Imagesource: https://app.siliwiz.com/

Granted. We all know how to program. At least in one language. Most also can manage one level lower. Assembly. Even further down it gets tighter - machine code. Below that it gets really tight - we are talking about the hardware design of a CPU and potentially microcode. But the likelihood that you are equipped with detailed knowledge at this level is still high, because you are reading our newsletter.

But what about even further down? So not just really close to the metal, but right there - on the metal? Thin, isn't it?

And to be honest, hardly anyone will ever design lithography masks for more or less complex digital circuits themselves. But wouldn't it be great if you knew, how it all worked anyway, so that after a zombie apocalypse you'd be able to start the whole thing all over again with 8-bit computers, internet, crypto, NFT, ML and all the other good things of life? 🤔

The team behind Wokwi to be found as @WokwiMakes is making it happen.

A friendly hello to: SiliWiz.

After a nearly 3 hour study of the excellent introduction to the subject, you screw together your own semiconductors. Literally. A little bit of substrate here, a little bit of polysilicon there, and you can admire the switching behavior of your own construction in the simulation.

Equipping a whole ASIC with it ... probably not. Nevertheless, it is exciting to have this knowledge under the belt.