Chip Videos
Check out the latest videos from the Silicon Hub team and learn while you watch!
Check out the latest videos from the Silicon Hub team and learn while you watch!
Episode 10 explores the challenges facing Moore’s Law as the semiconductor industry approaches the physical limits of miniaturization. For decades, shrinking transistors led to faster, cheaper, and more efficient chips. But today, as we reach the sub-5nm scale, further scaling introduces major issues: quantum tunneling, heat dissipation, variability, and manufacturing complexity.
We discuss how chipmakers are responding—not by relying solely on smaller transistors, but by rethinking chip design entirely. Innovations like FinFETs, EUV lithography, 3D stacking, and chiplets are helping extend performance gains despite Moore’s Law slowing down.
This episode marks a turning point in the series—where the industry shifts from raw scaling to architectural creativity, advanced packaging, and domain-specific solutions. Moore’s Law may be slowing, but semiconductor innovation is far from over.
#MooresLaw, #SemiconductorScaling, #TransistorMiniaturization, #Sub5nmTechnology, #FinFET, #EUVLithography, #QuantumTunneling, #ChipDesignChallenges, #3DStacking, #Chiplets, #AdvancedPackaging, #PowerEfficiency, #HeatDissipation, #SemiconductorLimits, #ProcessNodes, #LithographyInnovation, #DeviceVariability, #Intel18A, #TSMCA16, #FoundryInnovation, #SemiconductorPhysics, #ChipManufacturing, #TechnologyBottlenecks, #SemiconductorRoadmap, #PostMooreEra, #Nanoelectronics, #HighDensityIntegration, #SiliconScaling, #FutureOfChips, #HardwareArchitectureInnovation
Episode 9 dives into the evolution of the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)—from a niche component for rendering video game graphics to a core engine of modern computing. We begin by explaining how GPUs differ from CPUs: while CPUs handle sequential tasks, GPUs are built for parallel processing, making them ideal for handling massive amounts of data simultaneously.
The episode traces the rise of companies like NVIDIA, and how the launch of CUDA in 2006 allowed developers to use GPUs for more than graphics—unlocking their potential for scientific computing, machine learning, and AI workloads.
We also explore how GPUs now power everything from data centers and autonomous vehicles to crypto mining and large-scale simulations. No longer limited to gaming, the GPU has become a pillar of next-generation computing—driven by advances in semiconductor density, cooling technologies, and software optimization.
#MobileChips, #SmartphoneProcessors, #SystemOnChip, #SoCArchitecture, #ARMProcessors, #ARMCortex, #MobileComputing, #MobileSemiconductors, #AppleSilicon, #Snapdragon, #MediaTek, #EnergyEfficientChips, #LowPowerDesign, #BatteryOptimization, #MobileGPU, #EmbeddedSystems, #IoTDevices, #Wearables, #TabletProcessors, #MobileIntegration, #MobileAIChips, #5GModems, #WirelessSoCs, #RealTimeMobileProcessing, #MobileHardwareInnovation, #MobileDeviceArchitecture, #CompactChipDesign, #SemiconductorMiniaturization, #SmartDevices, #MobileTechEvolution #Design #Reuse
Episode 8 explores the explosive rise of the mobile era, tracing how smartphones, tablets, and wearables reshaped semiconductor design forever. We begin by looking at the early, bulky cell phones of the 1980s, and how advances in chip integration led to sleek, powerful mobile devices.
The episode explains the evolution of System on Chip (SoC) designs—integrating CPU, GPU, modem, and more onto a single chip—and how this enabled the rise of the modern smartphone. We highlight the role of ARM architecture, which brought low power consumption and high efficiency to mobile computing, powering billions of devices from Apple and Android ecosystems.
Listeners learn how the mobile revolution shifted the industry’s focus toward energy efficiency, miniaturization, and real-time performance—driving innovation in everything from battery life to camera processing. The mobile chip didn’t just change devices—it transformed how the world connects, communicates, and computes on the move.
#MobileChips, #SystemOnChip, #SoC, #ARMArchitecture, #SmartphoneProcessors, #MobileComputing, #MobileInnovation, #AppleSilicon, #AndroidDevices, #LowPowerChips, #MobileSemiconductors, #ChipIntegration, #EmbeddedSystems, #MobileTechnology, #PortableDevices, #MobileConnectivity, #MobileRevolution, #EnergyEfficientChips, #WearableTechnology, #IoTDevices, #MobileGPU, #RealTimeProcessing, #SmartphoneArchitecture, #MobileHardware, #TabletProcessors, #MobileAIChips, #MobileDesignTrends, #MobileTechEvolution, #PowerEfficientSemiconductors, #ARMCortex, #SoCDesign #Design #Reuse
Episode 7 dives into the world of memory chips, which are essential for how computers and devices operate. While processors get much of the spotlight, RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read-Only Memory) are what make real-time computing possible.
Listeners learn how RAM serves as a system’s short-term memory—temporarily holding data that’s actively in use—while ROM stores permanent instructions like boot sequences. The episode also explains the evolution of DRAM and Flash memory, and how storage has scaled from megabytes to terabytes with technologies like 3D NAND.
We highlight how companies like Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix have advanced memory density, speed, and efficiency—enabling everything from mobile apps to cloud servers. By the end, it’s clear: without memory chips, modern computing wouldn’t function at all.
#MemoryChips, #RAM, #ROM, #DRAM, #FlashMemory, #3DNAND, #SemiconductorStorage, #ComputerMemory, #VolatileMemory, #NonVolatileMemory, #Micron, #SamsungMemory, #SKHynix, #DataStorage, #SolidStateDrives, #EmbeddedMemory, #CacheMemory, #MobileMemory, #ServerMemory, #TechHardware, #DigitalStorage, #SemiconductorTechnology, #ComputingPerformance, #StorageInnovation, #ElectronicsEngineering, #TechInfrastructure
#Design #Reuse
Episode 6 explores the personal computer revolution—the moment when computing moved from government labs and corporate offices into people’s homes. The episode highlights key milestones, starting with the Altair 8800, a hobbyist machine that inspired Bill Gates and Paul Allen to create Microsoft.
We then cover the rise of consumer-ready systems like the Apple II, IBM PC, and the explosion of x86-based computing. With the help of microprocessors, memory chips, and evolving software, the PC became an everyday tool for work, education, and entertainment.
This episode emphasizes how the PC boom drove massive demand for semiconductors, fueling innovation in chip design, performance, and cost-efficiency. The personal computer didn’t just make computing personal—it helped build the foundation for the connected, digital world we live in today.
#VLSI, #VeryLargeScaleIntegration, #ICdesign, #chipdesign, #semiconductormanufacturing, #MooresLaw, #transistorcount, #technologyscaling, #microchip, #integratedcircuits, #semiconductors, #digitalrevolution, #EDAtools, #fabtechnology, #chiparchitecture, #SoC, #ASICdesign, #semiconductorengineering, #electronicsdesign, #innovationintech
Episode 5 tells the story of the microprocessor—the breakthrough that transformed computing from room-sized machines to personal devices. We begin with the launch of the Intel 4004 in 1971, the world’s first commercial microprocessor, containing just over 2,000 transistors. Originally designed for calculators, it became the foundation for programmable computing.
The episode then traces the rapid evolution of microprocessors, from Intel’s 8080 and x86 architecture to the explosion of personal computers in the 1980s and 90s. We discuss how microprocessors became the “brain” of modern devices, powering everything from PCs and game consoles to servers and smartphones.
Listeners gain insight into how this single innovation didn’t just shrink technology—it democratized it, making powerful computing accessible to the world. The microprocessor marked the true beginning of the digital age.
#MOSFET, #CMOS, #semiconductorhistory, #transistortechnology, #microelectronics, #chipdesign, #ICevolution, #digitalelectronics, #MooresLaw, #semiconductors
Episode 4 delves into the profound impact of Moore’s Law, the observation made by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore in 1965 that the number of transistors on a chip would double approximately every two years. This episode explores how Moore’s Law became both a predictive model and a self-fulfilling driver of technological advancement for decades.
We explain how this exponential growth in transistor density led to continuous improvements in performance, efficiency, and cost, fueling the rise of personal computing, mobile devices, and cloud infrastructure. The episode also covers the engineering breakthroughs—like scaling techniques, advanced lithography, and new transistor architectures—that kept Moore’s Law alive long past its expected limits.
Finally, listeners are introduced to the present-day reality: Moore’s Law is slowing, but it has evolved into a broader mindset focused on innovation beyond scaling, including chiplets, 3D integration, and domain-specific designs. It’s not just a law—it’s a legacy that still shapes the future of computing.
#MooresLaw, #GordonMoore, #Intel, #TransistorScaling, #SemiconductorGrowth, #ChipDensity, #PerformanceImprovement, #TechInnovation, #SemiconductorHistory, #AdvancedLithography, #ChipArchitecture, #TransistorTechnology, #SemiconductorEngineering, #ScalingLimits, #3DIntegration, #Chiplets, #DomainSpecificDesign, #TechEvolution, #ComputingPerformance, #CostReduction, #ProcessorAdvancement, #EDA, #FutureOfChips, #SemiconductorTrends, #InnovationMindset, #SemiconductorR&D, #MicroprocessorDevelopment, #MooresLawSlowdown, #HighPerformanceChips, #TechnologyLegacy
Episode 3 explores how silicon emerged as the dominant material in semiconductor manufacturing, overtaking earlier materials like germanium. Listeners learn why silicon became the gold standard—thanks to its abundance, thermal stability, and the ability to form a high-quality insulating layer of silicon dioxide, which is essential for building reliable and scalable transistors.
The episode covers the invention of the integrated circuit (IC) by Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce, which allowed multiple transistors to be placed on a single silicon chip. This innovation dramatically reduced size and cost while increasing performance—paving the way for mass production of microelectronics.
We also look at the birth of Silicon Valley, named after the material itself, and how companies like Fairchild Semiconductor and Intel turned silicon into the foundation of the digital age. By the end of the episode, listeners understand how silicon became the heart of the modern electronics revolution.
#Silicon, #Semiconductors, #IntegratedCircuits, #JackKilby, #RobertNoyce, #SiliconDioxide, #ChipManufacturing, #Microelectronics, #SemiconductorMaterials, #SiliconValley, #FairchildSemiconductor, #Intel, #TransistorTechnology, #ElectronicInnovation, #SemiconductorHistory, #ICDesign, #TechRevolution, #SemiconductorIndustry, #MooresLaw, #SiliconDominance, #DigitalElectronics, #SemiconductorFabrication, #WaferTechnology, #ChipDesign, #MassProductionChips, #SiliconWafer, #ThermalStability, #SemiconductorPhysics, #ModernElectronics, #TechPioneers
Episode 2 explores the pivotal shift from vacuum tubes to transistors, marking the true beginning of modern electronics. Vacuum tubes, once essential for amplifying signals in early radios and computers, were bulky, fragile, and power-hungry—limiting the potential of electronic systems.
The breakthrough came in 1947 at Bell Labs, where scientists John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley invented the transistor—a compact, solid-state device capable of amplifying and switching electrical signals with far greater efficiency and reliability.
This episode explains how the transistor overcame the limitations of vacuum tubes, enabled miniaturization, and laid the foundation for the semiconductor industry. It also touches on the initial use of germanium, the eventual transition to silicon, and the transistor’s impact on computing, communication, and consumer electronics.
By the end, listeners understand how one small invention sparked a global technological revolution.
#VacuumTubes, #Transistor, #BellLabs, #JohnBardeen, #WalterBrattain, #WilliamShockley, #ElectronicsHistory, #SemiconductorRevolution, #Germanium, #SiliconTransition, #SolidStateDevices, #ElectricalSwitching, #EarlyComputing, #TechInnovation, #1947Breakthrough, #ElectronicsMiniaturization, #NobelPrizePhysics, #TransistorInvention, #ElectronicsEvolution, #AnalogToDigital, #SemiconductorOrigins, #RadioTechnology, #HistoricalTech, #ComputingMilestones, #FoundationOfModernElectronics, #SwitchingTechnology, #EarlySemiconductors, #ElectricalEngineeringHistory, #BellLabsInnovation, #DigitalElectronics
Episode 1 introduces the foundational concept of semiconductors—materials that can conduct or resist electricity depending on how they’re treated. Listeners learn how this unique property makes semiconductors the perfect medium for creating transistors, the tiny switches that process binary information (0s and 1s) in digital devices.
The episode explains the difference between conductors, insulators, and semiconductors, and highlights silicon as the most widely used semiconductor material due to its abundance and ideal electrical properties. It also covers how modern chips pack billions of transistors into tiny silicon wafers, enabling everything from smartphones and laptops to satellites and servers.
This episode lays the groundwork for the series by showing how semiconductors quietly power the modern world—and why understanding them is essential to understanding the future of technology.
#Semiconductors, #Silicon, #Transistors, #BinaryLogic, #Microchips, #ElectronicsBasics, #SemiconductorMaterials, #DigitalDevices, #HowComputersWork, #ElectricalEngineering, #SiliconWafer, #SemiconductorPhysics, #ConductorsVsInsulators, #SemiconductorTechnology, #IntegratedCircuits, #ChipFundamentals, #ElectronicComponents, #TechExplained, #DigitalLogic, #ComputingBasics, #SemiconductorSeries, #TechEducation, #DigitalTransformation, #ModernElectronics, #SemiconductorDevices, #ChipDesign, #SemiconductorIndustry, #FutureOfTechnology, #TechInfrastructure, #ElectronicSwitches
