An Interview with Jake Baker

The Amp Hour · 6 May 2016 · 1h 04m · Episode 297

What this episode covers

Chris Gammell, a professor at UNLV and former chip designer at companies like Micron, discusses the evolution of semiconductor design, contrasting the high-risk, high-reward environment of the 1990s with today's risk-averse industry dominated by expensive reticles. He details the technical progression of memory technologies, including DRAM, Flash, and emerging Resistive RAM (ReRAM), while explaining how companies like Intel and Micron are attempting to replace Flash with 3D cross-point architectures. Gammell also shares insights on his educational initiatives, including his use of the MOSIS service for student fabrication and his development of free online courses using tools like Electric VLSI and Cadence to prepare students for industry roles.

Mentioned

Companies
UNLV, Micron, Intel, Qualcomm, Broadcom, On Semiconductor, Rambus
Products
DRAM, Flash, ReRAM
Tools
MOSIS, Electric VLSI, Cadence

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