SparkFun Electronics Commentsurn:uuid:214d0e4e-f1b1-d287-ce26-ac5b4c9f82492024-03-28T23:42:56-06:00SparkFun ElectronicsSimpsonjr on Dear ON SemiconductorSimpsonjrurn:uuid:003ff6d9-da8c-3b9b-f6f1-1d8bad90dd6a2010-11-23T16:35:31-07:00<p>Splendid story, I wish I bought one while I could, by now I'll probably have to bid 50 times an original 328 to get one ;)<br /><br>
<br /><br>
But.... can't you just tell the last guy hired to peal layer after layer, take pictures, trace components/routes/netlists etc and.... reverse engineer the chip ?<br /><br>
<br /><br>
If he succeeds the story will unfortunately end, but... you'll know he's willing and capable !<br /></p>
ARMinator on Dear ON SemiconductorARMinatorurn:uuid:3abde1f8-3a25-9158-47d5-2ca83489503f2010-07-26T15:28:45-06:00<p>Alright, was just wondering</p>
RSB2 on Dear ON SemiconductorRSB2urn:uuid:6d218220-60dc-9917-8c4e-b84e8229a1402010-07-14T00:46:33-06:00<p>Possibly someone made a mistake in laser marking at the assembly site and then someone mistakenly thought they were as labled and sold the reel as Atmel parts. All sorts of crazy things go on out there. Always buy from valid distributors. Otherwise you get what you get.</p>
Nate on Dear ON SemiconductorNateurn:uuid:e89f8e45-bede-b1ad-3d6f-03a8b9b0ac442010-07-13T08:33:43-06:00<p>Hi Zach - you were correct! It is the NCP5318.<br>
<a href="http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/news.php?id=395" rel="nofollow">http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/news.php?id=395</a><br>
Nice work!</p>
drug123 on Dear ON Semiconductordrug123urn:uuid:92c364b3-826f-348c-8925-645f2dc5714a2010-07-02T02:25:43-06:00<p>Try to test as this one too:<br>
<a href="http://www.onsemi.com/pub_link/Collateral/MC10EP131-D.PDF" rel="nofollow">http://www.onsemi.com/pub_link/Collateral/MC10EP131-D.PDF</a></p>
drug123 on Dear ON Semiconductordrug123urn:uuid:a17461a7-75da-7dab-d6e8-76f8befd277a2010-07-02T02:21:47-06:00<p>Your thougts gave me idea.<br>
As on images above 3 areas repeated four times (as for my untrained eye). When looking on <a href="http://www.onsemi.com/PowerSolutions/search.do?searchString=QFP&tabbed=Y&clearFilters=Y&searchType=others&lctn=headerSearch" rel="nofollow">this list</a> (QFP keyword search results), it should be "Quad something".<br>
This join gives us only 6 part numbers, and only 2 of them has no NCs, they shares same datasheet:<br>
<a href="http://www.onsemi.com/pub_link/Collateral/MC10EP131-D.PDF" rel="nofollow">http://www.onsemi.com/pub_link/Collateral/MC10EP131-D.PDF</a></p>
SemiGuy on Dear ON SemiconductorSemiGuyurn:uuid:c8ab5384-ad49-2bb9-edb0-eca3782319eb2010-07-01T14:46:53-06:00<p>The (M) represents Maskworks. Just like (C) is for copyright. The (ON) is the equivalent to the Motorola M, but for the new company.</p>
SemiGuy on Dear ON SemiconductorSemiGuyurn:uuid:cd155a43-7bdc-914e-eb94-824292a2408a2010-07-01T14:44:48-06:00<p>That part is indeed an NCP5318.<br>
<a href="http://www.onsemi.com/PowerSolutions/product.do?id=NCP5318" rel="nofollow">http://www.onsemi.com/PowerSolutions/product.do?id=NCP5318</a><br>
The AG20 represents the internal die number for manufacturing and data management. The 01 represents the metal mask version (i.e. metal masks to create a family of parts from a base die.) And the -7 represents the die revision (i.e. it took 8 tries to get it right.)<br>
How or why this part found it's way into that package is hard to say. Most likely ON and Atmel use the same package vendor. They messed up at marking. Either 'scrapped' it at the site or sent it to Atmel. Atmel 'scraped' it when the whole lot failed. (Check for marks on the leads to determine if it when through a handler for testing.) At either of those scrap points someone probably went dumpster diving.</p>
notfunny on Dear ON Semiconductornotfunnyurn:uuid:dc1276a0-c450-5afe-ea40-bf5e8eedc39b2010-06-30T14:50:49-06:00<p>Counterfeit shops are all over, even Taiwan unfortunately. Some use older packaging equipment which is probably used and resold equipment. Others are made with state of the art equipment which indicates that some high end contract shops may have "rogue employees."</p>
notfunny on Dear ON Semiconductornotfunnyurn:uuid:cec84820-dfa2-5f64-51ca-a92740ce8d552010-06-30T14:29:24-06:00<p>Just a couple of counterpoints based on experience:<br>
I was talking about the die being salvaged from scrap. The die are often at least partially tested prior to packaging. Whole wafers may be scrapped due to results of those tests. Normally they are destroyed, but not if they are stolen first. This is not hypothetical.<br>
Laser markings can be remarked. The top surface is sanded (blacktopped) and then remarked. <a href="http://www.aviationtoday.com/av/issue/columns/1078.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.aviationtoday.com/av/issue/columns/1078.html</a> It is noticeable when you see it though. In this case that doesn't seem to have happened</p>
notfunny on Dear ON Semiconductornotfunnyurn:uuid:cf860303-739f-4ce5-3b88-1af7180b04982010-06-30T14:19:36-06:00<p>There are many kinds of counterfeit, but this is one kind. They were sold as to sparkfun as Atmel parts and they are not.<br>
Other counterfeits types include empty packages, marginally failing devices, or devices marked to indicate that they have expensive testing done on them when it has not been done. In all cases fraud is involved.<br>
It's serious issue and there are confernces on this topic (for example <a href="http://www.smta.org/counterfeit/" rel="nofollow">http://www.smta.org/counterfeit/</a>)</p>
RobertC. on Dear ON SemiconductorRobertC.urn:uuid:522ab29c-898f-8cc7-477a-9c6db975a1872010-06-30T10:05:45-06:00<p>Check out the past homepage posts from us. They are whatever they are, but are not what their label indicates. Call them counterfeit, fake, blunders, mis-prints, etc. But they aren't what they say they are.</p>
ElectroLund on Dear ON SemiconductorElectroLundurn:uuid:8aefd169-3efb-520c-8f01-8aa0dd10b18d2010-06-30T08:11:07-06:00<p>Maybe I missed this, but are these truly counterfeit? i.e., do they somewhat function the same as the genuine ATmegas?<br>
Or are they some other die in a faked package?</p>
Shadyman on Dear ON SemiconductorShadymanurn:uuid:6ec640c8-bea2-45f1-211c-5bb2ef74e3d62010-06-29T18:01:58-06:00<p>@dropD: I don't think that Sparkfun called the distributor out on it; from what I heard, they just stopped purchasing from them.</p>
Shadyman on Dear ON SemiconductorShadymanurn:uuid:9f9aafc3-c165-751f-7b80-cfbf9038a2462010-06-29T17:58:40-06:00<p>@ARMinator: Even if so, this isn't anything that their competitors can't do in an equal amount of time (Since, after all, they just did.)<br>
IANAL, but I'm pretty sure this would fall under the "Hardware Interoperability" clause of the DMCA</p>
russpatterson on Dear ON Semiconductorrusspattersonurn:uuid:ace0abe1-bf89-d3f2-196c-201e3886f2862010-06-29T11:46:57-06:00<p>Awsome article and pictures!</p>
halcyon on Dear ON Semiconductorhalcyonurn:uuid:f492a60f-c4e8-c44c-42fd-1d5280972ea42010-06-28T13:16:36-06:00<p>This story is another Cuckoo's Egg...<br>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cuckoos-Egg-Tracking-Computer-Espionage/dp/1416507787/" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Cuckoos-Egg-Tracking-Computer-Espionage/dp/1416507787/</a><br>
These ATMegas probably track back to a guy in Germany who is involved in drugs and the KGB... you just wait.</p>
trevor on Dear ON Semiconductortrevorurn:uuid:b3306c1c-34f7-1cb1-2d6d-4d72a88fa3562010-06-28T10:28:02-06:00<p>Fantastic writeup! Thanks!</p>
Carbon-rod on Dear ON SemiconductorCarbon-rodurn:uuid:cf94b641-c9a3-9eca-590e-5dff307441a02010-06-28T06:28:52-06:00<p>holy crap you serious??? I would never have dreamed about purchasing Nitric acid in Australia... You can't even buy acetone these days let alone nitric acid! :)</p>
dropD on Dear ON SemiconductordropDurn:uuid:07e8d338-e445-7614-fd24-c1e936be36e52010-06-27T11:59:26-06:00<p>Talking with an ex-ON employee he noted that when ON seperated from Motorola they did not re-marked their parts like that. The M had 'bat-wings' and they would have left the part marked as Motorola. He also said they never coded their parts like that either. It might be a fake within a fake... although if the '01 - 7' was a date code (2001 - week 7) the week code would have been a 2 digit code (0107). He remembers many shipments of parts which were lost and stolen during that time. Who was the distributor?</p>
PCPete on Dear ON SemiconductorPCPeteurn:uuid:d7ffc1f2-d903-25ad-44e2-55542db315ef2010-06-26T22:09:20-06:00<p>This is a geek's wet dream. Well, I enjoyed the story anyway!<br>
Now, about the nitric acid. You can make your own fuming HNO3 by buying concentrated acid (more on this below) and... just add water! Nitric acid 'fumes' by releasing nitrous oxide when there are enough H+ ions present. I can't remember the exact concentration to make it fume, but I think it's about 60% or so.<br>
Now, about the cost. The figure you were given is almost certainly for "Aristar" (ultra-pure) quality reagent. You can get cheaper "Analar" (analytic quality) for about 80% LESS. And you can buy gallons/litres of less pure acid from just about any quality chemical company. Just say you want "standard" (non-analytic) acid. I can buy 4 litres here in Oz for about $75. The same quantity of ultrapure reagent is over $1200!!!<br>
I hope this helps.<br>
-PC Pete</p>
Chinwah on Dear ON SemiconductorChinwahurn:uuid:4ed7155e-24e2-8c0e-3f06-4a606b97d5a62010-06-26T21:28:37-06:00<p>Part II<br>
As far as the marking on the die, I dont think that those are date codes. They are identifiers for the die. Some companies sell raw die and they publish the die code in their data sheets. Date codes are for the customer. The manufactures track by lot numbers. Some more expensive dies have lot numbers laser etched or serial numbers programmed at test. On the factory floor they are very careful to keep the lot traveler with the parts. If they get mixed up (unlikely) they have test programs to determine what the part is.<br>
I live in Taiwan so I dont want to say that anyone would do that here. :-)</p>
Chinwah on Dear ON SemiconductorChinwahurn:uuid:5fccb1d5-c06f-0b4b-32cb-de76a0fb982a2010-06-26T21:27:26-06:00<p>Part I<br>
I worked for TI as an automation engineer lets just say for a very long time.<br>
The parts are laser symbolized. This is an expensive large machine. A mold press and tooling for packages is also a large and expensive machine. Not something that a garage shop would have.<br>
These were probably done at a manufacture of semiconductors. If I remember correctly the mold mark showed Taiwan. There is a ON Semiconductor site in Taiwan. The lead form looks good so they were not just dumped in the trash. Also you cannot resymbolize laser markings. The plastic is quite hard so it takes a lot of power to etch the plastic. Someone could have acquired the parts before they were symbolized and had them symbolized in China. If I remember correctly the symbolization was done after test at TI and I would assume other manufactures do the same to not waste time symbolizing bad parts.</p>
BT on Dear ON SemiconductorBTurn:uuid:9daf7132-7c2f-16b5-5ce2-286762dd0bcd2010-06-26T21:03:31-06:00<p>'no-good naughty gubbins'... Ah, I so love the British!</p>
marvin on Dear ON Semiconductormarvinurn:uuid:6c8c20b8-440e-d95b-dcb2-91ddc32bb3942010-06-26T12:47:02-06:00<p>Microchip and ON Semi tried about 2 years ago to acquire Atmel. Attempt of decreasing Atmel's credibility?</p>
RupertG on Dear ON SemiconductorRupertGurn:uuid:7f63de9a-99e6-d6ad-89bc-8d742a69e70f2010-06-26T12:12:37-06:00<p>Fab (sorry) story! Written up here, and I'll be watching avidly to see how things develop...<br>
<a href="http://www.zdnet.co.uk/blogs/mixed-signals-10000051/fuming-nitric-acid-robots-and-fraud-chasing-counterfeit-chips-10017853/" rel="nofollow">http://www.zdnet.co.uk/blogs/mixed-signals-10000051/fuming-nitric-acid-robots-and-fraud-chasing-counterfeit-chips-10017853/</a><br>
Rupert</p>
sinnsyk on Dear ON Semiconductorsinnsykurn:uuid:869eb988-0d54-314a-fe96-43abe72876882010-06-26T08:10:29-06:00<p>This is one of the reasons I find Sparkfun one of the best electronic sites out there. It is just the extra effort that they put into things like this that makes me buying expensive hobby electronics with a big smile, knowing that I am giving my money to people who will do anything to satisfy their customers.</p>
ThinkerT on Dear ON SemiconductorThinkerTurn:uuid:1a1ee201-b09d-0825-6131-3f6d979d3c232010-06-26T05:27:53-06:00<p>"The failure analysis group is there to evaluate problems and discern how the problems where caused."<br>
'Where' should be 'were.'</p>
simmers on Dear ON Semiconductorsimmersurn:uuid:5b235ded-bfae-ebd1-1aa7-a1a34d593e412010-06-26T03:22:35-06:00<p>Here's my 10 cents worth...<br>
If you're gonna fake something, make it worthwhile for yourself. So, pick an existing chip with the lowest value, right?<br>
How's this for a candidate...<br>
<a href="http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=NCV7513AFTR2G-ND" rel="nofollow">http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=NCV7513AFTR2G-ND</a><br>
It comes in at $1.92 per unit, which results in at least a $1 profit on each chip for the counterfeit version.<br>
Simmers</p>
EmbedJF on Dear ON SemiconductorEmbedJFurn:uuid:76c3ec55-c5f3-c213-93a3-b37df6adcccd2010-06-26T01:09:15-06:00<p>Superb detective work.<br>
I'm no expert at silicon chips, but just going by the layout I see. I suspect this could be your part.<br>
<a href="http://datasheet.octopart.com/MC100EP451FAG-ON-Semiconductor-datasheet-623768.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://datasheet.octopart.com/MC100EP451FAG-ON-Semiconductor-datasheet-623768.pdf</a><br>
Of course, I could be way off the mark too.</p>
khearn on Dear ON Semiconductorkhearnurn:uuid:f791ef6a-fd9d-098d-1e2e-9591c92e3d612010-06-25T21:14:07-06:00<p>I doubt it. The MC100LVE164 has 7 NC pins. It doesn't look like the fake IC has any NCs.</p>
Perfectphase on Dear ON SemiconductorPerfectphaseurn:uuid:4afb5c47-e09a-58f1-f61b-f8d0543e05792010-06-25T20:57:37-06:00<p>Am I the only one that things AG20 01-7 looks like a date code? Either July 2001 or 20th Jan 2007?</p>
TimWhite on Dear ON SemiconductorTimWhiteurn:uuid:a05578cb-ce5e-2a6a-6b8f-ee645be648752010-06-25T19:03:01-06:00<p>Glad to see the mystery solved! Thanks for the detailed writeup!</p>
JustinP on Dear ON SemiconductorJustinPurn:uuid:8742f8d3-01e1-30f3-a2fc-b033e58a74582010-06-25T18:31:21-06:00<p>That SEM is made by my company, JEOL. I however do not work on SEM's, I'm an NMR guy so I don't think I would be much help...</p>
TLAlexander on Dear ON SemiconductorTLAlexanderurn:uuid:b8b7663b-f00c-3164-aea9-674d133f40e32010-06-25T17:40:28-06:00<p>I'm pretty sure that putting up pictures of a product doesn't violate any copyrights...<br>
-Taylor</p>
notfunny on Dear ON Semiconductornotfunnyurn:uuid:e5fd286b-8821-debc-897f-5f2becd8a4512010-06-25T16:34:17-06:00<p>Nice photos of the setup. Unfortunately this incident is not uncommon in the industry with all the counterfeit parts out there. I doubt most developers who get them do failure analysis. Be careful who you buy from.<br>
Just one nitpick with your letter, the photo is of the die. There is a die identifier AG20 and then probably a date code that shows what lot the wafer came from. Lots of die are cut from the large circular wafer.<br>
It's likely these got stolen from a low yield lot that was in the scrap bin.</p>
SOISentinel on Dear ON SemiconductorSOISentinelurn:uuid:06a85a55-121f-852d-3b5b-4d3f52f14ce52010-06-25T14:44:58-06:00<p>That wire connects to the blue smoke container underneath the IC.</p>
frnk on Dear ON Semiconductorfrnkurn:uuid:4d9abb46-20ca-a057-3156-e265ce9961692010-06-25T14:36:58-06:00<p><strong><a href="/commerce//account.php?id=71107" rel="nofollow">Richard Hart</a>:</strong> <em>What a mystery! ...<br>
...and here all along I though "fuming" nitric acid was just another angry acid.</em><br>
From the description, I <em>STILL</em> consider it an "angry acid". The worst kind. :></p>
iklln6 on Dear ON Semiconductoriklln6urn:uuid:8630c94b-e132-85b6-7fb4-6141a1b978b22010-06-25T14:14:55-06:00<p>this saga has been the most interesting and enthralling read i've had in a long time. to turn lemons to lemonade, i'd say this whole ordeal provided a story that makes up for [at least some] of the headaches it's caused in designs and projects. then again, i wasn't one of the ones who sat ripping their hair out wondering why my grand design wasn't working c/o a left-field problem like counterfeited chip (i could only imagine how frustrating that could be, as i personally wouldn't have that possibility in my troubleshooting process).<br>
can't wait for the next chapter to unfold</p>
ARMinator on Dear ON SemiconductorARMinatorurn:uuid:3ce9223e-c7f9-6d2a-f7d9-7954c29abd6e2010-06-25T13:58:41-06:00<p>Aren't you infringing or helping infringe copyrights by displaying the inners of that chip?</p>
crwper on Dear ON Semiconductorcrwperurn:uuid:adfbf9ea-a3c9-0482-d189-df9da8bf8cf62010-06-25T13:33:18-06:00<p>There seem to be 33 bonding wires on the die. I wonder where the extra wire goes...</p>
Morten on Dear ON SemiconductorMortenurn:uuid:61c31120-c58c-37d5-4e46-c2e323d461c72010-06-25T12:24:23-06:00<p>Hi,<br>
Just a wild guess could be the NCP5331 from ON-Semi. The NCP5331 is a "Two Phase CPU Controller with Integrated Gate Drivers for AMD's Athlon Processor" and is packaged in a TQFP package. It has 4 gate drivers and it look like there is 4 similar circuits in the upper left corner on the die. The datasheet date is March 2005</p>
Zach10 on Dear ON SemiconductorZach10urn:uuid:9145934b-96b9-58eb-db71-7134a2c7957a2010-06-25T12:21:41-06:00<p>It's the wrong package (LQFP-32), but at least some of the pins seem to fit if you turn the chip 180 degrees.<br>
<a href="http://www.onsemi.com/pub_link/Collateral/NCP5318-D.PDF" rel="nofollow">http://www.onsemi.com/pub_link/Collateral/NCP5318-D.PDF</a></p>
Lindeng on Dear ON SemiconductorLindengurn:uuid:722b59c7-b7fb-9604-cc05-6baafa6375dd2010-06-25T12:20:39-06:00<p>I'm just a simple Mech Eng who dabbles in controls, so take what I think with a grain of salt...I see 4 identical circuits in the upper left corner, with a common connect at 'pin 1.' 'Pin 5' looks like a common rail - Vcc or Vss. Same with that extra pin to nowhere - I would suspect that's a ground pin into a shield or something under the die.<br>
I would guess this is a type of comparator or quad switch/gate/logic device - probably high volume, low cost (note alot of ON's switches/gates are $0.11 - $0.25 in bulk!) Good way to make bucks, if you can sell them as $2-3 MCU's!</p>
Andrew on Dear ON SemiconductorAndrewurn:uuid:d67b6b0c-30ca-6d09-d031-a2ab6ed369872010-06-25T11:00:15-06:00<p>How do you figure that?<br>
My untrained eye would expect to see more symmetry and repetition in a 16:1 multiplexer, plus these images look way too complex for that.</p>
Andrew on Dear ON SemiconductorAndrewurn:uuid:56fbb28b-8cef-2cd8-37a1-b5e9b8df11fc2010-06-25T10:55:24-06:00<p>Seconded. If anybody can figure this out (aside from ON), it's Bunnie and his readers. Every month I'm astonished at how quickly they solve his hardware identification puzzles.</p>
OA on Dear ON SemiconductorOAurn:uuid:c85e2eee-2670-2aa8-4f2b-91c141a557952010-06-25T10:45:57-06:00<p>When Motorola spun off their semiconductor business, Freescale got the LSI circuits while ON Semiconductor got the discrete devices and MSI circuits so this is not a processor. The large metal chunks (the white areas) on the chip are probably capacitors so this may be at least a semi-analog circuit, maybe a power management circuit or something similar.<br>
It is interesting there are 32 pins on the package but 33 bond pads on the chip. The extra pad is the one in the center on the right side and looks like the VSS pin since it is connected to the metal ring around the periphery of the chip to which all the ESD protections are connected. Have yo figured out where this pin goes?</p>
Emcee Grady on Dear ON SemiconductorEmcee Gradyurn:uuid:9758eb69-24ae-9d6c-b4af-b34ff345ac6f2010-06-25T10:07:47-06:00<p>Fixed! 1995 was just so long ago!</p>
jarv on Dear ON Semiconductorjarvurn:uuid:535b060c-4ef2-371a-a872-6c41736dd6e22010-06-25T10:02:15-06:00<p>"Zena" and "Hercules" are the two SEMs in use.<br>
You misspelled the warrior princess! It should be "Xena" :)</p>
Jwd270 on Dear ON SemiconductorJwd270urn:uuid:95fc4d59-119a-af0e-21b8-e88cc8fd91232010-06-25T10:01:30-06:00<p>This makes more sense than the original copper slug theory. Very interesting, thanks for sharing the story as it has unfolded!</p>
TheMoogle on Dear ON SemiconductorTheMoogleurn:uuid:938b11ff-9299-fd43-a070-3d81ce9debde2010-06-25T09:56:16-06:00<p>This may be the chip.<br>
<a href="http://www.onsemi.com/pub_link/Collateral/MC100LVE164-D.PDF" rel="nofollow">http://www.onsemi.com/pub_link/Collateral/MC100LVE164-D.PDF</a><br>
running off to test</p>
Ivan747 on Dear ON SemiconductorIvan747urn:uuid:d6f3021b-19e1-e1bf-712b-615d5154a5e62010-06-25T09:50:38-06:00<p>Mine</p>
Ivan747 on Dear ON SemiconductorIvan747urn:uuid:64f42d91-6f8f-a3f8-4aec-fcf94d27a6b02010-06-25T09:46:35-06:00<p>You can contact them here:<br>
<a href="http://www.onsemi.com/PowerSolutions/ticrequest.do" rel="nofollow">http://www.onsemi.com/PowerSolutions/ticrequest.do</a></p>
Emcee Grady on Dear ON SemiconductorEmcee Gradyurn:uuid:7f913704-4a81-ab25-0900-503a2fca7aa12010-06-25T09:45:09-06:00<p>Are you talking about his comment or yours? I don't seem anything spammy about either one!</p>
Applekid on Dear ON SemiconductorApplekidurn:uuid:4955abc3-a287-54b7-b613-a8e1d10a6aab2010-06-25T09:42:30-06:00<p>I hope this can get posted on Bunnie's Blog. The readers there are pretty amazing when it comes to recognizing layouts, they could probably give some clues even if ON Semi isn't as cool as Atmel.</p>
Ivan747 on Dear ON SemiconductorIvan747urn:uuid:b196e03a-dfba-18ae-f99b-e8d33e5826dc2010-06-25T09:37:50-06:00<p>LOL<br>
(yet another spammy, meaningless comment)</p>
eewestcoaster on Dear ON Semiconductoreewestcoasterurn:uuid:7beed3b7-47fc-130c-2698-3d8b2d87e11d2010-06-25T09:21:42-06:00<p>"Wow" pretty much sums it up for me. I was blown away by the shot of the half-eaten 328, how the casing was removed without so much as a scuff mark on the bonding wires. Very cool.<br>
Nice work, and a great story. I can't wait to see what these finally turn out to be!</p>
Richard Hart on Dear ON SemiconductorRichard Harturn:uuid:7cc1ad0e-8889-6954-aebe-b0dd00a000732010-06-25T09:21:09-06:00<p>What a mystery! This is more exciting than any C.S.I. television show could ever be. I hope someone out there can help solve this. A great story like this needs an ending.<br>
Thanks to Nate for writing up another excellent chapter in "The Case of the Missing Microprocessors."<br>
...and here all along I though "fuming" nitric acid was just another angry acid.</p>
RobK on Dear ON SemiconductorRobKurn:uuid:1bfcec8b-c7e9-4812-722b-3ce703c9b51c2010-06-25T09:15:09-06:00<p>Wow - what a fascinating story! No doubt you could turn this into a best-selling detective novel for geeks. And what an amazing coincendence that Atmel connection was.<br>
I'm also amazed at how clearly the photo of the die turned out after going through the acid fuming process. You dont know how tempted I am right now to try reproducing this process in my basement. Dont worry though - I'll heed your warning about trying this at home :)</p>