161794912368`
- Author ID: `488155070052171816`
- Nickname: rahulbhagwat
- User name: rahulbhagwat
- Type: `Default`
- Discord message: https://discord.com/channels/1361349522684510449/1535544860789051413/1535546161794912368
- Archive source: https://discord.wafer.space/wafer-space/%E2%84%B9%EF%B8%8F%20-%20Information/%E2%81%89%EF%B8%8F-questions/can-masks-partially-be-reused/2026-08/2026-08.json
**Content**
```text
are routing layer masks significantly cheaper than base layer masks? (i'm guessing yes otherwise fpga's would be more economical for this)
```
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## message-1535547262007119882
**2026-08-08T07:16:36.351+00:00 — tnt (@246tnt)**
- Message ID: `1535547262007119882`
- Author ID: `596068704471482370`
- Nickname: tnt
- User name: 246tnt
- Type: `Default`
- Discord message: https://discord.com/channels/1361349522684510449/1535544860789051413/1535547262007119882
- Archive source: https://discord.wafer.space/wafer-space/%E2%84%B9%EF%B8%8F%20-%20Information/%E2%81%89%EF%B8%8F-questions/can-masks-partially-be-reused/2026-08/2026-08.json
**Content**
```text
The higher metals ones yes because they usually have coarser pitch. Also there are less masks for metal. AFAIK it's one mask for metal and one mask for via and that's it. While the FEOL has finer masks and then a lot more of them for the implants and all that stuff.
```
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## message-1535560820833128448
**2026-08-08T08:10:29.027+00:00 — Tim 'mithro' Ansell (@mithro_)**
- Message ID: `1535560820833128448`
- Author ID: `169786952432746498`
- Nickname: Tim 'mithro' Ansell
- User name: mithro_
- Type: `Default`
- Discord message: https://discord.com/channels/1361349522684510449/1535544860789051413/1535560820833128448
- Archive source: https://discord.wafer.space/wafer-space/%E2%84%B9%EF%B8%8F%20-%20Information/%E2%81%89%EF%B8%8F-questions/can-masks-partially-be-reused/2026-08/2026-08.json
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```text
Not really a process that can work with a traditional foundry
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## message-1535562122694492200
**2026-08-08T08:15:39.415+00:00 — Tim 'mithro' Ansell (@mithro_)**
- Message ID: `1535562122694492200`
- Author ID: `169786952432746498`
- Nickname: Tim 'mithro' Ansell
- User name: mithro_
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```text
I would like to see a metal programmable gate array that can be programmed via something like the hacker fab steppers.
```
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## message-1535582874454196304
**2026-08-08T09:38:07.02+00:00 — namibj**
- Message ID: `1535582874454196304`
- Author ID: `262706220073222144`
- Nickname: namibj
- User name: namibj
- Type: `Reply`
- Discord message: https://discord.com/channels/1361349522684510449/1535544860789051413/1535582874454196304
- Archive source: https://discord.wafer.space/wafer-space/%E2%84%B9%EF%B8%8F%20-%20Information/%E2%81%89%EF%B8%8F-questions/can-masks-partially-be-reused/2026-08/2026-08.json
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```text
I think it has a good chance of working when the production between FEOL and BEOL is split between companies like for example the copper X-Fab BEOL option on IHP SG13.
But otherwise, yeah, not really.
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---
## message-1535808189210173450
**2026-08-09T00:33:26.244+00:00 — Tim 'mithro' Ansell (@mithro_)**
- Message ID: `1535808189210173450`
- Author ID: `169786952432746498`
- Nickname: Tim 'mithro' Ansell
- User name: mithro_
- Type: `Default`
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https://bit.ly/ws-gatearray-v1
```
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"description": "GF180MCU Gate Array https://bit.ly/ws-gatearray-v1 Goal Create a good gate array which is programmable with post manufacturing additional of a metal layer in the 1-4um sizes. Specifications Final Metal Layer for Programming The goal is to have the gate array programmable by adding a single e...",
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## message-1535808293442687067
**2026-08-09T00:33:51.095+00:00 — Tim 'mithro' Ansell (@mithro_)**
- Message ID: `1535808293442687067`
- Author ID: `169786952432746498`
- Nickname: Tim 'mithro' Ansell
- User name: mithro_
- Type: `Default`
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**Content**
```text
The cool thing about doing something like that is you could potentially have a turn around time of days or even hours.
```
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## message-1535900448429711391
**2026-08-09T06:40:02.556+00:00 — rahulbhagwat**
- Message ID: `1535900448429711391`
- Author ID: `488155070052171816`
- Nickname: rahulbhagwat
- User name: rahulbhagwat
- Type: `Default`
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^ would also need a deposition step after litho right?
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## message-1535901294886260816
**2026-08-09T06:43:24.367+00:00 — rahulbhagwat**
- Message ID: `1535901294886260816`
- Author ID: `488155070052171816`
- Nickname: rahulbhagwat
- User name: rahulbhagwat
- Type: `Reply`
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This is super exciting btw! Going to start working on the base layer and scripting to reconfigure top metal.
Also, is ‘metal’ programmable gate array a name you just made cz that definitely needs to be an official term
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## message-1535992397677338674
**2026-08-09T12:45:24.965+00:00 — namibj**
- Message ID: `1535992397677338674`
- Author ID: `262706220073222144`
- Nickname: namibj
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**Content**
```text
mask programmable usuaually afaik though using a via layer fairly deep, like via2 or so
```
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