Molecular Expressions: Chip Shots - MIPS Virtual Microscopy Microscopy Primer License Info Image Use Custom Photos Partners Site Info Contact Us Publications Home Visit Science, Optics, & You The Galleries: Photo Gallery Silicon Zoo Pharmaceuticals Chip Shots Phytochemicals DNA Gallery Microscapes Vitamins Amino Acids Birthstones Religion Collection Pesticides Beershots Cocktail Collection Screen Savers Win Wallpaper Mac Wallpaper Movie Gallery MIPS Integrated Circuits MIPS Technologies developed the MIPS (Microprocessor without Interlocked Pipeline Stages) architecture for RISC microprocessors. In 1991, MIPS released the first 64-bit microprocessor, the R4000. The design was so important to Silicon Graphics that SGI bought the company outright so that the design would not be lost in the financial difficulties of bringing it to market. MIPS designs have found broad application in embedded systems, Windows CE (handheld) devices, and Cisco routers. The Nintendo 64 console, Sony PlayStation console, Sony PlayStation 2 console, and Sony PSP handheld system use MIPS processors. By the late 1990s, it was estimated that one in three of all RISC chips produced were MIPS-based designs. In 2000, Silicon Graphics spun off MIPS Technologies as an independent vendor of embedded microprocessors. Complete Die Photomicrographs R2000 Small Die (18k) | Medium Die (36k) | Large Die (65K) R3000 Small Die (24k) | Medium Die (47k) | Large Die (84k) R4000 Small Die (17k) | Medium Die (36k) | Large Die (64k) R4200 Small Die (25k) | Medium Die (45k) | Large Die (83k) R4400 Small Die (18k) | Medium Die (34k) | Large Die (62k) R5000 Small Die (20k) | Medium Die (41k) | Large Die (64k) R10000 Small Die (30k) | Medium Die (65k) | Large Die (114k) High Magnification Images R2000 (70K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R2000 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip with bonding wires and bus connections using oblique illumination with red and yellow gels. R3000 (58K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R3000 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip and bonding wires using oblique illumination with red and blue gels. R4200 (55K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4200 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip, bonding wires, and the chip identifier using oblique illumination with red, yellow, and blue gels. R4200 (69K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4200 microprocessor showing the chip identifier and bonding wires using oblique illumination with red, yellow, and blue gels. R4200 (71K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4200 microprocessor showing the chip corner and bus connections using oblique illumination with blue, red, and yellow gels. R4200 (78K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4200 microprocessor showing the bus connections in the center of the chip using oblique illumination with blue, red, and yellow gels. R4400 (69K) - Partial die shot of the center of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the bus connection using oblique illumination with red, blue, and yellow gels. R4400 (71K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip with bonding wires and bus connections using dark field illumination with red, yellow, and blue gels. R4400 (67K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the center of the chip and the bus connections using oblique illumination with red, blue, and yellow gels. R4400 (70K) - Partial die shot of the corner of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the bus connections running from the bonding wires to the main body of the chip using dark field illumination with red, blue, and yellow gels. R4400 (68K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip using dark field illumination with red, yellow, and blue gels. R4400 (57K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the bonding wires and bus connections using dark field illumination with red and blue gels. R4400 (74K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip with bus connections and bonding wires using oblique illumination with red, yellow, and blue gels. R4400 (74K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip and the bus connections using oblique illumination with blue, red, and yellow gels. R4400 (63K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing bus connections running from the bonding points using oblique illumination with blue and green gels. R4400 (64K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip and the bonding wires using oblique illumination with red and blue gels. R4400 (67K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the bus connections in the center of the chip using oblique illumination with red, yellow, and blue gels. R4400 (32K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor giving a very close shot of the bonding wires connecting to the chip using oblique illumination with red and blue gels. R4400 (59K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the body of the chip and bus connections using oblique illumination with red, blue, and yellow gels. R4600 (78K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4600 microprocessor showing bus connections using oblique illumination with red, yellow, and blue gels. R4600 (74K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4600 wafer showing an intersection between scribe lines using oblique illumination with red, blue, and yellow gels. R4600 (79K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4600 microprocessor showing the body of the chip using oblique illumination with red, blue, and yellow gels. R5000 (55K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R5000 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip and bonding wires using oblique illumination with red, blue, and yellow gels. R8000 (81K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R8000 microprocessor showing the center of the chip using oblique illumination with red and blue gels. R8000 (65K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R8000 microprocessor showing the bus connections in the center of the chip using oblique illumination with red and green gels. R8000 (85K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R8000 microprocessor showing the bus connection in the center of the chip using oblique illumination with blue and yellow gels. R8000 (75K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R8000 microprocessor showing the edge of the chip and bus connections using oblique illumination with red and blue gels. R8000 (48K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R8000 microprocessor showing the chip identifier and surrounding bus connections using dark field illumination with red gels. R8010 (51K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R8010 microprocessor showing the Silicon Graphics logo and a list of names using dark field illumination with red and blue gels. R10000 (64K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R10000 microprocessor giving a neon look at the corner of the chip and the bonding wires using dark field illumination with blue and red gels. R10000 (68K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R10000 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip and the bonding wires using dark field illumination with red and blue gels. R10000 (61K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R10000 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip and the bus connections using oblique illumination with blue and red gels. R10000 Microprocessor (100K) - Illustrated in this section is a high magnification digital image recorded in differential interference contrast (DIC) reflected light microscopy of surface features on a MIPS R10000 microprocessor integrated circuit. The features present on busses, registers and memory caches were enhanced through utilization of oblique illumination with blue and red gels. BACK TO CHIP SHOTS Questions or comments? Send us an email. © 1995-2021 by Michael W. Davidson and The Florida State University. All Rights Reserved. No images, graphics, software, scripts, or applets may be reproduced or used in any manner without permission from the copyright holders. Use of this website means you agree to all of the Legal Terms and Conditions set forth by the owners. This website is maintained by our Graphics & Web Programming Team in collaboration with Optical Microscopy at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. Last modification: Friday, Nov 13, 2015 at 01:18 PM Access Count Since November 1, 1996: 62587 Microscopes provided exclusively by:
