Discussion summary
Jim Keller's startup is developing a factory for small chip fabs aimed at democratizing chip manufacturing. Discussions highlight potential, technical feasibility, and economic challenges of small-scale fabs.
What the discussion says
- Small fabs could enable rapid prototyping and local manufacturing.
- Electron-beam lithography allows very small transistors but is costly.
- Small fabs are suitable mainly for prototyping and low-volume runs.
“A small fab using electron-beam lithography can do everything TSMC can, but it's more economical.”
“Their website is quite difficult to navigate, which is a concern.”
Comments
Hacker News
One of the most interesting technologies that is not about LLMs/AIs.
by d_silin
I would've liked to read more about what they're doing, but their website fab2.com is unhelpful. Very little info, presented in pointless swirling animations that hijack your scroll action.
by ripe
> ... chip architect Jim Keller and DIY fabrication pioneer Sam Zeloof, has rebranded as Fab2 and moved its operations to Texas
> Fab2 now operates three sites: a 120,000 square foot facility in Austin serves as the new headquarters for research and production, a 30,000 square foot site in Lockhart houses the "fab fab" itself, and the original 25,000 square foot "garage fab" remains in San Francisco.
> Fab2 said it shifted its hiring focus to Texas after four years in California
Is California not what it used to be for startups? (I'm not saying Texas doesn't have an history of tech startups: it had the likes of Texas Instruments and many others in the early days)
Applied for a job, but their recruiter was trash. Still, hope it works out for the company.
by jtullos
I don't get it. How is Jim Keller running a brand new, hard tech startup while being CEO of Tenstorrent at the same time?
by ipsum2
I’m a semiconductor expert and without seeing the details, this seems like yet another smoke and mirrors wunderkind startup that will disperse once practical considerations are made. As far as I know, Mr. Zeloof has not made any fundamental advancements in any steps in manufacturing.
The article mentions, but doesn't explicitly state, that they're going to be using electron beam lithography. Makes sense for their low volume and/or prototype fab goal, but I'm curious how well that would work for prototyping to fab at high volume with the likes of TSMC or Intel.
I would assume that re-targeting a design to a different fab's process would change enough about it that you might as well just do verification in simulation rather than sidetrack through Fab2.
by sq_
That's the one that Sam Zeloof is working on, "having lithographically microfabricated various chips in his garage as early as the age of 17"
by WithinReason
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- Hacker News
- One of the most interesting technologies that is not about LLMs/AIs.by d_silin
- I would've liked to read more about what they're doing, but their website fab2.com is unhelpful. Very little info, presented in pointless swirling animations that hijack your scroll action.by ripe
- > ... chip architect Jim Keller and DIY fabrication pioneer Sam Zeloof, has rebranded as Fab2 and moved its operations to Texas
> Fab2 now operates three sites: a 120,000 square foot facility in Austin serves as the new headquarters for research and production, a 30,000 square foot site in Lockhart houses the "fab fab" itself, and the original 25,000 square foot "garage fab" remains in San Francisco.
> Fab2 said it shifted its hiring focus to Texas after four years in California
Is California not what it used to be for startups? (I'm not saying Texas doesn't have an history of tech startups: it had the likes of Texas Instruments and many others in the early days)
- Applied for a job, but their recruiter was trash. Still, hope it works out for the company.by jtullos
- I don't get it. How is Jim Keller running a brand new, hard tech startup while being CEO of Tenstorrent at the same time?by ipsum2
- I’m a semiconductor expert and without seeing the details, this seems like yet another smoke and mirrors wunderkind startup that will disperse once practical considerations are made. As far as I know, Mr. Zeloof has not made any fundamental advancements in any steps in manufacturing.
- The article mentions, but doesn't explicitly state, that they're going to be using electron beam lithography. Makes sense for their low volume and/or prototype fab goal, but I'm curious how well that would work for prototyping to fab at high volume with the likes of TSMC or Intel.
I would assume that re-targeting a design to a different fab's process would change enough about it that you might as well just do verification in simulation rather than sidetrack through Fab2.
by sq_ - That's the one that Sam Zeloof is working on, "having lithographically microfabricated various chips in his garage as early as the age of 17"by WithinReason